The redesign of existing buildings gains in importance
The redesign of existing buildings becomes constantly more important for architects. In consequence of the declining population and the increasing raw material costs, new buildings are no longer as profitable for investment as years ago. The traditional house building becomes less important. The trend is to maintain old buildings as well as to modernize them technically and energetically. Many old buildings receive a new function. For instance, factory buildings are often reconstructed into loft apartments. Even landmarked buildings are maintained by returning them to a practical use. Due to this development in favor of the redesign of existing buildings, especially the inner cities experience an increasing revitalization.
Laser scanning for as-built documentation
In the course of this change, architects are faced with new challenges. They have to redesign with existing building structures and develop aesthetic, creative and functional utilization concepts for old buildings. Thus, at the beginning of planning the modification, the architect has to analyze the current building stock, to document structural damages as well as to design restoration and renovation.
The basis for planning is an accurate and detailed as-built documentation. For projects of that kind, laser scanning has established as an efficient, cost-effective and time-saving measurement method. The gained data provides a highly accurate and scaled copy of the existing building. The data can be used as a 3D model for analyzing the existing structure as well as for redesigning the modifications. Modeling at the digital model provides perfect conditions for redesigning existing buildings.
Nemetschek Allplan for the redesign of existing buildings
For processing the data, appropriate CAD software is required. Nemetschek Allplan is one of the most important software solutions for this purpose. The software is used worldwide for applications in the field of architecture.
The software is composed of several solutions:
- Allplan Architecture CAD software
- Allplan Engineering CAD software
- Allplan BCM Cost Management
- Design2Cost solution
- Allplan Allfa CAFM software
- Allplan Planning Library
PointCab for processing laser scanning results
Due to the laser scanning software PointCab, the data captured by a laser scanner can be edited in such a way that it can be processed further without any problems in common CAD applications – such as Nemetschek Allplan. The user doesn’t lose track because of millions of single scan points, but can concentrate on his planning and modeling tasks. The desired information is available very quickly and can be used efficiently.
In the following tutorials, it is shown how the laser scanner data (point clouds) is edited in PointCab can be imported and processed in Allplan. By using the results from PointCab, a digital 3D model of a building (including walls, windows, doors, stairs, floors, roof with windows, path) is created step by step in Allplan. For the processing, you can even use colored scans for a better overview.
Focus3D data with PointCab in Allplan: Tutorials
Object captured by a laser scanner (Focus 3D)
For utilization in Allplan, the point cloud is edited in PointCab
