Longhouse 5.0, Co-investigator, 2021

This new version of the longhouse was led by Namir Ahmed from Toronto Metropolitan University. Longhouse 5.0 aimed to realize all the aspects we couldn’t incorporate into 4.0, with significant advancements in both scope and detail. In collaboration with the Huron-Wendat community, the concept for this new visualization addressed three iterations of village lifecycles: past, present, and future. A typical village would be utilized for around 30 years before the surrounding resources would be diminished. With this in mind, a viewer could begin in a vibrant mid-lifecycle village, travel to a village abandoned and in a state of decay, and then progress to a new village site where construction was just beginning. All three iterations were pre-contact, providing a comprehensive view of the Huron-Wendat's dynamic settlement patterns.

The Sheridan team modelled various objects essential to depicting daily life and activities. This included fishing tools, weapons, pottery, and housing structures. The team conducted extensive research and consultation with historical records and the Huron-Wendat community to ensure these models' accuracy and cultural sensitivity. For instance, the fishing tools included spears and nets, vital for subsistence along the waterways. Transportation on the water was also important. Canoes were crafted from birch bark and framed with wooden ribs, while paddles featured intricate carvings.

One of the significant advancements in Longhouse 5.0 was the inclusion and representation of the village’s inhabitants. Feedback from previous versions indicated that the lack of people was somewhat unsettling. This ties into my earlier research from the El-Hibeh temple reconstruction, where the absence of inhabitants left the environment feeling empty. In version 4.0, audio was added to infer that the area was populated, with sounds like people conversing, children playing, fire crackling, wind, and running water. For 5.0, we aimed to authentically represent the indigenous groups through digital avatars. Initially, we explored using Epic Games' Metahuman tools, allowing the indigenous population to craft their avatars. This software is free and accessible online, making it an excellent option for creating realistic and editable characters that could be fully rigged and animated in the Unreal Engine. However, we later partnered with Awastoki, a Huron-Wendat-owned and operated collective of CG artists, which aligned better with our goals for authenticity and cultural representation.

Awastoki brought a deep understanding of cultural nuances and artistic traditions. They created lifelike digital avatars, accurately representing the Huron-Wendat people. Their work included detailed modelling of traditional clothing, hairstyles, and body adornments based on historical and ethnographic research. Awastoki also guided the animation of the avatars to reflect traditional movements and gestures. We hoped to collaborate with Sheridan’s SIRT to motion capture Indigenous actors performing daily village tasks. Unfortunately, this didn’t work out within our schedule and time constraints.

Technological constraints also influenced our approach. We adopted a more illustrative look for the project to address the limitations of mobile VR platforms. This artistic direction helped to balance the need for detailed, immersive environments with the processing capabilities of the devices, ensuring a smooth user experience. The style was inspired by the painterly look found in Studio Ghibli movies, such as "Spirited Away," which allowed for impressionistic elements while maintaining a level of materiality found in real objects.

The development process involved significant experimentation and iteration. Initially, we simplified the number of objects by combining similar geometry and then laid out their new UVs. Once we had fewer polygon objects, we projected the original textures onto the updated UV layouts. We used procedural texture editing software like Substance Painter and Substance Alchemist to add wear and tear and enhance the materials' natural feel. This process allowed us to create high-resolution textures while optimizing the models for VR.

Several architectural insights were gained during the building process:

Discussions between archaeologists and architects raised multiple questions about the construction and assembly of the longhouse structure. The research gathered from archaeologists was presented to the research team, including architectural science professor Vincent Hui. This dialogue highlighted procedural discrepancies and speculations on how the construction might have been executed, drawing parallels with modern practices.

• One significant finding was that the longhouse structure resembled the hierarchical structure of modern office towers. The interior framework of the longhouse acted as a core structure, while the outer cages and bark shingles functioned like a curtain wall system to shed water, withstand wind loads, and contain heat. This understanding emphasized that the internal framework was the primary structural element.

• Another key finding concerned the cedar bark shingles' envelope structure layered on the wall system. Archaeological evidence indicated a secondary cage structure imposed on the initial envelope for repair and reinforcement as the longhouse aged. This suggests that the initial structure was built solely with cedar bark, and over time, a layered and heavier envelope developed, raising questions about longhouse maintenance and the individuals responsible for it.

• A third finding related to the depth of the cage structure in the ground. Recorded at 40 cm below grade, it did not reach the 1.2 m frost line in Ontario, raising concerns about how the longhouse's shape and structure would distort over time due to ice lensing and frost heaving. The archaeological evidence suggests the construction was resilient, accommodating the same forces we manage today.

This project was funded by an eCampusOntario grant, supporting the integration of Indigenous practices and education into the curriculum. The core development team included CG artists from Sheridan College, researchers from Toronto Metropolitan University, and Huron-Wendat historians, ensuring a comprehensive and culturally accurate representation. By collaborating closely with the Huron-Wendat community and utilizing advanced digital tools, Longhouse 5.0 provided an engaging educational tool that brought the history and culture of the Huron-Wendat people to life.