I chose to model one of the campus townhouses, Dow House. I chose it because it is a pretty cool looking building that I pass pretty often but haven’t really looked at very closely. It was somewhat difficult to scan and take pictures of because it is very close to two other houses and is also mostly surrounded by trees. The limited space to move around and get good angles, as well as the shadows from the trees, made it pretty hard to take consistent and clear images.
The processes of exporting the models were probably the most difficult part of it all. Yes, the photogrammetry on Metashape was a very detailed process, but the instructions were very useful and at least it was all on the same application. Finding a way to convert the Scaniverse .ply file to a .glb file took another website, and so did converting the .obj to a .glb. Then, going through the whole process of embedding the .glb that I just converted the .obj to was time-consuming as well. It took me several attempts to create an account on Sketchfab. However, when it was all said and done, the modeling was pretty successful, and everything is pretty easy to access and analyze.
How does attempting to model a building compare to simply viewing one through photographs or maps?
Modeling the building required much more attention than just looking at it. Instead of simply observing, I had to think carefully about angles and coverage. Walking around the structure repeatedly made me notice details I normally overlook.
Does the process of photogrammetry encourage close looking and attention to details you might otherwise have ignored?
Yes. The need for precise image capturing caused me to use very careful observation. Then, when modeling on Metashape, I was really able to analyze all of the little details as I was putting it together. This connects to the Book of Fortresses project we looked at, as it uses photogrammetry in a similar way. Photogrammetry allows us to study and reinterpret buildings instead of just simply recording them. I ended with a pretty solid model on Metashape. However, the embedded version appears darker and less clear than the Metashape version, showing how digital models are shaped by software processing as well as compression. This version can be seen below.
Your model looks great, Ronan! I had a similar issue with creating an account of Sketchfab–I’m worried that I will now be receiving a bunch of Epic Games marketing emails… I was also disappointed by the degradation in quality when I switched from MetaShape to Sketchfab. I wonder if there is another way to export our models with higher quality.
I like how you explained the real-life challenges of scanning Dow House, because I had similar issues with space and obstacles when I did mine. It’s easy to think you can just walk around and snap some pictures, but the trees, shadows, and nearby buildings actually make a big difference. Your point about not really looking closely at the building before is relatable too. You see these buildings every day but don’t notice the details until you have to model them.
I also agree that exporting and converting files is way more annoying than people expect. The scanning part feels straightforward compared to dealing with formats and websites and embedding. That part can get frustrating fast. Good stuff.
I totally get the struggle with the trees and shadows around Dow House, I got the same problem as well. This is such a good building, but the spacing there is definitely tight(like my project of the trillium house)! Your point about the workflow being the hardest part is so real. The Scaniverse, Metashape, and Sketchfab are so different and we need to learn in order to just to get the file types right is a huge headache. I also really liked your connection to the Book of Fortresses. It is so cool how the process forces you to notice details you’d usually just walk right past.