HOTA Reconstructed.
about.
HOTA Reconstructed is an interactive, browser-based virtual tour of the Home of the Arts precinct on the Gold Coast, built with Gaussian splatting. It reconstructs the centre, its buildings and surrounding parklands as a high-fidelity 3D space that anyone can explore from the convenience of a browser.
The project is a proof of concept for what Gaussian splatting makes possible: capturing a real place in high fidelity while keeping it lightweight, interactive and accessible online. Drone imagery was captured with a DJI Mini 5 Pro, aligned in RealityScan, then trained across multiple iterations in PostShot to balance visual quality against file size. The resulting radiance field was framed, scaled and cleaned in SuperSplat, then built into a custom flythrough with interactable points of interest.
I chose HOTA for its visual richness and its connection to the fields of art and design, but the technique reaches well beyond a single tour. The same pipeline can preserve heritage sites, drive high-fidelity real estate and cultural experiences, and feed the immersive AR and VR spaces that are quickly becoming a real demand. This project is where I am taking my practice: capturing real places with emerging technology and making them explorable by anyone, anywhere.
challenge.
The primary challenge in this project was to achieve a realistic stone texture that would evoke a tangible, physical presence while maintaining accurate human proportions and detail. Each “stone” had to be carefully placed and adjusted for visual harmony. The model also needed to be adapted for photography, requiring a precise balance of light and shadow to capture every texture and detail in the final images.
results.
The finished model and photographs produced for STONE MIND exceeded expectations. The product photos delivered a powerful visual impact, highlighting the unique texture and structure of the stones under varied lighting. The model became a striking artistic centerpiece, serving both as an art piece and an effective marketing asset. The images were later used in campaigns and as inspirational visuals within design and art communities.
testimonial.
The STONE MIND project is a stunning, textured centerpiece in our portfolio, with every detail of the 'stone head' meticulously crafted.
Olivia Grant
Founder & CEO
