Bluesky 3D Building Models Bring Architectural Studies Online During Lockdown
Leicestershire, UK, 10 March 2021 - Liverpool School of Architecture is using 3D building models, derived from the latest aerial photography, to help teach students online during the pandemic lockdown. Created by aerial mapping company Bluesky, the geographically accurate simulations provide real world context so students can understand a location and set their architectural designs within an existing site. The Bluesky models will also be used within the final submissions by second year students to create street views and communicate how their designs interact with the existing context.
“We would normally ask students to work together to create group site models using the workshop,” commented Anna Gidman, Second Year Lead in Architecture at the University of Liverpool. “However, due to lockdown, we are not in the studio, let alone in close proximity with each other, which is necessary for group model making. In fact, many of our students are not even in Liverpool at the moment.
“A member of our part time staff had used the Bluesky 3D building models in architectural practice and suggested this as a solution,” she continued. “The models give remote students a better understanding of the site; they can then talk to students who may have visited the location and use Google Street View to interact with the existing infrastructure and buildings. The students have also been using the 3d models to create site sections and elevations, undertake 3D site analysis and create concept and massing models.”
Liverpool School of Architecture is an internationally recognised centre for architectural and built environment research. At the start of the 20/21 academic year the necessity of working online was turned into an opportunity to experiment with new forms of creativity and foster a sense of community among geographically dispersed students. In addition to the use of the Bluesky 3D building models to underpin project work the School ran The City of Fragments Lab: a three-day collective design studio which saw over 400 students come together to design fragments of a larger city addressing issues such as COVID, climate change and social justice. More can be seen here: https://www.virtual-lsa.uk/city-of-fragments
Photogrammetrically derived from stereoscopic aerial photography, the Bluesky models are fully rendered and are provided as either wireframe or block models in a format suitable for use in both CAD and GIS software. All Bluesky 3D models are supplied complete with a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) depicting the topography of the underlying surface.
About Bluesky
Bluesky International is the leading aerial survey and geographic data company in the UK producing and maintaining seamless digital aerial photography and height data on a national scale in both Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. Bluesky also undertakes bespoke surveys, including LiDAR, for a range of public and private sector clients.
Bluesky International operates a range of aircraft and sensors including three Ultracam Eagle Mark 3s, two CityMappers which allows the simultaneous collection of vertical and oblique imagery as well as LiDAR data, and a Galaxy LiDAR which is mounted with a thermal sensor and survey grade camera. These systems put Bluesky International in the enviable position of being able to provide customers with unique and cost-effective geospatial solutions.
As well as being an established and respected aerial survey company Bluesky International is also highly innovative and continually strives to develop new products and services by embracing new technology and methods. This has resulted in the development of some unique products such as the National Tree Map (NTM).
These datasets underpin long term contracts with local and central governments and many major blue-chip companies from a range of market sectors including financial services, utilities, telecoms, web portals, construction and environment. Bluesky International has offices in the UK, US, Republic of Ireland and a dedicated production centre in India.