Decoding Dong - Digitally Preserving their Architectural Heritage

This centuries-old architecture has never been recorded in writing, so how do we use digital technology to preserve it?

Dr. Xiang Ren, a lecturer in Architecture at the University of Sheffield, shares insights from his research project Decoding Dong, which digitally documents the rich wooden architectural heritage of the marginalised indigenous group Dong, in the remote southwestern edge of China. The project began in late 2023, and is the first of its kind to focus on the Dong’s most iconic public building, the drum tower, and its surrounding historical context.

By combining technology like 3D LiDAR scanning, aerial and ground-based photogrammetry, and detailed 3D modeling, the project also draws deeply on oral histories passed down through generations of local residents. The result is an extraordinary two-year effort that has digitally preserved nearly 100 historic buildings, including 14 rare drum towers across 14 remote Dong villages.

The project’s archive not only safeguards these architectural treasures against the risk of loss but also creates new possibilities for conservation education, practice and policy, and community engagement worldwide. You can find out more by visiting the Decoding Dong project website.