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Joanna Tokarska

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M.Sc. 

We are excited to announce the launch of our new project **RUINA (Restoration and Understanding of Integrated Natural and Architectural Heritage)**, supported by a DBU Fellowship.

The project aims to connect **sustainable environmental and nature conservation** with the **preservation of cultural heritage**, focusing on castle ruins in Rhineland-Palatinate. Using digital documentation and planning tools, innovative monitoring techniques, and AI-driven analysis, we will work to reduce environmental impact while promoting the long-term preservation of historic structures and biodiversity in the surrounding landscapes.

As part of the project, we will:
- Conduct risk assessments on selected castle ruins (e.g. Schmidtburg and/or Montfort), analyzing the effects of climate change, vegetation, and tourism.
- Apply digital documentation methods including 3D scanning, photography, and video mapping to monitor structural and ecological changes.
- Explore AI-based technologies for damage assessment and environmental monitoring.
- Develop adaptive conservation strategies in cooperation with our partners form local authorities and initiatives

The RUINA program also integrates education and community involvement. Through initiatives like the **Jugendbauhütte Rheinland-Pfalz** and the development of the **Re-Shelter German Castles Student Competition**, we will engage young people in heritage preservation and sustainable design.

We look forward to contributing to a future where heritage conservation and environmental protection go hand in hand: preserving the past while caring for our planet.


Restoration and Understanding of Integrated Natural and Architectural heritage

RUINA – Restoration and Understanding of Integrated Natural and Architectural heritage

##### About the project:

**The Synagogue of Wołpa**, once a magnificent wooden structure built in the 18th century (or possibly as early as 1643, according to some sources), was located in the town of Wołpa, now part of modern-day Belarus. It was a significant example of Baroque wooden architecture, admired for its beauty and architectural ingenuity. The synagogue was one of the most important Jewish prayer houses in the First Polish Republic and was even recognized by the Polish Sejm in 1781 as an artistic and national treasure. However, during World War II, in June 1941, it was destroyed during a bombing by the Luftwaffe. Today, all that remains is a neglected cemetery and a symbolic memorial.

An exciting new development in the field of reconstructing lost sacred spaces is the upcoming **conference titled "Empty Boxes? Modeling the Lost and Ephemeral in Premodern Sacred Spaces"** to be held at the Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History in Rome on 29-30 May 2025. For more details click  **[here](https://www.academia.edu/118290994/Call_for_Papers_Empty_Boxes_Modeling_the_Lost_and_Ephemeral_in_Premodern_Sacred_Spaces_Workshop_Rome_29_30_May_2025_)**. The event is organized with support from the Bibliotheca Hertziana and Deutsches Historisches Institut in Rom, as well as the CANTORIA research project on Music and Sacred Architecture at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. This conference aligns closely with our ongoing efforts in digital reconstruction, and in response to the call for projects, we have decided to expand our previous work on the Wołpa Synagogue. See our earlier postcard project **[here](https://arvr.hs-mainz.de/en/)**.

The project to reconstruct the Wołpa Synagogue was initiated by AI Mainz in collaboration with the Warsaw University of Technology. The goal was to digitally recreate the synagogue's intricate architectural details and faithfully restore its structure as much as possible.

The process began by analyzing historical drawings and records. The first step was to model the primary geometry of the building, including the dimensions and the distinctive shape of the wooden structure (Img 2, Img 3). Following this, the team focused on the finer architectural details, such as the intricate woodwork, carvings, Bima, and Aron ha-Kodesh (Img 4). To achieve this, numerous historical photographs and architectural images from the early 20th century were gathered to capture the synagogue's detailed elements. These images helped form the basis for modeling the complex features of the synagogue in 3D.

Additionally, **modern AI technology was used to assist in the design process**. AI-driven tools, such as image-to-3D generation (Img 5), were used to create and enhance various components of the building, offering an innovative way to reconstruct the synagogue’s complex features with precision and efficiency.

The project also included an **acoustic simulation** of the synagogue's interior. Since the original building was made of wood, simulating the acoustic properties of this material was a key aspect of the reconstruction. This allows us to understand how the space would have sounded during prayer, considering the reverberations and acoustics of the wooden interior.

Finally, the precise geographical position of the synagogue was located using historical pictures and modern map tools, ensuring that the digital reconstruction was accurate in both its historical and geographical context. Moreover, an advanced **Grasshopper script** (Img 6) was used, which, based on available photographs, can estimate the placement of neighboring buildings in 3D space. This technology made it possible to recreate the urban context in which the Wołpa Synagogue was situated, accurately positioning it within its surrounding landscape. The script enabled the creation of a realistic and contextually accurate visualization of the space in which the synagogue functioned, providing a deeper understanding of its significance within the local environment.


The reconstruction of the Wołpa Synagogue, once a masterpiece of Baroque wooden architecture, was digitally brought to life. The process involved modeling the synagogue's main geometry and intricate details using historical drawings, photographs, and AI-driven 3D generation tools. Additionally, acoustic simulations of the wooden interior and precise location mapping were conducted to enhance the digital recreation, offering an immersive experience of this lost cultural heritage.

Joanna Tokarska, M.Sc.

Joanna Tokarska, M.Sc.

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