Characterising Activities in 3D City Modelling

The Quest for the Big Picture

3D city models have become common geospatial data assets for cities, and can be utilised for tasks including planning, visualisation and decision-making. The field of 3D city modelling is diverse, with a multitude of technical solutions. Even the definition of what constitutes a 3D city model still remains ambiguous. Yet, surprisingly few studies have focused on reviewing the existing activities and assembling the big picture. This article presents some of the key findings from a recent study reviewing major 3D city modelling activities in Finland. 3D city models can be seen as an enabler in the smart city paradigm, operating... (read more)

2018-10-05 11:58:45

3D City Modelling of Istanbul

Issues, Challenges and Limitations

The Turkish city of Istanbul is developing a 3D city model mainly aimed at urban planning. The data sources used so far include airborne Lidar, aerial images and 2D maps containing footprints of buildings. Everybody engaged in creating 3D models of large cities faces many issues, challenges and limitations, including excessive data storage requirements, the need for manual editing, incompleteness and other data quality problems. In this article, the authors share their experiences on creating models of the city of Istanbul at the level of detail (LOD) 2 and 3. The core data for creating the 3D city model of... (read more)

2019-01-08 03:31:02

3D City Models

Supporting Tool for Urban Planning and Design

Abasabad in the north of Tehran has been designated a development area to serve the millions of people living in the metropolis. In order to progress from general zoning plan to detailed designs of buildings, roads, green zones and playgrounds, accurate and detailed geo-data was required, preferably in the form of large-scale digital maps and 3D city models. The authors describe how they produced this type of 2D and 3D geo-data using high-resolution digital aerial imagery and scale 1:500 maps. Tehran, the capital of Iran, is bordered in the north by mountains and in the south by desert, and is... (read more)

2011-02-03 04:18:05

Dassault Systèmes Takes over 3D City Modelling Pioneer

Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company and a world leader in 3D design, 3D digital mock-up and product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions, has announced its takeover of Archividéo, a leader in the automated creation and management of large 3D urban environments and landscapes. The acquisition of Archividéo, based in Rennes, France, brings a new dimension to Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE strategy and platform, extending it to urban environment planning with 3D city and landscape modelling technology. The acquisition marks an important development for the company, commented Bernard Charlès, president and CEO, Dassault Systèmes. The next step for sustainable planning is to imagine... (read more)

2013-04-25 09:23:19

7 Inspiring Articles on 3D City Modelling

No modern city is future-proof without a ‘digital twin’: the 3D city model. 3D city models are virtual representations of urban environments and include buildings, terrain, infrastructure, landscapes, vegetation and landmarks. This series of articles on projects in cities such as Singapore emphasises the value and importance of 3D city modelling and highlights its many potential applications. Singapore: Towards a Smart Nation Since the inception of its Smart Nation programme in 2014, Singapore has emerged as a world leader in smart city initiatives. One of the centrepieces of Singapore’s strategy has been the development of a highly accurate 3D digital... (read more)

2018-06-14 10:43:47

Detailed 3D Facade Modelling

A new solution from GTA (Germany) and Procedural offers more 3D detail in modelling of large databases of real-world building data. Special focus is set to add depth to the facade, as well as roof details. CityEngine imports 3D buildings generated automatically using GTA’s software solution Tridicon 3D, transfers detailed tridiconTM3D façade description to CityEngine building parameters and generates rich and visually pleasing procedural 3D buildings. In addition to its highly efficient modelling tools, there is GTA’s 3D database with more than 175 European cities and 5.400 km² real-world building data available. Highlights are the 3D city model... (read more)

2011-04-11 12:00:00

3D Modelling of Fez

A Model from Aerial/Terrestrial Imagery and Topographic Maps

The ancient imperial city of Fez, Morocco, is an important tourist attraction and has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. The layout of the city is complex, which presents challenges in terms of 3D modelling. Here, the authors discuss a pilot aimed at creating a 3D model of Fez using topographic maps and aerial and terrestrial imagery. Overlapping 1:4,000 aerial images were used to create a digital surface model (DSM) and orthoimages. Orthoimages and topographic maps were used to manually delineate the footprints of buildings, roads, rivers and suchlike. Terrestrial imagery of single buildings from multiple... (read more)

2015-03-31 09:34:33

Reducing 3D Modelling Time

A new product in the AVEVA Plant portfolio is AVEVA Laser Modeller, a 3D laser scanning software solution that can reduce by up to 50% the time for intelligent 3D modelling of brownfield facilities. Over the past 12 months, key customers have played a role in the development and testing process of this new product. The application facilitates traditional costly techniques for converting laser scan data into an intelligent 3D model to become obsolete, according to Bruce Douglas, senior VP Marketing & Product Strategy of AVEVA. He continues saying that AVEVA Laser Modeller changes the fundamental ground rules by adding... (read more)

2012-04-16 01:55:59

3D Modelling of Castles

Integrating Techniques for Detail and Photo-realism

Three-dimensional documentation of heritage buildings is important for conservation, restoration and education. When it comes to complex architectural structures such as castles, no single modelling technique is capable of yielding cost-effective, highly detailed and accurate photo-realism. The authors demonstrate how integration of multiple techniques brings resolution.<P> Castles are unique and fascinating structures of complex architecture the style of which has evolved over centuries. Three-dimensional modelling aims at capturing all geometrical detail, both exterior and interior, and representing these features with high-resolution triangular meshes for accurate documentation and photo-realistic visualisation. Modelling complex and large-scale architecture requires the integration of multiple techniques,... (read more)

2008-02-19 12:00:00

Applying 3D City Models

Intervisibility, LBS, Sunlight/shadow Analysis, Air and Noise Pollution

Planning, designing and managing the urban environment require appropriate decision-making. Here the availability and use of three-dimensional (3D) geo-information in the form of 3D city models is crucial. The authors give examples of how 3D city models can be used for applications including determination of intervisibility between objects, Location Based Services (LBS), sunlight/shadow analysis, and air and noise pollution. Three-dimensional city models include Digital Elevation Models (DEM) of ground surface and 3D models (geometry and attributes) of buildings and other objects. Applications such as analysis of sunlight and shadow of buildings in densely populated areas require, in addition to 3D... (read more)

2006-02-23 12:00:00