Monash University > News and Events > Monash Memo

Virtual walk through ancient city

24 June 2009

Millions of people around the world will gain an insight into the 13th century Cambodian city of Angkor following a painstaking reconstruction by a team led by Tom Chandler, an academic from the Faculty of Information Technology.

National Geographic is this month featuring the world-class 3D visualisation study to coincide with the magazine's July cover story on Angkor, which at its height was one of the largest cities in the world.

Mr Chandler has worked with a team of graduates to visualise the landscapes and daily life at Angkor 800 years ago, using 3D modelling technologies and a broad range of archaeological and historical data.

In line with the renewed archaeological emphasis on Angkor as a medieval metropolis, these animations aim to depict the city beyond the famous temples that have today become a major tourist destination.

A set of eight of these animations appear in an interactive presentation on the National Geographic website and demonstrate a long and productive collaboration between Monash and archaeologists from the University of Sydney Greater Angkor Project.

Monash Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Shoemaker said the project was a great example of the opportunities for students through the Monash Passport - involving the work of Honours and graduate students on an innovative world-first project.

"I was deeply impressed to take a virtual walk through the streets of Angkor," Professor Shoemaker said.

"Tom's team have researched the archaeology of a whole range of creatures from humans to elements to ensure the characters and soundscapes are realistic - it's a magnificent example of world-class innovation at Monash."

The extensive computer model of Angkor was almost four years in the making and its creation was made possible by the dedication of a team of Monash IT graduates and digital specialists.