The 3M BIC design team is in the process of creating the entire University of Huddersfield campus in 3D using reverse engineering.
Over the last few months the team has been gathering data, plans and pictures, to scan, model and 3D print every building on campus. The idea of the project is to create a virtual campus to enable prospective students, in particular those from overseas, to navigate around the University and learn more about its facilities.
The buildings were modelled from existing building plans using 3DS Max then scaled using a map of the town centre to ensure they were the right scale.
The next stage of the project will see the team working with a company using drone mounted photogrammetric scanning to capture the topography and buildings to get a better idea of the height of the campus so that they are in the right proportions, as well as the surrounding landscape.
The final product will appear both virtually on the University’s website as a visual aid and physically as a 3D printed model in the foyer. International students will be able to take a tour of the campus externally and internally in some buildings using virtual reality. An avatar of the University’s Vice Chancellor, who was scanned a few months back, will guide users across campus, speaking in a number of languages, to give potential students a better understanding of what’s on offer at the University.
The team has also been visualising other major landmarks in the town centre, including the train station.