The Proposal

Proposal Summary

​In Greece, the maritime country par excellence, there are still preserved boats built with traditional techniques that represent a unique value due to their cultural and technological characteristics. Shipbuilding was one of the most important economic sectors of the country in the 19th and until the middle of the 20th century. It was one of the country's most important industries in the early twentieth century. Several design features applied to wooden boats were a direct evolution of the corresponding features exhibited by ships in the Aegean in earlier historical periods. The rescue and study of these features undoubtedly helps to clarify the continuity of maritime and shipbuilding tradition through the centuries. This is perhaps the main reason for the value of salvaging and restoring unique traditional vessels built with pre-industrial techniques that are no longer practiced today.

Such a ship is undoubtedly the "ELENI P.", one of the largest "Peramatas" saved.

The project partnership's goals are to salvage and preserve as many of the salvaged parts of the ship as possible and to investigate possible uses, to produce a comprehensive design study for a true copy of the "Helen P." that includes as many of the salvaged and preserved elements as possible, to produce a study on the use and sustainability of the physical copy of the ship, and finally to produce a digital copy of the restored ship.

The above objectives will be achieved through the maintenance, documentation and highlighting of the parts of the ship that can be saved, as well as through the comprehensive study on the construction of a physical replica of the ship and through the design and creation of a three-dimensional (3D) digital replica to show and highlight the maritime heritage of Hydra and the Aegean Archipelago in general.

Specifically, in the area of the shipyard, two-dimensional and three-dimensional designs (2D/3D), replicas as well as 3D digital parts of the ship, targeted and specialized diagnostic and maintenance works are carried out, with wood diagnosis and maintenance works by specialized recognized Greek scientists, Design and marking works by specialized architects and civil engineers, designers and wood technologists, as well as documentation and marking works with the significant participation of the executives of the Hydra Museum and the Directorate of Recent Cultural Holdings and Intangible Cultural Heritage (DNPC) of the Ministry of Interior.

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Αντικείμενο και στόχοι του έργου

In Greece, the maritime country par excellence, there are still preserved boats built with traditional techniques and of unique value in terms of their cultural and technological characteristics. Shipbuilding was one of the most important economic sectors of the country during the 19th and until the middle of the 20th century. It was one of the country's most important industries in the early twentieth century. Several design features applied to wooden boats were a direct evolution of the corresponding features exhibited by ships in the Aegean in earlier historical periods. The rescue and study of these features undoubtedly helps to clarify the continuity of the maritime and shipbuilding tradition through the centuries. This is perhaps the main reason for the value of salvaging and restoring unique traditional vessels built with pre-industrial techniques that are no longer practiced today.

The project is expected to represent a significant advance over the "current technological state" of Greek data in the field of diagnosis, maintenance, documentation and highlighting of historical cultural monuments and, in particular, traditional ships, as it will develop new innovative methods, tools and approaches for the protection and rescue of the country's recent cultural heritage and intangible cultural heritage, focusing on traditional ships and traditional shipbuilding. In particular, it is worth highlighting that the project negotiates an innovative approach to the acute problem of the threat of uncontrolled collapse of wooden ships that have not been maintained for many years, despite being designated as monuments. The proposed intervention procedure is in line with the recent Regulation No. 63 of Law 4481/2017 for movable monuments and saves, as much as possible, both the tangible and intangible characteristics of these vessels, which had made them unique examples of the Greek shipbuilding tradition.

The innovative results of the project, such as the complete guide (best practice) for the rescue of traditional ships, which currently does not exist and must be created, the two-dimensional and three-dimensional (2D/3D) design of the replica, as well as digitally preserved 3D parts of the ship, through targeted and specialized diagnosis and maintenance, as well as the pilot operation of a demonstration laboratory in the form of an "Open Lab", through Virtual and Augmented Reality (AR /VR) technologies, aim to create a new experience "Cultural Experience", ie. i.e., in the provision of digital experiences/services related to traditional boats and traditional naval architecture, but without this being a limitation, since the methodology to be developed and the related tools, with the appropriate adaptations, will also be applicable in other commercial/economic sectors (such as orchestras, performance venues, spatial events, etc.).

For the creation of the above "Cultural Experience", the "ELENI P.", one of the largest preserved peramats (total length 22.20 m) built in Skiathos by the most famous family of shipbuilders, is used as a model boat of the island of Mytilene. The registered width is 7.10 m, the registered depth is 2.50 m, the gross tonnage is 77.54 gr and the girth is 10.60 m. The ship, registered as Hydra 167, has a MERCEDES internal combustion engine 200 BHP. The construction of the "ELENI P." was started in 1939 and was completed relatively quickly, but during the interwar period the hull remained out, which caused the ship to become "bulbous", which eventually affected the capacity.

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Project Implementation Methodology

The main concern of the agencies involved is the implementation and testing of innovative technologies in the intervention column in question, using non-destructive techniques for the diagnosis and maintenance of Eleni P.

The strained condition of the vessel has led to its unilateral collapse. Consequently, immediate intervention is required to save what can be saved and to provide complete documentation. Based on the latest autopsies performed, controlled degradation appears to be the only possible solution. The proposal seeks to save as many elements of the ship as possible, individually or as a whole, and to preserve them in a suitable place for their possible future use, such as their inclusion in the construction of a faithful copy.

The project will be carried out in seven research units ( RUs ). In the first one, the technical studies and planning (EE1) of all field works will be prepared with the aim of adequate, safe, timely and optimal execution of the works. In the second unit of work (EE2), the main field works will be carried out both in the Koupettoris Shipyard (an external partner of IAMY) and in the DEXYS laboratories, where the maintenance of each section will be carried out with the aim of their detailed mapping (included in the next section) and their preservation in a safe place for their future use. In the third work unit (EE3), the digital registration of all the parts of the ship, stored either individually or as a whole, and then the preparation of a complete technical study for the construction of a copy of the "Heleni P" will be carried out. In the same unit of work, the created digital and engineered material is used to create the 3D digital model of the copy of "Helen P.", for which the study is also created. The fourth unit of work (EE4) includes the creation of a presentation platform for the replica of "Heleni P." using augmented and virtual reality applications (AR /VR), the main objective of which is to promote and disseminate the efforts to save and use the memorial ship "Heleni P.". In this context, the digital use of the cultural heritage of the memorial ship "Heleni P." will take place with the creation of a digital platform for multiple applications. The next module (EE5) includes the demonstration of the presentation platform and the full operation of all digital applications of the project. As part of EE5, the Open Lab, operated on-site at the Hydra Museum and other locations by experienced external IAMY staff, will allow visitors to IAMY and YPPO to follow the maintenance and restoration of each part of the ship in the lab in near real-time. In addition, there are two other work units: the study on commercial exploitation, sustainability and business planning, which will be an important tool for the exploitation of the project results in the framework of the project, and the studies on the necessity and feasibility of the project for the exploitation of the recovered parts of the ship by the company LINK A.E., an external partner of POLITISTICA, and the construction and operation of the physical copy of the ship Eleni P. as a mobile exhibition (EE6) by Mr. Damianidis, an external partner of IAMY. Finally, EE7 describes the participation in commercial and technological exhibitions (EE7) with the aim of further disseminating the results and conclusions of the project. READLAB and Politistica, as well as the four research and knowledge dissemination organizations of the partnership and/or the cultural institutions, will participate in similar exhibitions in order to promote the project results to relevant stakeholders and the respective business sector.

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Expected results

Utilization of innovative product:

- By making a complete construction study of a true copy of Eleni P., which will contain the saved elements

- By creating a digital copy of the restoration of "ELENI P." and handing it over to the public as a living exhibit, an addition to the already existing Historical Archive of the Hydra Museum

- With the integrated platform for digital content and navigation in Perama "Eleni P."

With AR/VR Apps (Mobile/Tablet/PC)

- With the 3D digital model/replica and associated digital drawings for future replica reconstruction.

- By creating a Digital Open Lab for the acquisition of Experiential Experiences by any interested citizen, scientist, etc.

- With the business planning study for the commercial use of the AR /VR platform and applications by the participating SMEs (six years 2020-2026).

Job Creation

- Preservation and creation of new jobs, as both private companies involved in the development and use of digital tools and applications and browsing platforms need skilled personnel in the field of digital applications, and public institutions that manage and use the monuments in question need new personnel to support their use, such as historians, archeologists, tourist guides, conservators, etc.

Excellence and competitiveness of the economy:

- Expansion beyond the current state of the art by:

Develop innovative methods, tools and approaches to protect and save the country's youngest cultural reserve and intangible cultural heritage, focusing on traditional boats and traditional shipbuilding.

Closing a gap in the legal framework for the preservation and protection of traditional boats and historical monuments in general that are at risk of destruction (already 4 similar boats were destroyed before their timely rescue, so the present project will provide the opportunity to avoid past mistakes).

The creation of a guide (best practise) for the rescue of other traditional boats, which currently does not exist and is urgent to create.

The creation of products and services at a high technological level, which in many cases can be used to preserve and save cultural monuments on the domestic market

The significant contribution to the export of know-how, innovation, diversification and technological improvement through the tools and applications to be developed.

The development of a guide that clarifies the structure and services that a public institution should provide for the use of historical monuments saved through their digitization.

Quality of Diffusion/Projection Plans

- Contribution to the rescue of traditional knowledge and expertise in the manufacture of traditional scaffolding in this country.

- Promotion and dissemination of project results through targeted measures such as the organization of information days, participation in trade fairs for culture and digital technologies, participation in scientific conferences and the publication of research papers.

- Coopeation between the project partners for a better economic use of the results