WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU 3D SCAN LONDON?

Scanlab Projects Use Lidar to Capture London in a Whole New Light

A groundbreaking project by the Cambridge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction (CSIC) involving the Royal Mail Tunnel in London, UK has recently come to completion, but they were not the only ones with access to the tunnel. CSIC employed various tools including high-precision instrumentation from Imetrum to monitor movement within the tunnel over a considerble period of time, as part of a nearby tunnel excavation project. Scanlab Projects a London-based studio, has also taken the occasion to access the tunnel for a completely different reason. The innovative start-up has created a spectacular 3D map of the tunnel system using laser scanning, also known as lidar (a portmanteau of “laser” and “radar”).

Matthew Shaw and William Trossell, cofounders of Scanlab first encountered 3D laser scanning at the world famous Bartlett School of Architecture, London. FARO, the leading manufacturer of industrial 3D laser scanners had provided high-tech scanners to familiarise the architecture students with the technology. From these experiences came Shaw and Trossell’s idea to capture the world in 3D clarity. We have to admit the images are truly amazing and give us a completely different appreciation of London.