Innovation and geomatics for the protection of Places of Worship
Technological innovation meets tradition and spirituality in the “Tech for SHRINEs” Hackathon, a unique event at the European level dedicated to protecting places of worship through advanced solutions. Organized as part of the European SHRINEs project, the event took place in Assisi from November 25 to 27, providing a significant opportunity to merge technology, ethics, and culture while respecting the values these sacred spaces uphold.
The technological partner of the initiative was the Geomatics Laboratory for Cultural Heritage of the Department of Architecture and Design-DAD, represented by project leaders and scientific coordinators Lorenzo Teppati Losè and Fabio Giulio Tonolo, along with Edward Borgogno, a research fellow. Under the mandate of the SAFE Foundation, the team was responsible for the digitization of three of the four scenarios identified for the Hackathon. These included the Hermitage of the Prisons (Eremo delle Carceri), an outdoor extra-urban context; Piazza del Comune, an outdoor urban environment; and the Municipal Library, an indoor setting with low public density. For the fourth scenario, the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, characterized by high public density, the surveys were provided by the Custody of the Sacred Convent of Saint Francis of the Friars Minor Conventual.
The digitization of the three scenarios, which had not previously been documented, was conducted through 3D metric surveys using advanced Geomatics techniques. These included LiDAR surveys performed with terrestrial laser scanners, both fixed and mobile with SLAM technology, and aerial photogrammetry carried out with drones. The results served as an essential foundation for the researchers participating in the Hackathon, enabling the design of innovative technological solutions for the protection of places of worship. Additionally, the 3D data collected was used to create a video showcasing the design scenarios to the more than 150 participants, highlighting their unique features and potential.
SHRINEs is a two-year project funded by the European Internal Security Fund (ISF) and is designed to enhance the safety and security of places of worship, addressing risks related to both safety and security. The project is rooted in an interfaith dialogue approach, engaging representatives of the three major monotheistic religions: Christianity (with Catholic and Protestant participants), Judaism, and Islam, which are official partners of the initiative. Moreover, SHRINEs has established an interfaith and multidisciplinary network that facilitates the exchange of experiences to raise awareness among European religious communities about the main risks and threats they face. The network currently includes over 60 institutional representatives, organizations responsible for managing places of worship, and sector experts from 17 EU countries and the United States.
In this way, SHRINEs not only promotes the adoption of advanced technological solutions for the protection of places of worship but also builds a bridge between innovation, tradition, and interfaith dialogue, contributing to the preservation of cultural and spiritual heritage that is of fundamental importance to Europe and the entire world.
