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INTEGRATION OF CLOSE RANGE PHOTOGRAMMETRIC SURVEYS IN THE 
DESIGN PROCESS OF ARCHITECTURAL PROJECTS 
E. Alby a , P. Grussenmeyer b , J.-P. Perrin 3 
a MAP-CRAI UMR 694, Ecole d’Architecture, 2 rue Bastien-Lepage, 54001 Nancy, France 
alby.emmanuel@mail.insa-strasbourg.fr (Architect, Phd student), perrin@nancy.archi.fr 
b MAP-PAGE UMR 694, National Institute of Applied Sciences, 24 Bd de la victoire, 67084 Strasbourg, France 
pierre.grussenmeyer@insa-strasbourg.fr 
CIPA XIXth International Symposium, 30 September- 4 October 2003, Antalya, Turkey 
“New perspectives to save Cultural Heritage” 
KEY WORDS: Architecture, close range photogrammetry, Architectural Heritage Conservation, Conservation Project 
Management, Photographic Recording and Documentation, 
ABSTRACT: 
The purpose of our study is to test close range photogrammetry as an engineering tool, in an architectural project for two different 
sites. The first is an urban site in Reims (Champagne, France), where we are studying the conversion of an eight hectares wide waste 
ground, left vacant following old military barracks. The second is the old malt house of Ingwiller (Alsace, France), where it is 
necessary to establish the survey of existing buildings, and test the ability of current spaces to spring up again an activity. The two 
project scales are different: one is urban, whereas the other one is in the domain of building architecture. One must be able to seize 
their context by a global outline of their study areas, as well as know their dimensions. Such projects requires appropriate analysis 
tools. Multiple-view photogrammetry can become an additional and effective tool for architectural engineering, through the use of a 
digital model of existing buildings. The use of a digitized representation in the very early phases of design allows to directly work 
with shapes and building volumetry, and to choose the working point of view independently of the initial photos. The use of the 
PhotoModeler™ software package makes it possible to integrate the production of a digital model during the architectural design 
phase. This study allows us to test compatibility in the concurrent evolution of the digital model and of the architectural project. One 
must serve the other in a permanent and continuous evolution. 
RÉSUMÉ: 
Notre objectif est de tester la photogrammétrie rapprochée comme outil de conception dans le projet architectural pour deux sites 
différents. Un site urbain à Reims (Champagne, France) ; il s'agit d'étudier la reconversion d'un terrain d'environ huit hectares laissé 
vacant par une caserne militaire. La malterie d'Ingwiller (Alsace, France), où il faut établir le relevé de l'existant et tester le potentiel 
des espaces existant pour y faire renaître une activité. Les deux projets sont différents: l'un est à l'échelle urbaine tandis que l'autre est 
à l’échelle d’un bâtiment. Il faut pouvoir saisir leur contexte par un aperçu global des zones d'étude et une connaissance de leurs 
dimensions. Ceci nécessite d’avoir des outils d'analyse appropriés à ce type d'intervention. La photogrammétrie multi-image, par 
l'apport d’une maquette numérique de l'existant, peut devenir un outil supplémentaire et efficace pour la conception architecturale. 
Mettre un modèle numérique à disposition, dès la phase de conception, permet de travailler directement avec les profils et les 
volumétries des bâtiments mais aussi de choisir les points de vue de travail indépendamment de celui de la prise de vue. L’utilisation 
du logiciel PhotoModeler permet d’intégrer la fabrication d'un modèle numérique du bâti au cours de la conception. Cette étude 
permet de tester la compatibilité entre l’évolution en parallèle du modèle numérique et du projet architectural. L’un doit être au 
service de l’autre dans une continuelle évolution des deux. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Architects need three-dimensional supports to help them to 
formulate their architectural choices. If it was integrated into 
the design process of architectural projects photogrammetry 
would widen its field of application and thus enrich the tool 
pallet of contemporary architects. Establish links between 
these two activities seems to be reachable for two reasons: the 
use of architectural photogrammetry (software and camera) is 
becoming a more common technique, and computer science is 
increasingly used in architecture agencies. 
This paper will present an outline of architectural design 
operation and of architectural photogrammetry. The odds of the 
interaction between these two areas will then be mentioned. 
Finally, we will introduce two architectural projects where 
using the photogrammetric principles can be considered. 
2. STATE OF THE ART 
2.1. Research on the architectural design 
The practice of design in an architectural project is complex to 
describe because there are almost as many methods as 
architects; though they share common points We can 
introduce project design as an interactive process between the 
specification (provided by the building owner) and the 
architect through the use of graphic simulations. Lebahar 
defined Graphic simulation (1983) as “the use of a temporary 
representation of the problem, of the graphic simulation