The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences. Vol. XXXVII. Part B5. Beijing 2008 
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The larger the number of complex shapes of geometric elements, 
the better the impact of including pictures in the 3D GIS. The 
system should be prepared to handle both aerial and close range 
imagery, although, most of the times, the former will be used 
for positioning as well as for contextual information, while the 
latter will be thoroughly used for shooting all the interior 
objects and façades. 
Following this architectonic management system concept, the 
power of the 3D model is achieved due to the power of the 
database that links the graphical data and its geometry with the 
rest of the information that integrates the management system. 
4. BENEFITS OF THE ARCHITECTONIC 
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN HERITAGE 
3. CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE 
ARCHITECTONIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 
The basic functionality of a management system covers aspects 
related to acquisition, modelling, manipulation, analysis and 
integration, presentation and exchange of data. One of the key 
factors in making architectural models is the effective 
integration of existing 2D data in different layers into one 
accessible and exploitable 3D environment with information 
coming from vast amounts of data: pictures from different 
sources (visible, Figure 1; thermal, Figure 2; visible mosaics, 
Figure 3), horizontal and vertical maps with structural and/or 
thematic information layered onto them, historical and material 
reports, structural analyses, colorimetric studies and furniture 
inventories. 
Figure 2. Thermal imagery used to detect and check facade 
alterations and damages 
Figure 3. CAD layer with the Eastern façade rectified imagery 
The 3D conceptualization of the GIS is achieved working on 
topological solutions that run perfectly on existing 2D GIS, 
mixing altogether all the 2D models that allow the hierarchical 
construction of 3D models. This behaviour supports specifically 
the visualization and management of architectural models 
following a sort of boundary representation. Vertices, edges and 
faces are the boundary elements that hold implicitly a hierarchy 
for their data structure. Additionally, the GIS system supports 
enhancement of architectural objects after draping texture onto 
the objects’ surfaces in 3D. The attributes that alter appearance 
can be assigned to any geometric feature thanks to its geometric 
model and can be stored within its database. 
The utilization of a unique system to manage architectural 
projects helps the multidisciplinary team to follow progresses 
and advancements on the project. Therefore, the idea of liaisons 
among the members of the team is strengthen and allows the 
head of the project as well as the members of the team to 
validate input data. However, it is recommended that the 
management system provides some tools (toggles) that 
visualises approval from several points of view: first, data 
providers in the team; second, data users; third, project manager. 
Eventually, another toggle could be included for checking 
purposes by external parties outside the team. 
Dissemination activities are also strengthened due to the 
possibilities of web-based visualization of architectural 3D 
models with photorealistic texture. This point greatly depends 
on the surveying methods used for the implementation of the 
GIS. Close range and aerial photogrammetry and aerial and 
terrestrial laser scanning are all stand-alone or in combination 
optimum techniques to determine 3D related information about 
the architectural objects. A user-friendly tool in the GIS might 
help to generate on-the-fly web-based scenes with large 
numbers of 3D objects, or fully detailed textured scenarios for 
multimedia products such as movies on DVDs. 
The efficient and accurate spatial data storage of object’s related 
information in 3D also guaranties that all the team work is kept 
save, and contributes to simple data updating. In fact, 
monitoring is one of the key issues that benefits most from the 
GIS architecture. It is possible to place up-to-date all the related 
information and, more importantly, place back information 
when necessary. All the basic GIS tools contribute to carry out 
successful analyses and by-products such as plots, profiles and 
statistics coming from the graphic and/or alphanumeric database. 
Figure 4 plots some statistical analysis about alterations, while 
Figure 5 depicts service cost estimate for wood (in percentage) 
for rehabilitation. 
Figure 4. Moisture content, efflorescence and flaking 
distribution for part of the country house elements