FoV
Introduction
General context
BIM and 3D GIS for a multi-scale modeling of urban space
Urban space is both rich and complex. Its modeling must support the management of this urban complexity through the development of geometrically and semantically rich 3D models. Whatever the use, the availability of a 3D urban model is commonly accepted as a crucial need that requires organizations producing reference data to direct their developments towards the acquisition of 3D geographic reference systems.
The theme “Building” represents a reference component for spatial data infrastructures that shares relationships with other urban objects like infrastructures, city facilities, cadastral parcels, etc. In the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE) directive, the theme “Building” is part of the reference data that is required in the European Data Infrastructure. According to the INSPIRE directive, the definition of a building is very broad:
A building is an enclosed construction above and/or underground, used or intended for the shelter of humans, animals or things or for the production of economic goods. A building refers to any structure permanently constructed or erected on its site.
Within an urban diversity, the building is an object of reference that is at the center of several issues and is the subject of several studies. The building is, among other things, a space for living, working and human activities, which consumes resources and which defines and controls the dynamics of the urban space.
Faced with a wide range of applications and user needs that are both varied and evolving, the consistency of a general purpose 3D model is difficult to implement in terms of the types of objects to be represented as well as their geometric and semantic accuracy specifications, since the levels of detail and accuracy are strongly related to one’s interest in the 3D objects to be represented in a specific application.
The process of digitizing a building leads to a complete, geometrically reliable and precise 3D representation, semantically annotated in the form of a building information system, commonly called BIM (Building Information Modeling). Through a collaborative process, BIM refocuses practices around
