Augmented-reality app allows Penguin Court visitors to 'see' former Scaife mansion

The 50-room mansion at Penguin Court in Laughlintown was demolished shortly after the death of former Tribune-Review publisher Richard Scaife’s parents, Alan Scaife and Sarah Mellon.

But thanks to modern technology and the work of Murrys­ville artist Christopher Ruane, visitors to the 923-acre estate can look at their mobile devices and experience what the mansion would have looked like set against the backdrop of the Laurel Highlands.

True Interactive, the company Ruane formed with Carnegie Mellon University systems and software engineer Aydaen Lynch, can virtually resurrect the mansion on its original foundation, allowing app users to walk through some of its stone archways and courtyards.

Using the TrueAR app on a smartphone or tablet, visitors will see a life-size, historically accurate 3D model of the Scaife Mansion and can walk around to “see” all sides of the former building. Ruane said the re-creation took seven months.

“I rebuilt the whole mansion from scratch just using the blueprints from the Library of Congress,” Ruane said. “That was the only thing that we could find, along with 10 photos of the outside and inside. I was able to match some of the exterior brick with some of the things that are still physically left over, and use that for the texturing.”

Ruane said the app provides a noninvasive way to interpret the site’s rich history, while maintaining the mission of the Brandywine Conservancy, which took over management of the property in 2019 with an eye toward land preservation.

“Our goal with the TrueAR platform is to create bridges to the past and tell stories in ways that were previously unimaginable,” Ruane said. “When you get there, there’s two starting locations, and as soon as you bring it up, the mansion pops up exactly where it used to be. You can start on one side, walk through the whole thing. The interior is not done — the grant was for the exterior — but we are thinking about a second phase that would show specific rooms.”

In recent years, Ruane has also used the TrueAR app to bring to life a vintage image of a train arriving in Export. At the borough’s annual summer festival, TrueAR users could point their device at the billboard-sized photograph in downtown Export and watch as the train came to life onscreen.

“This augmented reality experience offers a remarkable window into the history of Penguin Court,” said Penguin Court Program Manager Melissa Reckner. “It allows our visitors to appreciate the architectural heritage of the site while understanding our primary mission of conservation. This app has provided a powerful tool that engages a new generation of visitors and brings our story to life in a dynamic and respectful way.”

The conservancy will host programs specifically geared to the TrueAR experience Oct. 30 and Nov. 4.

“Bringing the Scaife mansion back to life is a perfect testament to how technology can honor history and enrich our connection to a place without disturbing its natural state,” Lynch said.

The TrueAR app is available for free from the Apple App and Google Play stores.