RECORDING AND COMPARING HISTORIC GARDEN ARCHITECTURE. VALUE OF SLAM-BASED RECORDING FOR RESEARCH ON CULTURAL LANDSCAPES IN CONNECTION WITH HERITAGE CONSERVATION

Abstract. The 3D-SLAM-based recording of historic gardens and architecture with the scope of geometric and quantitative analysis of typologies of garden architecture in the context of a designated cultural landscape will be presented. This will be illustrated by case studies of three baroque gardens of buildings belonging to the Cistercian order.

The ‘Centre for Heritage Conservation studies and Technologies’ (KDWT) at the University of Bamberg is cooperating with the Cisterscapes project to deliver metric surveys, architectural comparison of the historic gardens as typical feature of the agricultural granges. The survey and research were conducted in autumn 2020 and 2021 in two granges in Franconia (Bavaria, Germany) as well as on the monastery of Ebrach.

For the recording, SLAM technology, was the preference and a GeoSLAM ZEB Horizon was used. It is a solution using the data sequence acquired during motion for estimating the relative poses in real time. The case studies served not only to generate an accurate output to be explored in the Cistercian Cultural Heritage Project, but also as test of the instrumentation to ascertain best practices of the instrument. 3D digital documentation will contribute to the holistic understanding of garden plus architecture ensembles. 3D data analysis will be approached from an art-historical and architectural viewpoint, conclusions shall be drawn from interdisciplinary cooperation. This comparative research will serve to find similarities or differences and establish prototypical elements of these typical elements of Cistercian Cultural Landscape. The 3D records can also be used as basis for future monitoring and development of a new garden care concept taking heritage conservation into account. Heritage, in its many forms, is not only a representation of the past, but a connection or reconnection with a past that is active and alive in the present. It shapes and reshapes people’s sense of place, sense of belonging and cultural identities at the local and national level.