As climate change, natural disasters, and the erosion of time continue to threaten historic landmarks around the world, digital technology is emerging as a powerful ally in the preservation of cultural heritage. In the ancient Tuscan town of Volterra, home to Roman, Etruscan, and medieval wonders, technologies like drones, photogrammetry, and laser scanning are being deployed to protect, reconstruct, and reimagine the city’s rich architectural legacy.
At the heart of this initiative lies a collaboration that began in October 2016 when a team of researchers and professionals set out on a mission to digitally preserve Volterra’s artistic, architectural, and archaeological treasures. That discovery brought new urgency to this mission, and since then, a collaboration between the Volterra-Detroit Foundation, the University of Detroit Mercy, and other institutions has been working to document and digitally reconstruct key parts of the city. The Foundation, which fosters cultural exchange between Detroit and Volterra, has established a permanent base at the International Residential College, offering students and professionals hands-on access to Volterra’s historical riches.

The closing night of the exhibition Visions of Volterra at the Italian Institute of Culture in Westwood offered a final chance to view the exhibition but also served as the premiere for Voices of Volterra, a short documentary by Chicago-based filmmaker Marcus Aubin. The film follows local residents, artists, and technologists who are all committed to keeping the spirit and structure of the city alive. Aubin, along with Tristan Randall, Strategic Projects Executive for Autodesk’s AEC division, joined a discussion about how cutting-edge digital tools are preserving Volterra’s timeless charm.
We sat down with director Marcus Aubin to talk about the project, the power of digital preservation, and the stories that moved him most.
What is the main goal of having this digitized version of Volterra?
There are two main goals. The first is to capture and preserve the city in a specific moment in time. Not everyone gets the chance to visit a place like Volterra, but this allows people from anywhere in the world to experience it, especially if they love Italian culture and history. The second goal is preservation in case of disaster. For example, on May 5, 2024, part of a medieval wall in Volterra collapsed. The data we collected from the workshop has been instrumental in helping accurately reconstruct that wall, down to the finest architectural detail. Volterra is in a seismic zone: it faces landslides, earthquakes, and other natural risks. Having detailed, high-resolution data of the city’s buildings is invaluable for restoring things as faithfully as possible if something ever happens.

Can people access this digital material from anywhere, like from Los Angeles? Or is it only available in Volterra?
Absolutely, you can access it from anywhere. In fact, a lot of recent work has been focused on making this data more accessible to the general public. The team is collaborating with Unreal Engine and Epic Games – which provided a grant – to create an interactive experience … kind of like a video game. In this immersive environment, you’ll be able to walk through Volterra as it existed in different eras: the Etruscan period, the Roman Empire, the Renaissance, and the Medieval age. You’ll explore streets, buildings, and public spaces as they looked hundreds or even thousands of years ago. From what I’ve seen, it’s very promising. Hopefully, it’ll be something you can download and explore on a PC or even VR.
In your documentary, you interviewed several artists trying to keep Volterra alive, especially since many young people are leaving. Was there someone who had a particular impact on you?
Yes, Nico Bruchi really stood out. He’s one of the first people we see in the film and one of the last, giving him a full-circle arc. Nico’s a graffiti artist and a skateboarder, which is very unusual in a place like Volterra. There aren’t many spaces for that kind of contemporary self-expression. What struck me is how his relationship with the city evolved. He left Volterra for a while, but eventually came back and realized how much he loved the city that shaped him. Now, he’s created beautiful murals all over the city, including one we highlight in the film. His story shows that even if a place doesn’t seem to fit you at first, you can return, reimagine it, and contribute in your own way.
One of the artists you met was Ilaria Brotini, a young alabaster sculptor who wasn’t originally from Volterra. How did you find out about her?
That meeting was serendipitous. We were walking with our guide, popping into shops, and we knew we wanted to talk to someone who worked with alabaster, Volterra’s signature material. We stepped into a workshop and were surprised to find Ilaria there. Our assumption was that most alabaster workers were older men, so meeting a young woman who had moved to Volterra to practice her craft was unexpected and inspiring. Her story really ties the film together. At the beginning of the documentary, someone says there are no young people left, that the city is in the hands of the elderly. But then you meet Ilaria, who came to Volterra specifically because it’s a hub for art. She didn’t grow up there, but she made it her home because it’s the best place for her work. That says a lot about the city’s continuing appeal and artistic energy.
Tell us more about the workshop and the university’s role.
The university offered its former dormitory building to the Volterra-Detroit Foundation as a home base. With fundraising and renovations, it’s now a permanent home for the Foundation, and it houses the participants of the annual workshops. Each year, technologists from different fields – architecture, city planning, landscape design, video game development – come together in Volterra to contribute to the preservation project. It’s become a vibrant center for cultural exchange and interdisciplinary collaboration, where tradition meets innovation.

What do you personally love most about Volterra?
The feeling I get when I’m there. It’s hard to describe, but it’s peaceful and inspiring. You can walk across the entire city in under an hour; it’s compact, walkable, and filled with art. Everywhere you go, there’s creativity: sculptures, shops, music, and history. As an artist myself, I can definitely see myself living there someday, maybe when I’m older… or even sooner. It’s just a gorgeous, picturesque place that feels alive with culture.