3D metaphor and Web based technology as an user-friendly approach to the publishing of historic collections on the Web

In October 2002 staff at the Faculty of the Built Environment at UWE Bristol has completed work on European Commission funded project, VirtuAL. VirtuALl stands for the Virtual Archive and Library for Cathedrals and includes a virtual environment to explore the spatial relationships between digitally reproduced artifacts in the archive and library, and links from documents to landscape. The 3D model is underpinned by a data base using SQL server and servers as a portal. the project has employed Web based computer technologies in order to create a methodological framework which once evaluated can be utilized for recording, managing and presenting similar historic collections. The VirtuAL was part of wider investigation, which was both an attempt to understand the effective design of Web-based historic records, as well as to set up a methodology for creating multimedia recording of historic collections. This paper examines the ideas behind the project, the manner in which these have been implemented and the feedback and response that has in turn modified the focus of the project.