Winnipeg man is using 3D printing to preserve Manitoba's history
One Winnipeg man is making three-dimensional models of Manitoba buildings to preserve the province’s history.
To carry out this project, Patrick Letourneau, owner of Polygons.ca, said he seeks out older structures that may be on their last legs.
From there, he goes out and takes hundreds and hundreds of photographs of every square inch of the structure from multiple angles.
The photos are then fed into the computer and looked at by specialized software that finds common elements and extracts a three-dimensional model.
Letourneau explained the three-dimensional model can be converted into a format that can be 3D printed.
“The process that we carry out is called photogrammetry,” Letourneau said in an interview on Thursday.
One of the scans in full colour. (Source: Patrick Latourneau)
To decide what buildings to scan, Letourneau uses a map on the Manitoba Historical Society’s website, which shows locations of historical structures in the province.
“Grain elevators, schools, churches, that kind of thing,” he said,
“Basically, I go on that website and I click around on that map and I’ll build little road trips based on the structures that I find there.”
HOW HE GOT STARTED
Letourneau has been a professional 3D artist for about 10 years.
He said structures and buildings started as good test subjects for him.
“Then as I started scanning more and more of these, I realized how many of these really old historic structures there are in Manitoba,” Letourneau said.
However, it was when he scanned the Windsor Family Grain Elevator -- a structure that was demolished – that he realized the work he was doing had value for historical preservation.
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Letourneau said ideally, he would like to find supports that would allow him to continue to preserve these structures and get the models into people’s hands. He noted it would also be nice to sell the prints.
As for future buildings he’d like to scan in the future, Letourneau said he’s interested in the oldest grain elevator in Canada, located in Elva, Man.
He noted the grain elevator is owned by a demolition company.
“So I know that building is on the way out,” Letourneau said.
“It’s super, super full of character. There is lots of sagging wood and it’s very weathered. It’s very, very worn down and you can see how old it is in its appearance. So I’m hoping I can get to that before it’s demolished.”
A scan of a barn in Wampum, Man. (Source: Patrick Letourneau)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
BREAKING Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Prince William and wife Kate thank public for birthday messages for son Louis
Prince William and his wife Kate thanked the public for their messages which had been sent to mark the sixth birthday of their youngest son Louis on Tuesday.
She was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father. Then life dealt her a blow
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Fire engulfs old Edmonton municipal airport hangar
A historical hangar at the former Edmonton municipal airport beside the NAIT main campus was on fire Monday night.
Soft skills, preparation can help new graduates land jobs, experts say
As new graduates enter the workforce over the next few weeks, they are likely to face challenges getting their foot in the door and must be prepared to effectively communicate what they bring to the company.
RCMP uncovers plot to sell drones and equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a ploy to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.