Method
From ruin to reconstruction in four steps
Every line in our models has a source. Here is how.
Why reconstruct
A ruin speaks quietly. For a visitor who is not an archaeologist to understand it, they need a picture of the whole: where the roof was, where the corridor led, where the light came from.
Reconstruction is not guesswork. It is a hypothesis with sources — which is why every model we publish comes with a list of what was measured and what was assumed.
The most important part of a model is the note beneath it.
Four steps
01 / 04
Step 1
Survey
Laser scanning and photogrammetry record the ruin as it is — every stone, every crack.
02 / 04
Step 2
Point cloud
Millions of points come together in one space. From them we draw plans and sections at 1 : 50.
03 / 04
Step 3
Model
What is missing we complete from sources: archives, analogies and traces in the stone itself.
04 / 04
Step 4
Verification
We lay the model back on the survey. Every wall is tagged: measured, documented or assumed.
Project phases
- 0
Archive
Drawings, photographs, old maps.
- 1
Field
Survey and photogrammetry, 2 – 6 weeks.
- 2
Drawing
Plans, sections and a damage catalogue.
- 3
Model
A hypothesis tagged with sources.
- 4
Release
Web, exhibition, schools and museums.
We don’t build the past. We draw the most honest picture of it we have.
Common questions
How long does a survey take?
Two days on site for a small church, six weeks for a complex like the villa. Processing takes about twice as long.
Do you work for private owners?
Yes — for listed houses we produce an as-built survey and a conservation report.
Can schools use the models?
Yes, free of charge. Write to us and we’ll send a pack with the model, drawings and worksheets.