We carried out a high-precision 3D survey of the wooden attics of Palazzo Madama, with the aim of describing the structure and conservation state of the trusses supporting the vault of the Senate Hall and documenting the attic of the Juvarrian counter-façade, where remains of the ancient seventeenth-century façade were identified.
The challenge
The intervention presented significant operational complexities due to the nature of the spaces:
narrow, dark, and difficult-to-access environments that made data acquisition challenging. Under these conditions, each phase of the survey required careful planning and the use of flexible scanning techniques, many of which were performed without a tripod to reach otherwise inaccessible areas.
The “ad hoc” solution”
Through a large number of scans and meticulous data processing, it was possible to fully document the wooden and masonry structures, producing a complete and coherent 3D model of the entire system. From the survey, a series of highly detailed technical drawings were also generated — plans, elevations, and black-and-white sections — designed to highlight geometries and floor transitions with the clarity of pencil drawings.
The Result: A highly precise three-dimensional and two-dimensional representation that fully met the client’s requirements, providing a solid foundation for studies, restoration work, and the enhancement of the monument. A project that demonstrates how 3D surveying technology, when applied with method and sensitivity, can reveal and preserve the hidden complexity of historic architecture.
