Castello di Mirafiori: Reconstructive Modelling and WebAR

This paper presents a digital heritage project focused on the reconstruction and public communication of the lost Castello di Mirafiori in Turin through 3D modelling, WebAR, and physical prototyping. Developed through a collaboration between Politecnico di Torino and the Municipality of Turin within the European proGIreg urban regeneration programme, the research combines archival drawings, cadastral maps, engravings, historical texts, and territorial cartography to reconstruct the morphology of the Savoy residence and its formal gardens during their period of greatest splendour between the late sixteenth and mid-seventeenth centuries. The resulting digital model was optimized for lightweight online visualization and integrated into a browser-based augmented reality application using open-source AR.js technology, allowing visitors on site to access the reconstruction via QR code without installing software. Users can superimpose the castle model onto an information panel and explore different scales and views. The project also includes the design of a tactile physical model produced through laser cutting and 3D printing. The study demonstrates how low-cost AR solutions can reactivate vanished heritage, support community engagement, and contribute to cultural-led urban regeneration.