Three-Dimensional Modelling for Cultural Heritage

The creation of 3D models of urban elements is extremely relevant for urbanists constituting digital archives and being especially useful for enrich maps and databases or reconstruct and analyze objects/areas through time, building/recreating scenarios and implementing intuitive methods of interaction. The wide spread of data available online offer new opportunities to generate realistic 3D models without the need to go physically to the place. This chapter aims to demonstrate the potential 3D modeling and visualization/interaction of urban elements in the city for multiple purposes and it is organized in four main topics: The first deals with the theoretical framework regarding the bases of the human perception of the spatial environment and the importance of 3D modelling; The second and third with technical procedures on terrestrial/aerial data acquisition and demonstrate alternatively data gathered online to generate 3D models for the visualization of urban elements of the city; and, the fourth introduces 3D model visualization within an Augmented Reality environment.This work is financed by national funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., within the scope of the project «UIDB / 04647/2020» of CICS.NOVA - Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais da Universidade Nova de Lisboa.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft