Newsletter May 2011
Students passed with flying colours in Students’ Challenge
PORTICO challenged students from universities and university colleges of the partner cities Utrecht, Chester, Köln and Gent to a real Students’ Challenge. Students from different fields working together in multidisciplinary teams were assigned to make the cultural heritage and history of their city accessible for children and youngsters in an innovative way. The final results were presented at a conference in Köln on 11th April 2011. Finally, the students of HKU and Utrecht University won the first prize with their time travel machine.
The plans
The Chester students presented two deliverables: a digital application on the Roman city walls and a board game featuring Ronnie The Roman. Their colleagues of Köln evoked the devastating power of earthquakes, exemplified by the fate of the Roman praetorium, which collapsed in the 8th century. In the underground museum, where the remains of the Roman governor’s residence are at display for the public, children can use a digital tool to hunt for a monkey head, an ornamental stone of the medieval synagogue built on that spot.
In Gent all five institutions of higher education participated in the Challenge. They set up three different teams that developed multimedia educational games connected to the coin trail under construction. In “The Lost Inheritance”, a game devised by the students of University College Ghent and Ghent University, the young players are asked to assist Pieter, a medieval boy of their age, in finding a hidden treasure. The IT students of KaHo Sint-Lieven and the graphic design students of HWK Sint-Lucas Beeldende Kunst worked on an android smartphone app featuring a funny, coin collecting mole called Molonel Marcel. “MuRo: uitmuntend Gent” is the project title of the Artevelde University College students. They created the character of Yda, a female servant working for the wealthy and famous Borluut family, who guides young iPad-users along the coin trail and on a boat trip to the city museum STAM.
And the winner is…
The students of HKU and Utrecht University won the First Prize with their time travel machine enabling elementary school kids with a multicultural background to get in touch with Aelius, a boy living in the Roman Empire and kept in slavery. Armed with a tablet device called the stuff seeker, they have to search outdoors in their neighbourhood – in Roman Times located at the Limes or border of the Empire – for virtual objects which they need in order to free Aelius and to help him to survive.
All participating students and their coaches were unanimous about the unique, instructive and rewarding experience offered by this Students’ Challenge.
Inspiring website
The Portico Research Project Timetravel, in collaboration with the Dutch heritage program Odyssee, recently developed the first stage of a inspirational blog and website, where we will showcase best practices in Heritage. This website is meant as a tool to inspire European heritage professionals and enthusiasts to share their heritage practice with each other while getting inspired by best cases from around Europe.
This webplatform will now start with a membership area and a small blognews section. We invite you all to become a member of this blog. In the coming weeks the blog will be developed into a more extensive inspirational blog where we will feature best practise cases of heritage from Europe. The site can be visited at: http://www.inheritage.eu. We hope that many enthusiasts become registered users in order to make this a vibrant new platform for heritage in Europe.
Coin trail construction in Gent has started
In February 2011 the first phase of the construction of the coin trail has started on the Korenmarkt. Within the next few years the coin route will be built across the city centre from the Grasbrug (river Lys) to the Brabantpoort (river Scheldt). The trail visualizes the medieval trade route from Brugge to Köln, which was at that time a major trunk route connecting the North Sea and the Rhine.
Altogether the coin trail will count one thousand brass coins grouped in clusters. Every coin has a different image engraved, which is based upon an iconographic or historical source (photograph, drawing, text, etc). Each cluster of coins is devised as a snapshots comic strip, which tells a piece of the history of Gent. Every cluster contains a special identification coin with a QR-code that will enable smartphone and tablet users to inquire information on the coin images and the stories they relate to.
The first hundred coins are laid down in the pavement of the Korenmarkt, Donkersteeg, Goudenleeuwplein and Emile Braunplein. This first stretch of the coin trail is fully financed by the PORTICO-project. The remaining six hundred coins will be built later.
Archaeological research at Botermarkt and Belfortstraat reveal remnants of medieval stone houses and wooden street
Prior to the third phase of the rebuilding of the central pedestrianized city squares and surrounding streets in Gent, the so-called KoBra-project, archaeological research was carried out at the Botermarkt and Belfortstraat. In November and December 2010 the Department of Urban Archaeology researched this area, located on the top of the Zandberg, through open area excavation. Traces of deep sand extraction pits, with fillings dating from the 12th, 13th and 14th century, were found. The extracted sand was probably used for preparing construction material.
Profile samples at the crossing of the Botermarkt and Hoogpoort gave evidence of a medieval street made of small timber posts, similar to the ones found earlier beneath the former Korte Ridderstraat (now Emile Braunplein) and the small square called Te Putte (now Goudenleeuwplein). Along with these, the timber road of the Hoogpoort was identified as a major traffic artery in medieval Gent. The road was built on top of a black layer made of organic material, typical for this area located just outside the oldest part of the medieval city.
The Belfortstraat (initally called Borluutstraat) was only built around 1900 in order to connect Botermarkt and St Jacob’s Church. The construction of this new street, wide and straight, fitted in the large scale urbanization campaign of mayor Emile Braun (in charge 1895-1921) in order to “modernize” the typical dense street layout of the medieval city center. This plan entailed also the demolition of the houses that stood in that part of the Hoogpoort that enclosed the Botermarkt. The excavation of wall remnants in Tournai limestone, a typical feature of the patrician stone houses from the 12th to the early 14th century, may be linked with this former building line.
Explore the Walls: The Chester Portico Project
There is no better way to appreciate Chester’s wonderful heritage than to walk its magnificent City Walls. This Scheduled Ancient Monument, which is of international importance, is the only complete city wall circuit in Britain and has a rich and eventful 2,000-year history. Legend has it that on 24th of September 1645, King Charles stood on a tower (now bearing his name) and watched his army defeated in the battle of Rowton Moor. The 4km circular route provides glorious views of the city and links to other important heritage sites such as the Roman Amphitheatre, Chester Castle, Riverside Groves, and Chester Cathedral.
The vision for the Portico ‘Explore the Walls’ project is to deliver ‘one of the best historic city trails in Europe’. This article demonstrates the comprehensive heritage interpretation process that has been undertaken and gives a taste of the projects that will result. Currently the project is at the detailed design stage and is on track to be completed on time by December this year.
An exemplary approach
Explore the Walls is part of a Chester Renaissance programme to make the city a ‘must see’ European destination by 2015. With David Masters as Lead Consultant, Imagemakers produced a Heritage Interpretation Masterplan for the Chester in 2009, providing a strategic framework for telling Chester’s dramatic story across the city. During this project, Portico funding was secured for the City Walls and Towers.
Research and Evaluation
In 2010 the Portico City Walls and Towers project began with a detailed research and planning stage, determining the aims, themes, media and budgets for the interpretation. This work was undertaken in close liaison with the appointed architects, historic building specialists Donald Insall Associates.
We profiled visitor groups to identify the target audiences and referenced data from the Competitiveness Study about how visitors use the Walls and Towers. We also identified the physical, intellectual, cultural, attitudinal and sensory barriers that impact the visitor experience, and are mitigating these as far as possible. Provision for a younger audience was also an important consideration.
The research involved detailed consultation with key stakeholders, residents, businesses, schools, local government and partner agencies. Input was also gathered from expert heritage and tourism staff.
‘Thorough research and consultation ensures the interpretation will meet the needs of all users and fit seamlessly with other historical sites and the wider interpretation of Chester. The planning process also elicited a very positive response and a sense of ownership from stakeholders, which has had real benefits as the project becomes implemented’. David Masters, Lead Consultant, Imagemakers
The research provided the information we needed to establish the strategic aims for the interpretation. It also helped us identify the main themes and stories. The aims are to promote the walls as an enjoyable yet flexible route around the city, to encourage visitors to discover more, to create a ‘wow’ factor, to increase civic pride, to help raise the profile of the walls and their economic value, and to ensure there are strong linkages with other important sites in Chester. The main interpretive theme centres on Chester as a historic regional stronghold and the role of the Walls and Towers for ‘defence, protection, power and control’; as ‘a living monument’; and as an exciting ‘route to explore’ the city’s heritage offer.
The Interpretation Plan also specified emotional, behavioural and learning objectives to
be delivered by the interpretation, from making visitors feel amazed to ensuring they can find their way around easily.
Projects to be implemented
The Interpretation Plan details a range of interpretation projects that will meet the needs of a wide audience.
Map-based orientation panels, produced in hard wearing vitreous enamel, will enable visitors to find their way around. Interpretation panels in enamelled lavastone, a natural material, will tell site specific stories at key locations, and include zinc rubbing plates for children. A cutting edge smartphone app, with a strong gaming element, CGI animations and high definition AV sequences, will target those comfortable using new media. A beautifully designed guidebook will also be produced for those who like a more traditional but contemporarily styled way of accessing information.
An augmented reality digital binocular viewpoint, the first of its kind in the UK, will take visitors back in time, revealing layers of history when the landscape was dramatically different. Thematic arts installations, conceived by artist Patricia MacKinnon Day, will visually take the roof off a tower, introduce ‘wishes’ into the public realm, provide a reflective resting point, and relate to a true story of romance and escape.
We will also install a replica Civil War canon on an old gun battery platform, and create immersive audio experiences and medieval backdrops in some of the Towers.
A new website is also in development and this will integral to the promotion of the experience. It will act a digital hub, enabling visitors to find out more pre and post visit and link to other Chester heritage and tourism on-line facilities.
Conclusion
By taking a robust, research-based, and thoroughly consulted approach to planning the interpretation, the project team have been able to devise a coherent and compelling scheme that has the support of a wide range of partners and stakeholders.
We are confident the resulting interpretation will significantly enhance the visitor experience and, together with the architectural interventions, successfully deliver the Portico ambition for Chester. We hope that his impact can then be quantified as clear evidence of the benefits of investing in and using archaeology and the built heritage for economic development.
[Image captions: Reconstruction illustrations of the medieval Water Tower and Eastgate, commissioned as part of the Portico scheme.]
David Masters, Lead Consultant, Imagemakers Interpretive Design and Consulting. Tel (+44) 1837 840717 Email davidm@removethis.imagemakers.uk.com Website www.imagemakers.uk.com
Dutch EU funded projects open doors on 13, 14 and 15 May
PORTICO will open its doors for the local public on 13, 14 and 15 May. On these days, Domplein Initiative offers a special guided tour to the first visitor centre under the Domplein Square in Utrecht. Special attention will be paid to PORTICO in order to show inhabitants the European contribution to this project and the transnational co-operation within PORTICO.
It's the first time that EU funded projects, most of them funded by Interreg, Urbact and the Dutch ERDF Operational Programmes, jointly open their doors to show local inhabitants what has been done with European investments. PORTICO is one of the seven projects in the Utrecht region that opens its doors on these open project days.
If you want to attend this special guided tour (12.45 – 14.00 p.m.), pick up your entrance ticket before 12.45 p.m. at VVV/RonDom, Domplein 9, Utrecht.
Please visit for more information: www.europaomdehoek.nl/kijkdagen