A framework to design and implement cross-platform WebVR walkthrough for a Chettinad heritage building

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47818/DRArch.2026.v7i1202

Keywords:

Athangudi palace, Chettinad heritage, immersive media, virtual reality, virtual walkthrough

Abstract

Immersive walkthroughs are increasingly used to document, interpret, and communicate heritage sites to remote audiences. This study presents a framework for designing and implementing a cross-platform WebVR walkthrough of Athangudi Palace, a significant Chettinad mansion in Tamil Nadu, India. The project addresses limited physical access due to conservation sensitivity and geographic distance by developing a browser-based experience accessible on Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs), desktop computers, tablets, and mobile phones. It has a systematic workflow that involves on-site documentation, 360-degree image capture, spatial-audio recording, post-processing, WebVR development in A-Frame, refinement, and deployment. The walkthrough features panoramic shots, guided tours, hotspots, and contextual commentary, to convey the spatial nature and sustainability elements of the palace, such as passive cooling, material selections, and climate-adaptive planning. The paper contributes a reproducible workflow for documenting and interpreting domestic heritage architecture through a lightweight WebVR system. It demonstrates how browser-based immersive media can support remote heritage access, conservation awareness, and sustainability-oriented interpretation without increasing physical pressure on a sensitive site.

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Author Biographies

  • Antony Zharon, Christ University

    Antony Zharon holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Applications from Christ University, Bangalore, and he worked as a Web Developer Intern at Computer Science department at Christ University, Bangalore. His core areas of interest include Web Development, Virtual Reality (VR), and immersive 3D environments. He is passionate about building interactive, user-friendly web solutions and exploring innovative applications of VR, especially in education and virtual walkthroughs. He is committed to continuously expanding his technical skills and contributing to projects that leverage emerging technologies.

  • Ajith Paul, Christ University

    Ajith Paul is a media academic and communication professional with over 12 years of experience in teaching, media production, and research. Currently a Research Scholar in Media Studies at Christ University, Bengaluru.  He previously served as Assistant Professor at St. George's College, Kerala. His academic background includes an M.Phil. in Media Studies and an MS in Communication from Christ University. He specializes in video production, digital communication, and media education, with a strong interdisciplinary orientation toward immersive technologies, educational media, and student engagement. He has co-authored multiple peer-reviewed book chapters on emerging technologies like AI and augmented reality in education.

  • Balakrishnan C, Christ University

    Dr. Balakrishnan C is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Christ University, Bengaluru. He received his PhD from Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli. Dr. Balakrishnan has extensive experience in computer science education and research, with expertise in vision-language models, machine learning, healthcare analytics, and IoT applications. He has been involved in multiple funded research projects, under ICSSR, UGC-STRIDE and MoE-RUSA initiatives. Dr. Balakrishnan was honoured with the India Prime 100 Researchers Award in 2021 and as a trained Innovation Ambassador (advanced level) for the Ministry of Education Innovation Cell. He holds four design patents.

  • Biju Kunnumpurath, Christ University

    Dr Fr Biju KC is a professor in the Department of Media Studies at Christ University Bengaluru. He received his PhD from Christ University, Bengaluru in Media Studies domain. Dr Biju has an experience of more than 20 years in academics and industry. He won a National Documentary Award on Livelihood (Jeevika 2004, Delhi) and worked on more than 20 documentary themes. Dr Fr. Biju KC has been involved in research projects as an investigator, including the ICSSR-funded "Digitalising Chettinad Architectural Heritage for Sustainable Knowledge Management" and a UNESCO-supported study titled ‘Online-Merge-Offline Classrooms Wellbeing for Learners and Educators’.

  • Anitha Suseelan, Christ University

    Dr. Anitha Suseelan is a Professor of the School of Architecture at Christ University Bengaluru. She received her PhD from CEPT University, Ahmedabad, specializing in Urban Design and Architecture. Dr. Anitha has experience spanning more than 25 years in architectural education and research, with expertise in Urban Heritage Conservation, Ecological Urbanism, and Politics of Urban Design. Her work was published in UN Habitat-3. Dr. Anitha was honoured with the Sir Patrick Geddes Award of Excellence and Vastu Shilpa Foundation Award. She is the recipient of National Teachers' Award 2024.

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Published

2026-04-30

Data Availability Statement

Data will be made available on request.

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Research Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Antony Zharon, Ajith Paul, Balakrishnan C, Biju Kunnumpurath, Anitha Suseelan

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Zharon, A., Paul, A., C, B., Kunnumpurath, B., & Suseelan, A. (2026). A framework to design and implement cross-platform WebVR walkthrough for a Chettinad heritage building. Journal of Design for Resilience in Architecture and Planning, 7(1), 37-52. https://doi.org/10.47818/DRArch.2026.v7i1202

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