Martin SCHAICH
(ArcTron 3D GmbH, Altenthann, Germany)
In the late summer of 2007, ArcTron 3D GmbH concluded a major and very complex project: the complete three dimensional recording of Vianden Castle, one of the largest and best-known châteaux in Luxembourg.
The project took several years to complete and involved extensive surveying in a unified working process. Standard surveying technologies such as total stations and 3D photogrammetry were employed alongside airborne laser scanning and terrestrial laser scanning on a grand scale.
A range of integrated software solutions made it possible to create a comprehensive 3D recording of the surrounding landscape and a complete, photo-realistic document of the castle complex. The entire interior of the castle was also recorded using these technologies. The result is a comprehensive, highly accurate and technologically cutting edge document of Vianden Castle.
This documentation is invaluable for construction research and buildings analysis as well as for the planning and long-term 3D monitoring of current building measures and renovations. Further interesting possibilities arise from the combination of hand-drawn plans, draughted by John Zimmer during 20 years of research, with this modern documentation. Specialist software solutions developed by ArcTron for cases such as this have allowed various new strategies to be devised.
Extensive animations and 3D illustrations depicting the castle’s various phases of development up to the present day are currently being created for a museum exhibition. Museum-goers will be able to “dive into” the castle in a virtual reality environment developed by ArcTron. 3D glasses and a new user-friendly interactive interface (Mixed Reality Interface) allow visitors to move freely in 3D space. A 3D information system linked to the 3D models provides background and in-depth data, enabling visitors to explore a multitude of issues interactively.