Capturing the tactile experience of space using Photogrammetry for Architectural documentation and design.

Abstract

Conventionally, space both implied and defined by site elements is first captured to lay foundations for any design work that is done by architects. The value of the recordings from the site pertaining to the senses is critical in site documentation, perception, and conservation. The tactile aspects of the site prove to be a big challenge in first the recording process during the site survey and then during the overall process of the site documentation. Often the realistic visual-tactile and textural information is exchanged for computer-generated image textures and forms. Could this be a misuse of the tools that technology presents to us in this age? Could photogrammetry be that missing tool that architects require to enrich their design process? Could examining this tool provide insight on other such tools available or being availed today, especially by the fourth industrial revolution? This research concerns the above questions primarily in their pertinence to the field of architecture and secondarily in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. The case building used to demonstrate the procedure and value of the photogrammetric method was the Department of Technical And Vocational Education at the College Of Education And External Studies, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. An Android-based smartphone equipped with the Scan3D app was used to document the frontal portion of the building. Two main methods were used: Manual photogrammetry which involved taking strategically set images of the building planes and photogrammetric scanning which utilised the Scan3D app to create 3D scans from images taken from multiple points of view. Findings showed that there is great benefit in using photogrammetry to capture the authenticity of the state of the site and broadening the architect’s consciousness of building-nature links. In conclusion, apart from the in-depth documentation of the tactile experience, there is great potential to create useful spatial data for not only conservation of heritage but for the planning of smart campuses and cities. Eventually, it is generally recommendable that for Uganda’s architectural and construction sectors to smoothly adapt to the fourth industrial revolution, proactive efforts should be made in related sectors. Authentic multidimensional spatial data plays a major role in the process.