This week, I studied the central techniques of producing a 3D-scanned digital model. I chose to work with the Nason House located behind Musser Hall. It was built and opened in 2004, named in honor of Horace Fishback, Jr. ’16, Margaret Nason Fishback ’25, John W. Nason ’26, Katherine Berge Nason ’33, Philip H. Nason ’33, Horace Fishback III ’50, Edna Cox Fishback, Polly Nason McCrea ’62 and Robert K. McCrea:
I chose to use both Scaniverse and Recap Pro to build my model. Both inquiring users to take photos around the house, however, due to height and tool limitations, I was not able to get the photos of building parts that is above me (second floor).
Scaniverse:
Recap Pro (It looks really bad I assume it is the issue of the tree in front of the house that distorts the kernel):
Question 1: How does attempting to model a building compare to simply viewing one through photographs or maps?
Attempting to model Nason House through 3D scanning was fundamentally different from viewing it in photographs or on a campus map. A photograph presents a single framed perspective, and a map abstracts the building into a footprint within a larger spatial grid. Modeling, by contrast, required treating the house as a continuous three dimensional object with volume, height, depth, and surface texture. Because access to higher vantage points and specialized equipment was limited, certain portions of the roofline and upper façade could not be fully captured. Those gaps made the limits of perception visible. Photographs often appear complete, but modeling revealed how representation depends on physical position, tools, and coverage.
Question 2: How does moving from passive observer to active modeler change your thinking on communicating about campus, lived experience and history to various publics?
Moving from passive observer to active modeler shifts communication from simply describing campus space to consciously constructing a representation of it. While walking past Nason House, the building appears complete and self explanatory, but attempting to scan and reconstruct it revealed how every representation depends on angle, access, height, lighting, and technical limits. Because it was not possible to capture the roofline or upper portions fully, the final model contains gaps, which makes clear that even immersive 3D documentation is partial and shaped by constraint. This awareness changes how campus architecture and lived experience are communicated to different publics, since a model shared with prospective students, alumni, or researchers becomes not a neutral record but a curated interpretation of space.
This reflection does a good job showing how modeling a building forces you to think beyond what photos or maps give you. The issues with height, trees, and tool limits make it clear that 3D scans aren’t automatic or complete. I like how you point out that modeling turns representation into a series of choices, which really changes how campus spaces get communicated to different audiences.
I agree with your reflection about how modeling differs from simple pictures or video recordings as we have to be especially attentive to the three dimensional aspects of the subject we are working on. Personally, because the house that I worked on was built on the middle of an elevated hill, the point you have made about three dimensionality was something I had to work especially hard on. Overall, I really like how you photogrammetry modeling have turned out! It is interesting how the color of your model is a bit dark. I am wondering if the time of the day (and thus the lighting) has something to do with it.
Your post clearly captures how 3D scanning exposes the limits behind representations that often feel complete. I especially liked your comparison between photographs, maps, and modeling, and how the gaps in the roofline made constraint visible rather than hidden. The contrast between Scaniverse and Recap Pro also strengthens your point that tools and surroundings shape outcomes. Your reflection on models as curated interpretations, not neutral records, is a strong insight into how campus history and space are communicated to different publics.