PROJECTS
Team Members: Diana Mosquera, Francisco Gallegos,
rosa zambrano
UDLA
Digitalization and data structuring of historical documentary files using computer vision
In this data recovery project for the first Quito Architecture Biennials, we converted typed documents into structured digital resources. These historical records contained valuable information about Latin American architectural development but were inaccessible in their original format and deteriorated over time. Our approach combined computer vision and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to digitize the physical documents. This approach allowed us to extract text from damaged and faded pages, transforming unstructured content into searchable digital text.
The digitized content was organized into a database that captured key information including details of participants, thematic focus, award recipients and countries of origin. This structured format allowed for systematic analysis over time. We implemented exploratory data analysis techniques to identify patterns and relationships within the information. The resulting visualizations revealed changing architectural trends, evolving international participation, and the transformation of thematic priorities across different editions of the event.
Beyond digitization, our methodology provides information for architectural historiographical research. The resulting database has become a valuable primary source that reveals connections and patterns across decades of Latin American architectural development. This approach demonstrates how computational techniques can revitalize historical documents from diverse fields, making them not only accessible, but also analytically valuable. Similar methods could be applied to other historical collections facing deterioration, ensuring that important cultural and professional knowledge remains alive and continues to inform contemporary practice and research.
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