A historic Queenston estate has had a 3D makeover, thanks to faculty and students from NC’s School of Media Studies.
On Saturday, September 19, Willowbank School of Restoration Arts will unveil a custom virtual reality recreation – designed and built by NC Game Development students – at its twentieth anniversary open house event.
The project has been about a year in the making. NC School of Media faculty Conor MacNeil – who is also a member of Willowbank’s Board of Directors. – led student volunteers from the College’s Game Development programs in the project. They worked with Willowbank students to reimagine the historic estate on a digital platform. Drawing on photographs, floor plans, archival research and conversations with community members, they created an experience that offers an immersive glimpse into Willowbank’s past.
“It’s the future meeting the past. Heritage students and gaming students work in very different spaces, but this project shows the incredible applications virtual reality has for cultural preservation,” aid MacNeil. “When people put the headset on, they aren’t just looking at a 3D model, they’re stepping into an authentic, photorealistic environment that honours Willowbank’s history while showcasing our students’ technical skills at an industry level.”
Over the past year, third-year Game Development student Ronnie Warwick worked alongside MacNeil and about a dozen students across NC’s Game Development programs, to transform the historic mansion into an interactive digital environment. Warwick, who was born and raised in St. Catharines, was interested in getting involved with the project to gain hands-experience.
“I was really excited to get some industry experience – to get a sense of what it’s like to work on a game, with a team, with a client, and get a chance to show off my skills,” said Warwick.
Using Unreal Engine – industry-leading software that expands beyond the standard classroom curriculum – the team used 3D spatial scanning, drone capture, high-to-low poly baking, and archival research from the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum.
Warwick handled much of the initial reference work and developed the 3D model from the original floor plans before moving to programming the VR mechanics, headset setup, and audio integration in Unreal.
He valued the experience he gained contributing to the architecture of the project, from details such as trims and doors to the entire staircase design which took significant effort.
“Conor made this feel like an industry production. We had a client, we had a goal, we had milestones to achieve, we had roles and responsibilities,” said Warwick. “Working on real-world goals with real-world clients gave me a sense of accomplishment and a drive to work and prove what our team could do.”
With the recent loss of other historic estates such as the Glencairn House, Warwick reflected on the importance of preserving history in 3D and how he could use his skills to do just that.
“One of the coolest things about this project is we’re preserving history in 3D,” he said. “The idea of preserving Willowbank and many other historic houses in 3De has led to a lot of new ideas and plans for the future… our 200-year old pieces of history need to be preserved and our team is working to preserve them.”
In addition to walking through intricately detailed rooms, users can discover virtual period artifacts and view digitized letters dating back to the 1860s that were once hidden within the walls of the estate.
The long-term vision for the project is a digital ‘time machine’ for users to toggle between the estate’s distinct architectural eras, from the Hamilton family in the mid-1800s, to the Bright family in expansions of the 1930s.
The open house showcase marks the public debut of phase one, bringing the estate to life in immersive 3D.
The VR experience will be a key feature of Willowbank’s 20th anniversary open house on Saturday, September 20. MacNeil, Warwick and other NC student creators will be on site to guide visitors through the headset walkthrough. the demo will be running throughout the afternoon of the open house inside the Hamilton Room.
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- Screenshots of Willowbank in 3D
See it firsthand at Willowbank Open House Sat. Sept. 20
Don’t miss NC’s demo station at the Willowbank 20th anniversary Open House on Saturday, September 20 from 1-5 p.m. Willowbank is located at 14487 Niagara Parkway, Queenston.
The Open House marks an extraordinary milestone for Willowbank celebrating 20 years of the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts and its unique approach to heritage conservation education.
To mark this milestone, Willowbank is opening doors of its National Historic Site for an afternoon and evening celebrating the craftspeople, students, teachers and community who have shaped the School over the past two decades.
The free Community Open House is open to the public from 1-5 p.m., followed by a ticketed evening celebration with the Woodshed Orchestra (6-9 p.m.).
For info visit: willowbank.ca/post/celebrating-20-years-of-craft-culture-community
