Note: This article is written and published in Ukrainian and is a translated version of the original published here.
Prehistory
The idea to digitize the Shuvalov Palace in Talne was born from a combination of personal sympathy for this place and the desire to preserve Ukrainian architectural heritage in digital form.
Even when I was in my second year, I had an internship with the restorer Anatoly Izotov, who was then working on the restoration of this palace. Watching him work was incredibly valuable.
The palace was erected in 1902–1907 according to the project of the Danish architect Andreas Clemmensen — one of his two objects outside Denmark, both in Talny. The building combines the features of Danish national architecture with elements of the English country manor style.
The Shuvalov Palace in Talny — view from the southern façade. Photo by the author.
The goal of our project is not only to create a BIM model, but also to preserve this object in digital form for future researchers and restorers.
Search for people
As is often the case, it all started with chat messages and long contact lists. We were looking for specialists who share our vision — to join the important cause of preserving the architectural monument.
ZODCHIY Scan and Mykola Skoruk joined the team, and we from@oleksandr.kanivets took over the coordination of work and the technical part of the process.
The team during a drone shooting of the Shuvalov Palace. Photo taken with DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise RTK.
At the same time, the preparation of the equipment took a long time: they checked the parameters of the scanner, the charge of the drones, the calibration of the cameras and the shooting routes. Among the main challenges are logistics, lighting settings, and, of course, possible air raids, for which you have to be prepared even during field work.
Remote study of the object
While the team was preparing to leave, we conducted a preliminary remote study of the facility.
They studied the photographs provided by Anatoly Izotov and Oleg Shatailo, as well as very detailed drawings on which Izotov worked for more than two and a half years. In addition, there are publications, videos and other materials found in open sources.
Such a preliminary study helped to assess the complexity of the geometry of the building, identify potential points for scanning and think over drone flight routes. We paid special attention to basements, tower domes and areas with partially damaged ceilings - they required increased caution during work.
Thanks to this preparatory stage, it was possible to optimize routes, calculate time and minimize the number of unforeseen situations during departure. After several days of preparation, the moment came to see the palace live - with its weather, atmosphere and its own character.
Weather overview
The weather conditions on the day of the scan were almost perfect — a rare gift for the end of September. Sunny, without precipitation and even without wind - stability that usually does not happen in autumn. Such conditions significantly affect the quality of the data obtained.
First, the absence of precipitation and moisture minimizes noise in laser scanning. Raindrops or high humidity can partially absorb or scatter the laser beam, which reduces the accuracy of reflections.
Second, constant sunlight without harsh shadows creates uniform background lighting for photogrammetry. This is especially important when photographing facades and for calibrating textures.
Thirdly, calm allows you to safely fly over the drone even at the upper levels — domes and towers, where the slightest gust of wind can affect the stabilization of RTK positioning.
Object Overview
Upon arrival at the facility, a technical inspection of the territory and buildings was performed. The palace and the adjacent part of the park were divided into scanning zones: the main building, the utility wing, terraces, towers and basements. We checked the condition of the ceilings and the accessibility of the sections, determined safe routes for the operator and the starting points of the drones. Particular attention was paid to the domes of the towers and fragments of complex geometry, which were planned to be recorded from a drone.
To ensure stable stitching of point clouds, an overlap of scans of at least 40% was established.
Fragment of the balcony of the Shuvalov Palace. Photo by the author.
Pasting navigation markers
Before the start of scanning, navigation markers were placed on the facades, columns, stairs and in the park area for further registration of scans.
Navigation markers on the façade of the Shuvalov Palace. The placement is made without contact with authentic materials. Photo by the author.
The labels were set taking into account visibility from different points and the distance between the passes, which ensures stable stitching of data. Glued only on surfaces that do not belong to critical authentic materials to avoid any risk of damage to historical elements. To fix the external and internal zones, a single marking system synchronized with the coordinates of the drone survey was used.
Scanning, drone flight and photo fixation
Field work was carried out in a combined way — ground SLAM scanning, aerial photography from a drone, and photo fixations to build textures. To capture internal and external spaces, the XGRIDS Lixel L2 Pro handheld scanner was used, which forms a dense cloud of points in real time. At the same time, a DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise RTK drone flew over to shoot domes, roofs, and hard-to-reach areas of the façade. All data — scanning, photography, and aerial photography — were synchronized in a single coordinate system.
Based on the received scans and photographic materials, a preliminary scene was created in the format of 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS), an innovative imaging method that complements traditional scanning.
Instead of a classic grid of triangles or just a point cloud, the scene consists of millions of "Gaussian spots" — transparent ellipsoids that overlap each other. This results in smooth shapes, detailed edges, smaller file sizes (up to −90%), and very fast rendering. Model of the palace atlink.
Preliminary rendering of the Shuvalov Palace in 3D Gaussian Splatting Viewer.
Scan processing
Data processing in Autodesk ReCap is currently underway. We have already worked out the cloud of dots of the Palace from the outside.
I log scans, clean point clouds, and check for matches between ground and air data.
The goal of this stage is to obtain a single summary point cloud with high density and precision, covering both the exterior and interior of the palace. It is this result that will become the basis for the further creation of a BIM model in Revit, which will be discussed in the next part.
Previous merged point cloud of the Shuvalov Palace in the Autodesk ReCap Pro environment. Photo by the author.
Tips for those planning a similar scan
- Conduct a preliminary study of the object. Photos, drawings and reports from previous studies will help you avoid mistakes and save time on site.
- Test the equipment on site. Even a small GPS glitch or excessive mirroring can affect the stitching of scans.
- Plan your scan routes in advance. Think over the sequence of passages and points for connecting point clouds.
- Observe the principle of minimal intervention. Attach markers only to surfaces that are safe for authentic materials.
- Record as many references as possible. Photos, videos, notes from the object will help during post-processing.
To be continued... 🔥
In the next part, we will move from the point cloud to the BIM model in Revit and further work with the digital twin of the palace.
Note: This article is written and published in Ukrainian and is a translated version of the original published here.
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