Gothic microarchitectural creations: Methods and challenges of 3D scanning

Abstract

In the course of the current research, Gothic buildings and micro-architectural works (tabernacles, altar canopies) in Eastern Slovakia and Northeast Hungary were 3D scanned to investigate the procedural nature of Gothic architecture. The study of these micro-architectures is of outstanding importance, as Gothic geometrical rules were applied uniformly at both the architectural and micro-architectural levels. Traditional laser scanner, photo scanning, photo scanning with an iPhone, and lidar were used in the research, with different advantages and challenges. The experience gained during the research and the comparison of different scanning methods contribute to a more accurate documentation and understanding of Gothic micro-architecture and thus Gothic architecture.