Transcribing the Gothic Cathedral

First, to fully understand the type of laser data that I would be working with for my Ford project, I was able to experience the process of conducting a laser survey first-hand and then to toy with the resulting data, creating rotatable sections, and viewing the building in a virtual, three-dimensional space with true to life color.

performing a high-definition laser survey of the Vassar Chapel

Chapel-Scan-4 copy                                         Chapel-Scan                                         Chapel-Scan-2

three-dimensional representations of the Chapel comprised of the millions of points procured during the laser survey that can be observed from all angles and sliced into any desired sections 

Chapel-Organ       Chapel-Organ-Axonometric copy       Chapel-Balcony-Axonometric copy      Chapel-Balcony copy

Chartres2

Chartres Cathedral

Bourges2

Bourges Cathedral

During my time in the Ford Scholar Program, I had the opportunity to work with Professor Andrew Tallon in creating the first truly accurate, non-rectified plans of the Gothic churches of Chartres and Bourges. Using sections of laser data that reveal the wonderful irregularities of these structures, which have been set in place after centuries of shifting and settling and have gone mostly undocumented, we have managed to represent, with great precision, the churches as they stand today. These new, laser-based plans expose the realities of the structures as never before and will add new depths to the study of these major, art historical buildings.

-Destin McMurry (’16)