Project Overview
When a nonprofit organization acquired a historic 1920s theater in downtown Memphis, they faced a common challenge: no accurate drawings existed of the ornate building.
The theater featured:
- Elaborate plasterwork and moldings
- Original Art Deco fixtures
- A complex multi-level layout
- Hidden structural modifications from decades of use
The Challenge
Traditional documentation methods would have required:
- Weeks of manual measurements
- Scaffolding to reach ornate ceiling details
- Risk of missing critical elements
- Potential damage to fragile surfaces
Our Solution
We deployed a combination of technologies:
Leica RTC360 Scanners captured the main theater spaces with millimeter accuracy, documenting every curve of the plasterwork.
NavVis VLX Mobile Mapping quickly captured back-of-house areas, corridors, and service spaces.
Drone Photogrammetry documented the exterior facade and marquee.
Results
In just three days of scanning, we captured:
- 847 individual scan positions
- 12.8 billion points of data
- Complete 360° photographic documentation
- Accurate geometry of all decorative elements
Deliverables
The restoration team received:
- Registered point cloud data
- 2D CAD floor plans and sections
- 3D mesh models of ornate plasterwork
- Detailed condition documentation
- Web-based point cloud viewer for remote collaboration
Impact
The scanning data enabled the architecture firm to:
- Design restoration work without repeated site visits
- Create accurate molds for plaster restoration
- Identify structural issues hidden behind finishes
- Maintain historic accuracy in all interventions
This project demonstrates how reality capture technology supports historic preservation by documenting irreplaceable cultural assets with unprecedented accuracy.