China Central Television (CCTV) spotlighted the groundbreaking digital restoration of Huang Rongyuan Mansion, a century-old Overseas Chinese mansion on Gulangyu Island in Xiamen on June 13. Leading this effort is Professor Li Yuan and his team from Xiamen University's School of Architecture and Civil Engineering (SACE).

Li detailed their sophisticated approach, moving far beyond traditional methods. "In the past, surveying buildings required climbing up and down ladders, which coould damage cultural relics and yield limited precision, mostly in the form of 2D drawings," he said. Now, deploying 3D laser scanners capturing 300,000 points per second, the team achieves millimeter-level precision, meticulously recording the building's complex three-dimensional geometry, textures, and colors.

"Traditional records offered only basic dimensions. Building Information Modeling (BIM) changes everything. It captures every intricate detail, allows dynamic viewing from any angle, enables virtual restoration simulations, and creates a powerful platform for managing the actual repair process. BIM has significantly boosted both quality and efficiency," Li added.

This digitization journey of Gulangyu's heritage established a distinctive digital teaching model at SACE. The digital restoration work at Huang Rongyuan Mansion not only showcases the team's research strength in the field of architectural heritage preservation but also illustrates the era where technology empowers culture.

Looking ahead, Xiamen University will remain committed to safeguarding cultural legacies by helping its students and faculty to harness cutting-edge technologies in the protection and promotion of sites like Gulangyu. Through their dedication and ingenuity, they are not just preserving history but also shaping a more sustainable future for cultural heritage.

CCTV reports the groundbreaking digital restoration of Huang Rongyuan Mansion on Gulangyu Island in Xiamen. [Photo/en.xmu.edu.cn]