Digital Project Preserves Historic Canary Islands Site Through Virtual Reconstruction

Digital technology is offering a new way to protect the Canary Islands' historical heritage from looting and decay. A prime example is the former home of privateer Amaro Pargo in Machado, El Rosario. Although the site has been a Property of Cultural Interest (BIC) since 2003, it has suffered severe damage, including collapsed roofs and human-caused destruction. To combat this loss, a group of professionals has launched a volunteer project to virtually restore the building to its former glory.

Led by 3D artist Borja Borges, alongside Ángel Adán Peñalosa and Beatriz García Puertas, the project goes beyond simple graphics. The team aims to preserve the historical memory of the entire site, which includes a local chapel and the historic path to Candelaria. Rather than relying on automated AI, Borges is using precise manual modeling based on historical research. The team is using 1975 sketches by Bernardo Parrilla as a blueprint to accurately reconstruct the original outbuildings, cistern, and threshing floor.

The project is currently in its middle stages and will eventually result in an animated video for the public. This work is vital for documenting architectural features that are at risk of being lost forever. Supported by Professor José Luis Saorín from the University of La Laguna, the initiative is entirely independent and funded by volunteers.

The project already features a 360-degree virtual tour, highlighting a growing trend of using technology for "digital archaeology." While the physical ruins in Machado remain in poor condition, this virtual reconstruction ensures that the history of one of the island's most fascinating figures can be preserved and explored, at least in a digital space.