HBIM in the digital reconstruction of historic buildings based on point clouds – a case study of the manor house in Nużewo, Poland

Abstract

Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM) is becoming essential for documenting wooden architecture at risk of disappearance. This article proposes a comprehensive scan-to-HBIM workflow, demonstrated through the digital reconstruction of a deteriorated late-19th-century manor veranda in Nużewo, Poland. By integrating high-density Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) point clouds with archival photographic evidence, the study addresses the challenge of modeling geometry that is partially lost or deformed due to significant material weathering. Central to this approach is the application of the Level of Information Need concept, which prioritizes informational value. The methodology semantically enriches the model with evidence-based metadata, explicitly defining the data source and uncertainty for each component. This ensures transparency of the reconstruction process, clearly distinguishing between the surveyed reality and hypothetical restoration based on historical records. The resulting IFC-compliant model validates the utility of HBIM not only for spatial archiving but also for supporting conservation decisions and interoperable data exchange. While identifying the limitations of current BIM tools regarding the complexity of irregular structures, the study presents a reproducible framework for documenting and digitally reconstructing at-risk wooden architecture, advocating for open standards that transform fragile physical evidence into an enduring digital legacy.