3D Digital Representations of Heritage Assets
The developed 3D workflow aims to provide a comprehensive, step-by-step methodology for the digitisation of built heritage, guiding projects from initial planning to the final publication of high-quality, interoperable 3D data models. Its primary goal is to ensure accurate, consistent, and context-rich digital documentation of monuments, buildings, and historical sites for purposes such as conservation, research, education, virtual exhibitions, and heritage management.
In current practice, many digital documentation initiatives suffer from fragmentation - researchers often struggle to bring together technical precision with the historical and architectural depth that built heritage demands. As a result, 3D models are often disconnected from their interpretative context. This workflow guides practitioners through a structured sequence that integrates archival research, field assessment, advanced survey techniques, and post-processing into a coherent and reusable approach.
The workflow encompasses nine structured stages, from defining objectives and metadata to on-site inspection, digital survey, data processing, 3D modelling, validation, and final dissemination. Each phase is designed to build upon the previous one, ensuring a seamless transition from raw data to usable, shareable, and long-term preservable digital assets.
The application of this workflow is particularly suited to multidisciplinary heritage projects where diverse stakeholders—architects, conservators, historians, and digital technicians—collaborate. It supports the production of interoperable models, that comply with open standards and can be integrated into systems like GIS, BIM, or online repositories, enhancing accessibility, transparency, and reuse.
Workflow steps(9)
1 Define the project objectives and deliverables
2 Collect data and conduct research on the monument’s history, architecture, and significance
3 Perform on-site inspection
4 Set a plan of work
5 Carry out the digital survey
6 Process the captured data
7 Create the 3D Model
8 Validate and check data consistency
9 Publish the 3D Model for data access and sharing
The SSH Open Marketplace is maintained and will be further developed by three European Research Infrastructures - DARIAH, CLARIN and CESSDA - and their national partners. It was developed as part of the "Social Sciences and Humanities Open Cloud" SSHOC project, European Union's Horizon 2020 project call H2020-INFRAEOSC-04-2018, grant agreement #823782.
