Is it possible to restore a historical building to its original appearance, even if parts of it have been lost? Yes — and not just with old drawings or modern 3D scanning. There’s a method that’s already been used to study ancient structures: remote viewing. In fact, the CIA has documented instances where remote viewing provided insights into sites and structures that were otherwise inaccessible.
For architects and conservators, it can be a huge help in their work. Restoration often suffers from missing data: old drawings are lost, archives are incomplete, and legends can contradict each other. Remote viewing allows you to “see” spatial organization, hidden rooms, or design details that might have disappeared over time. It’s also a way to test historians’ theories and make restorations more accurate. Museums and heritage sites, such as Avoncroft Museum, actively use innovative restoration methods to preserve historical structures.
Of course, this skill takes practice. That’s where tools like Verevio come in. It’s a straightforward but thorough set of trainers for developing remote viewing abilities. For anyone interested in alternative ways of exploring ancient architecture, it’s incredibly useful.
Our brains are wired for this kind of perception, but most people never tap into it. With training, you can pick up on details that normally go unnoticed. Remote viewing doesn’t replace scientific methods, but it can greatly enhance them. And yes — universities are even studying it today.
I personally chose this app because, as a designer, I care that things aren’t just functional — they’re beautiful. Verevio gets that balance exactly right.
How Remote Viewing Works — and How It Could Help Restore Historic Buildings
At its core, remote viewing is straightforward. One person focuses on a location, while another attempts to describe it without ever being there. A neutral third party usually prepares a set of “targets” — real sites such as a park, a church, or a bridge — sealed in envelopes so no one knows the destination in advance.
At the appointed time, the “sender” visits the site remotely, paying close attention to shapes, colors, textures, and even sounds. Meanwhile, the “viewer” sits quietly elsewhere, clears their mind, and notes down any impressions that arise — perhaps the curve of a roofline, the echo of an open hall, or the sensation of water nearby. Later, both sets of notes are compared by someone uninvolved, and surprising overlaps often emerge.
The process isn’t about proving psychic ability; it’s more like training a muscle. With repeated practice, details tend to become sharper, and the viewer’s impressions align more closely with the actual site. When records, photographs, or blueprints are missing, trained viewers might help fill in gaps — describing architectural features, interior layouts, or decorative details of an old building that have been lost to time.
Examples of Buildings and Sites Studied by Remote Viewers
And if this all sounds a little too fantastic, you probably haven’t heard of the real cases where it’s already been used. While not widely publicized, remote viewing is being practiced in certain circles — enough that it’s no longer unusual. Below I’ll share a few examples of how it has already played out in real life, and why these cases could be especially interesting for architects working in restoration.
- Palaces in Central America: Remote viewers reported halls and corridors in Mayan complexes that hadn’t been explored yet. Later, archaeologists confirmed that these undocumented rooms really existed, helping reconstruct the authentic layout.
- European castles: In informal projects, remote viewers attempted to “see” the layouts of old castles when archival drawings were missing. While these reports weren’t official sources, they helped historians form hypotheses that could later be tested on site.
- Egyptian pyramids and temples: During the 1970s and 1980s, American remote viewers participated in projects aimed at describing unknown underground chambers in the Great Pyramid of Giza and other complexes. Some of their observations matched archaeologists’ ideas about hidden corridors, showing how remote viewing could assist in restoring authentic structures.
Other Innovative Techniques in Architectural Restoration
When it comes to restoring old buildings, the toolbox has expanded far beyond scaffolding and chisels. Today, architects and conservators rely on methods that would have sounded futuristic just a generation ago.
3D scanning, for instance, makes it possible to create a digital twin of a structure, helping teams spot hidden damage and plan repairs with pinpoint accuracy. Materials science also plays a role — instead of patching with whatever’s available, restorers now use mixes and stones that mirror the originals so repairs blend in seamlessly.
Structural upgrades are often hidden in plain sight, with carbon fibre or slim steel supports tucked behind old walls to keep them stable without changing how they look. And because historic buildings still need to function in the modern world, upgrades like discreet insulation or natural ventilation are added to improve comfort and efficiency without spoiling the charm.