Ebb & flow: uncovering Costantino Nivola's Olivetti sandcast through 3D fabrication and virtual exploration

We report on the outcomes of a large multi-disciplinary project targeting the physical reproduction and virtual documentation and exploration of the Olivetti sandcast, a monumental (over 100m2) semi-abstract frieze by the Italian sculptor Costantino Nivola. After summarizing the goal and motivation of the project, we provide details on the acquisition and processing steps that led to the creation of a 3D digital model. We then discuss the technical details and the challenges that we have faced for the physical fabrication process of a massive physical replica, which was the centerpiece of a recent exhibition. We finally discuss the design and application of an interactive web-based tool for the exploration of an annotated virtual replica. The main components of the tool will be released as open source.