‘This project presents a pilot case study focused on H-BIM digitalization of the rural Romanesque-style church of S. João de Calvos (Guimarães, 13th Cent. AD).’ Thus starts the poster presented at IN2PAST’s 5th National Meeting of Researchers, held in Braga in January, by the research team led by Fabio Sitzia (HERCULES – University of Évora / IN2PAST).

H-BIM (Heritage – Building Information Modelling) is a digital approach to the design details, construction, and management of ancient facilities which involves using intelligent 3D models that are not just a visual representation but contain technical-scientific and historical-architectural datasets.

The ultimate goal of this technology-packed exploratory project funded by IN2PAST – Associate Laboratory is then to produce a detailed 3D digital model capable of integrating geometric and non-geometric information, including historical, archaeological and archaeometric data for educational, awareness-raising and fruition purposes, and the current state of the building, in terms of pathologies, materials decay, previous restorations, and ordinary or extraordinary maintenance interventions.

Besides dwelling on the history of the church and construction phases, the poster presents the adopted methodologies (digital survey with 3D recording methodologies based on photogrammetry, aerial images combined with terrestrial data, advanced digital processing techniques) and the analysis of building materials carried out to date (including details about the digital mapping, physical and petrographic features, and the micro-photogrammetric survey).

The project’s poster in PDF.