Developments in 3D Scanning and Digitizing: New Strategies for an Evolving Design Process

Abstract

The computer is now a widely accepted tool in architecture as a production and business tool. Acceptance of digital technology as a design aid has been much slower, but continuing developments in ease of use, capabilities, and lower costs are encouraging the use of three-dimensional design modeling. As the demand for 3D design computing grows, peripheral digital technologies are also developing and being integrated. This paper describes on-going research into how current and near-future developments in three-dimensional scanning and digitizing technology that have the potential to substantially change processes of architectural design. Scanners, or digitizers, assist in transforming physical objects and models into digital representations. The capabilities of 3D scanners in architectural design have only begun to be explored. Existing and emerging 3D scanning technologies are briefly described followed by a discussion of sample existing, new, and potential uses of these capabilities as a design tool. An experiment is conducted to contrast the differences between stylus-based and laser-based digitizers in an architectural design environment.