Geometry vs semantics: Open issues on 3d reconstruction of architectural elements

Abstract

Three-dimensional representation is becoming an effective support for the documentation of the state of conservation of heritage artefacts, for the study of its transformations and for cultural diffusion. 3D digitization technologies now offer effective means to observe and analyze historic buildings with more accuracy, completeness and timeliness. Nevertheless, this produces a real problem of information overload. The growing mass of un-interpreted data make emerge a need for innovative methodologies assisting data processing, sorting and analysis by researchers who want to use it for advancing the knowledge of cultural heritage. Exploring the informational value of these new representation systems allows introducing new approaches to the analysis of artefacts so distant in space but so close in features (typologies, styles, compositional rules, etc.). This chapter presents some research avenues for defining a geometric/semantic description model of architectural elements in order to integrate the informative value of 3D digitization in intelligible representations.