Flexibility of Dense 3D Data Capture: Rapid Documentation of Monumental Fountains in Rome

The knowledge and study of built heritage is now deeply connected to methodologies associated with the capture of surface details via the production of point-data. These methodologies enable researchers to gather a wider range of information, which is increasingly more connected to technological advances. Such approaches influence the management of data, and these data are often redundant due to the ways in which they are captured. Massive data capture does not include preliminary selection based on metric, geometric, and material features of the object. A multi-scalar approach, in which the criteria for data capture depends on the goals of the survey, is needed to optimize the relationship between information and the scale of the models to be built. This case study involving a selection of fountains in Rome aims to apply these principles to urban contexts defined by a strong spatial connection between architectural and sculptural elements. Survey can express this distinctiveness through complex, dynamic, and effective digital models.