Telling the news of the past to the people of the present!
Coventry Rebuilt is a highly detailed computer model that will set the stage to tell the history of Coventry, from its early origins to the post-war redevelopment.
The journey began in 2015, when I started teaching myself computer modelling and discovered that Coventry, with its rich history and unique story, was the perfect place to bring to life. I’ve always had a deep fondness for the city and its enduring story.
Between 2021 and 2026, the project was on hold as life took over (long story). During that time, the website was hacked, and backups were lost (Click here to see the old website on the Wayback Machine), and the Coventry Rebuilt App, launched in 2019 on the Play Store, became outdated.
Now in late 2026, I’m back at it! My first mission is to rebuild this website and pick up where I left off. My computer is on its last legs, but I’m saving for a new one and hope to resume modelling soon.
Until now, the model has been untextured. I focused on structure first, learning the fundamentals of computer modelling as I went. From this point forward, the model will include textures to bring Coventry’s streets and buildings to life.
I’ve been sharing the development through a series of short films and will continue to do so. Alongside these, I’m planning an interactive walkthrough called The Coventry Rebuilt Time Machine, which will allow you to explore the city building by building. Each building will feature its own short history drawn from newspaper archives.
I’ve also experimented with Virtual Reality (VR) and hope to develop a full VR experience in the distant future. The Coventry Rebuilt app will be rebuilt too at some point. I’m exploring how AI can help enrich the project, always clearly marking any AI-enhanced images to protect historical accuracy. Our history is becoming increasingly fragile, and I will try my best to protect it.
Beyond the digital reconstruction, I’ve been collecting old carte de visite photographs from Coventry photographers, shared under the Forgotten Faces page (coming soon). One day, I hope these portraits might populate the model itself, bringing the city’s people back to its streets.
If you’d like to support this journey, please follow me on Facebook, or YouTube, I’ll also be launching a Patreon page for those who wish to support the project.
About Peter James Knight
Peter James Knight – that’s me! I come from a background in environmental sciences and have always had a deep passion for history and storytelling. I lived in Coventry for many years, and although work eventually took me elsewhere, the spirit of Coventry has never left me.
Due to life getting in the way, I had to pause the project for a few years. During this time, I wrote several science fiction novels under the pen name PJ Mackintosh. I also dabble in art/painting. When I get around to it, I plan on setting up an artist’s website and Etsy shop.
All the best,
Pete
