Spectacular 3D projection mapped on Fantasia bathhouse

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Baku has hosted a presentation of 3D projection mapped on the Fantasia bathhouse to mark the 30th anniversary of the Azerbaijani-Germany ties, Azernews reports.

At the presentation, Deputy German Ambassador to Azerbaijan Heiko Schwartz noted that the German embassy in Baku in partnership with QGallery, QGallery Berlin, Qala Sigorta OJSC, and Qala Hayat announced the "Revived Architecture" digital art competition in July 2021.

The competition held within the project "Preservation of cultural heritage and urbanization", brought together both local and foreign experts in the field of multimedia as well as students, talented artists, and designers.

The concept of "Revived Architecture" embraced remarkable structures, amazing buildings, and hidden urban "treasures" of a special history.

The main focus of the project was on building lighting – 3D mapping, a special audiovisual art technology with limitless artistic potential.

The presentation aroused great interest among figures of culture and the public, and representatives of diplomatic missions.

The review of the project applications ended in mid-November 2021. During an open vote, two winners were selected among 30 finalists, who presented their work with particular creativity.

They were graduates of the State Academy of Arts Yagut Kalbaliyeva with the project "Bath "Fantasy" and Sevinj Guliyeva with the project "Museum of Stone Chronicles".

The technical implementation of the project "Bathhouse" Fantasia "was carried out with the participation of OkeyTube (Digital Bohemia).

Bath "Fantasy" (Fantaziya hamam?) was built in 1886 according to the project of the famous Baku engineer and architect of German origin Von der Nonne Avgustovich Nikolai.

The bath was opened for visitors on January 13, 1887, becoming one of the first Baku baths of the European type.

The building has a good internal layout, a waiting room with a luxurious plafond, walls decorated with ceramic plates with colored art scenes, and excellent interior decoration.

The semicircular corners of the facade with pediments are made in the classical forms of the order system.

The main facade of the building has a symmetrical axial structure with side projections.

The general volumetric plasticity of the building is lined with limestone at a high level.

Since August 2001, the Fantasia bath has been taken under state protection as an architectural monument of history and culture of local importance.

"In my work, I wanted to reflect on how life went on in the territory where this building is located, from the day it was built to the present day, what the time, people, and atmosphere were like, and how technical progress took place, the world changed. It was a kind of excursion into history, "lived" by the building," Yagut Kalbaliyeva told Trend Life.

The presentation evoked a standing ovation from the guests of the evening.

The implementation of the project "Museum of Stone Chronicles" by Sevinj Guliyeva will take place in October this year.

The building that houses the museum was built in 1901 by the German brothers Siemens. The first oil-fired power plant in Baku functioned in the building.

Furthermore, the building was overhauled and turned into the Stone Chronicle Museum. The opening ceremony took place in June 2015.