Imagine Palmyra rebuilt as if Isis had never..., or Kathmandu restored to its pre-quake glory. As the V&A’s special pavilion at the Venice shows

We now have the technology to create perfect copies of cities – but should we?

Bassel Khartabil, a pioneer of open data, at Palmyra in 2005. His whereabouts are now unknown
Bassel Khartabil, a pioneer of open data, at Palmyra in 2005. His whereabouts are now unknown - The availability of open-source 3D software to simplify what used to be painstakingly difficult has also allowed communities under threat to play a crucial role themselves, without waiting for help from international organisations. TheNewPalmyra is one such initiative. Inspired by Bassel Khartabil – a Palestinian-Syrian software developer who had played a key role in pioneering open access data in Syria – this grassroots project creates 3D models based on crowd-sourcing and open data. Khartabil was the recipient of an Index on Censorship Digital Freedom Award for his efforts to promote a free internet in the country. He has been held by the Syrian regime for four years. His current location and state of health remain unknown. “Sharing and creation of derivative works is core to our mission,” says Barry Threw, who is interim director of the project until Khartabil’s release. “Instead of spending resources constructing the ruins in Trafalgar Square, we make our 3D models downloadable, so that anyone can print them.” © Institute for Digital Archaeology

It turns out that while Isis was advancing on the city, the Institute of Digital Archaeology (IDA) had, along with Unesco, been distributing 3D cameras to volunteers in Palmyra. They were aware that in the same way the Taliban blew up the sixth-century Buddha statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan in 2001, Isis were very likely to destroy much of Palmyra’s ancient heritage. Boris Johnson called it giving “two fingers to Daesh”, but this remarkable new capability – to rebuild exact copies of urban structures – goes much further. From Palmyra to the Iraqi city of Mosul and the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, new technologies in digital copying and 3D building are allowing us to bring back not just monuments, but entire cities from the rubble.

The technology raises difficult questions. What does it mean to copy an ancient monument or building? Can a reproduction ever be as good as the original? Or is “authenticity” less important than symbolism to people who’ve survived death and destruction?

.. and London mayor Boris Johnson standing in front of the replica of Palmyra’s Arch of Triumph in April of 2016.
.. and London mayor Boris Johnson standing in front of the replica of Palmyra’s Arch of Triumph in April of 2016. © Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images