SPQR-ND

Name: SPQR-ND
Author: University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

DOCUMENTED

Published in academic literature

For:Researchers & AcademicsEducators & TeachersGeneral Public & Enthusiasts

Free

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App Summary

SPQR-ND is an educational tool for students, scholars, and enthusiasts that allows users to study monuments in the Roman Forum by integrating digitized rare architectural publications with an interactive, geolocated map. The app is based on a pedagogical model that virtually "breaks apart" rare publications, allowing users to compare 16th- to 19th-century drawings with contemporary photographs and layer historical maps to visualize the Forum's evolution. By placing historical documents in their physical context, the associated research concludes that the tool provides a unique method for analyzing the developmental and representational history of ancient monuments in the field.

App Screenshots

Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism Developed by the University of Notre Dame, SPQR-ND is a mobile pedagogical tool that integrates digitized architectural publications with an interactive map of the Roman Forum. The system presents geolocated monuments, allowing for the selection and detailed examination of associated historical plates, plans, and elevations from rare collections. Its interface facilitates direct comparison between multiple historical interpretations (e.g., Palladio, Piranesi) and contemporary photographs. The application's core functionality includes a browsable monument index, zoomable plate viewer, and layered historical cartography.

Evidence & Research Context

The application's design and pedagogical framework are detailed in an associated research article describing its development and intended scholarly use.
SPQR-ND functions as a mobile pedagogical model for the in-field study of historical architecture, linking digital primary sources to their physical context.
The system integrates digitized content from seminal rare publications, including works by Palladio, Piranesi, and Desgodets.
Its core research utility facilitates the comparative analysis of architectural interpretations across centuries by juxtaposing historical plates with contemporary photographic and cartographic data.

Intended Use & Scope This application is designed for students, scholars, and researchers in architecture, classics, and history. Its primary utility is as a specialized pedagogical and reference tool for the comparative analysis of historical architectural representations within the Roman Forum. The system is not a comprehensive travel guide and should be used to supplement, not replace, field observation and primary academic research.

Studies & Publications

1 publication

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Development/Design Paper

SPQR-ND: Interpreting the Roman Forum through early architectural publications

Robichaud et al. (2014) · ARLIS/NA Midstates Newsletter

Describes the research-driven development of this app

This report introduces SPQR-ND, an iPad application developed through a collaboration between the University of Notre Dame's Architecture Library, School of Architecture, and Center for Digital Scholarship. Motivated by students' need to access rare architectural publications while studying abroad in Rome, the project serves as a mobile pedagogical model for studying historic structures in the field. The application provides a unique visualization of the Roman Forum by integrating digitized rare book collections—including works by Palladio, Piranesi, and Desgodets—with modern mobile mapping. Key features of the app include geolocated monument entries that allow users to study plans, sections, and elevations in their physical context. Users can interactively compare historic interpretations by fading between contemporary photographs and 16th- to 19th-century drawings, or by layering various cartographic representations from 1748 to 2013 satellite views. By virtually "breaking apart" complex volumes into browsable, zoomable plates, SPQR-ND enables students, scholars, and the public to analyze the developmental and representational history of Rome's ancient monuments. The project emphasizes student participation in all phases—from scanning to geolocation—and outlines future expansion plans, including 3D visualization and multi-language support.