Historic Garden Restoration: The Case Study of Villa d’Este

Cultural heritage is undergoing an unprecedented metamorphosis thanks to digital transition. Traditionally, the management of monumental complexes and parks has been fragmented, relying on isolated paper documents and disconnected two-dimensional surveys. Today, the aim of high-tech companies and the research world is to adopt a systemic and circular approach, capable of unifying sustainability, risk management, and technological innovation into a single overarching vision to overcome the complexity of the construction and conservation supply chain.

In this article, we will analyze how the research and innovation project CAMP (Cultural Heritage Management Platform) is setting a new operational standard for the sector. Born from the public-private synergy promoted by the high-tech district Stress Scarl (which brings together the research world, such as CNR and University of Naples Federico II, with high-tech partners like ETT and ACCA software), the project demonstrates the effectiveness of a systemic and circular approach.

Through the extraordinary case study of Villa d’Este in Tivoli, a masterpiece of the Italian garden included in the UNESCO heritage, we will see how the strategic integration of point clouds, photogrammetric drones, and data sharing platforms (CDE) is redefining the guidelines for historic garden restoration and recovery, transforming technical conservation data into interactive assets for tourist use in Augmented Reality (AR).

View of Villa d’Este in usBIM

What is HBIM

HBIM, an acronym for Historical Building Information Modeling or Heritage BIM, represents the application of BIM methodology to existing architectural, archaeological, and landscape heritage, with particular attention to historically and culturally significant assets.

Unlike traditional BIM, which primarily arises for the design and management of new buildings from scratch, HBIM takes the opposite approach: it begins with an existing artifact or an ancient park and, through digital technologies, constructs an intelligent “Digital Twin.” Translating a complex real environment into a faithful digital model requires a coordinated ecosystem of advanced geomatic techniques and optimized software workflows. When working on monumental assets, architecture is inextricably intertwined with nature: for this reason, creating a geomorphologically accurate Digital Twin represents the scientific starting point for any modern historic garden restoration strategy.

Geomatics Technologies for Integrated Acquisition (Reverse Engineering)

Unlike modern buildings, historical monuments do not have regular geometries or standardized elements. For this reason, HBIM cannot disregard a high-precision integrated geometric and geomorphological survey (Reverse Engineering).

A deep understanding of a monumental site cannot rely on a single tool but requires an approach capable of capturing every single facet of the landscape:

Mobile laser scanner (SLAM technology) – this technology allows for a rapid, efficient, and simultaneously extremely accurate survey of the entire geometry of the site. It is fundamental in historical parks characterized by significant elevation changes, terraces, and varying heights, as it enables the organic mapping of the land’s geomorphology;

Detailed photogrammetric survey – used to scale down to monument level and scan individual elements of artistic value. Through photogrammetry, high-resolution textured 3D objects are obtained, which are essential for material analysis;

Aerial photogrammetric drones – indispensable for completing the informational framework by overcoming physical limitations of ground positioning. Drones allow for millimeter-accurate mapping of all elevated or hard-to-access parts of facades and large monumental complexes to generate the point cloud.

Point cloud obtained from the survey with laser scanner

From point clouds to textured meshes: green modeling

Once the field acquisition phase is completed, the raw data composed of point clouds must be processed within BIM authoring software (such as Revit or Edificius by ACCA software) to initiate the actual building information modeling.

In the context of historic garden restoration, however, traditional BIM modelers face the limitation of standard “parametric families,” which are unable to replicate the unique forms of nature or centuries-old sculptures. To overcome this obstacle, the adoption of advanced workflows involves the use of specific software modules for terrain management, allowing for the insertion of complex 3D objects in the form of textured meshes to faithfully replicate the state of the art of the asset. This approach ensures quick, smooth, and visually impeccable management of the tree heritage and external decorative elements, keeping the geometric model lightweight and queryable.

The multidisciplinary database and cloud centralization

The true strength of HBIM lies not only in the 3D graphic rendering but also in the “I” of Information. Each modeled element (a frescoed wall, a statue, a fountain, or a tree species) becomes a data container to which technical sheets in PDF format, information about materials, historical periods, degradation status, and complex multimedia data can be associated.

HBIM relies on a centralized data sharing environment, called CDE (Common Data Environment). In this cloud space, all federated digital models, surveys, and territorial GIS maps converge. This way, all the professional figures involved in the protection of the asset (restorers, art historians, engineers, architects) can query the model and perform measurements or dynamic sections directly through a web browser.

Conservation and multichannel enjoyment (AR, VR, and Real-Time Rendering)

The value of an accurate HBIM model lies in its versatility: it serves not only the technicians for planning restoration but the same geometric and informational database can be converted into a tool for cultural and tourism enhancement. Thanks to the high computational capabilities of modern cloud visualization platforms, federated models and point clouds can be explored in Real-Time Rendering directly through a common web browser, enabling immersive virtual tours of the highest fidelity.

Furthermore, by applying optimization and geometric decimation processes, the original polygonal files, which are very large, are lightened and transformed into agile assets for mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets) to be connected to tourism experience platforms. This workflow unlocks the potentials of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in the field, offering visitors interactive multimedia storytelling paths, enriched with audio tracks and historical content that amplify the experience of the asset’s enjoyment.

Visualization of the model of Villa d’Este in usBIM

Digitizing Heritage: the CAMP Project and the Tech Turn of Villa d’Este

Cultural heritage is transitioning from traditional conservation methodologies to interactive information ecosystems capable of combining protection with enhancement.

A virtuous example of this evolution is represented by the digitization of Villa d’Este in Tivoli, a masterpiece of the Italian garden included in the UNESCO World Heritage. At the heart of this technological revolution lies the CAMP project (Cultural Heritage Management Platform), a research and innovation initiative aimed at redefining the management processes and knowledge of valuable monumental assets.

This project originates from the field experience of Stress Scarl, a public-private consortium company founded in Naples in 2010 to promote innovation within the complex construction supply chain. Designated by the Miur since 2012 as a high-tech district for sustainable construction, Stress operates by uniting the world of scientific research, thanks to the direct involvement of the University of Naples Federico II and the CNR (National Research Council), with key industrial players, material producers, high-tech companies, and engineering service providers. To address the intrinsic complexities of a monumental historic site, the development of the CAMP platform has seen the activation of a synergistic supply chain composed of highly specialized partners:

• ETT Spa – partner and shareholder of Stress specialized in the enhancement of cultural assets, responsible for the development of proprietary CMS and multifunctional mobile applications.
• Stress Value – spin-off of the Stress district characterized by an advanced laboratory for surveying and digital reconstruction.
• Stress Living – engineering and architecture company that oversaw the detailed development of complex geometric information models.
• ACCA software – key strategic partner that has provided its authoring tools and cloud platforms for the integration of HBIM flows.

The primary objective of CAMP is to overcome data fragmentation by creating a multichannel digital platform capable of converging all the information and surveys collected for a cultural asset. The real breakthrough lies in the ability to connect traditional tourist enjoyment pathways (enriched with Augmented Reality – AR and Virtual Reality – VR content) with the management backend and the informative models typical of the HBIM approach. In this way, the curator or museum entity can directly interact with the platform to update visit paths while simultaneously accessing a secure cloud container that houses the technical, geometric, and structural memory of the work.

Geomatica and Advanced Surveying: the Basis for Historic Garden Restoration

An error-free metric and material survey constitutes the backbone of any modern conservation project. When working on highly valuable sites included in the UNESCO heritage, the integration of various geomatics technologies becomes the only approach capable of accurately mapping the interaction between monumental architecture and the complex geomorphology of the territory.

Digital Twin of Valuable Details: the Case of the Organ Fountain and Pegasus

While the laser scanner identifies the macroscopic structure of the park, historic garden restoration operations require millimetric precision on the sculptural, decorative, and hydraulic elements that define the identity of the place. For this reason, the workflow scales down through object photogrammetry:

• The Statue of Pegasus and Detail Photogrammetry – to capture the complexity of isolated works of art, technicians switched to a detailed photogrammetric survey. This process allows for the generation of a true three-dimensional and faithfully textured Digital Twin of the sculpture. The extremely high level of geometric and chromatic detail achievable today with current geomatics techniques provides restorers with a perfect model for analyzing the conservation status of the surfaces.
• The Organ Fountain and the Federation of Surveys – for monumental elements that blend architecture, sculpture, and water flows (such as the Organ Fountain), ground surveying was directly integrated with data captured from aerial photogrammetric drones. This combined approach allows for the documentation of every niche, statue, and decorative apparatus of the fountain, recording the geometric information that will subsequently be inserted and federated within the HBIM informative model.

Common Data Environment (CDE) and GIS: Managing Data in a Cloud Environment

The collection of massive amounts of geometric and photographic data represents only the first half of the work. The real challenge in the digital transition of cultural heritage lies in the ability to centralize, organize, and make this information accessible to all actors involved in the supply chain. To rigorously guide an intervention for historic garden restoration, it is essential that restorers, historians, engineers, and museum curators can collaborate within a single digital ecosystem based on the Cloud, where geometric data merges with geographic and documentary data.

The CDE and the Federation of BIM Models

The operational core of information management is the Common Data Environment (CDE). In this shared cloud platform, all the different digital deliverables generated during the survey phases converge and are “federated”: from the BIM models of the building and the park to the high-resolution point clouds.

The interface allows for immediate and productive querying of the model directly from a common web browser, providing technicians with advanced tools without the need to install heavy local software:

• Precision Measurements – linear and angular measurements can be taken directly on the federated BIM models and on the point clouds of the garden.
• Dynamic Sections – users can perform dynamic sections of the complex according to planes orthogonal to the main axes or use “section boxes” to isolate and analyze specific portions of the artifact.
• Deep Informational Levels – by selecting any 3D object (such as a fountain or architectural element), a side panel shows all its structural and historical properties. At this level, it is possible to link technical sheets in PDF, rendering images, and even complex multimedia content like audio clips used in the case of Villa d’Este to study the sound spectrum of noises produced by the park’s fountains.

Association of documents to elements present in the model

Integration of GIS Maps for Territorial Scale Navigation

Another revolutionary component for historic garden restoration strategies is the extension of the model beyond the physical boundaries of the individual monument, connecting it to the territorial scale through GIS mapping services integrated into the CDE.

The workflow allows for precise localization of the area of interest and represents it graphically in parametric forms directly on an open format (GeoJSON). All informational content and federated geometric models are related on this geographic map.

This integration unlocks an unparalleled user experience of selective data access: the user can geographically navigate the territory and “enter” into the technical detail of the garden simply by clicking on the map. Furthermore, the integrated GIS tools allow for the management of site orientation and simulation of the behavior of light and shadows at various times of the day. This is a crucial feature for thoroughly understanding the actual state of the artifact, analyzing the microclimate, and accurately planning the conservation of both the architectural structures and the botanical heritage.

From Conservation to Enjoyment: Augmented Reality in the Gardens of Tivoli

The true added value of the CAMP project (Cultural Heritage Management Platform) lies in its ability to break down the wall between the engineering management of the asset and the end-user experience. Through the integration of a proprietary CMS (developed by partner ETT) with the CDE, the data collected for historic garden restoration does not remain confined to the technicians’ studies. Instead, it transforms into raw material to power multifunctional mobile applications dedicated to the general public, unlocking new and spectacular modes of enjoyment based on Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR).

Optimization of Meshes for Mobile Devices: The Case of the Minerva Statue

The main challenge in delivering ultra-high-resolution HBIM models to visitors’ smartphones (both iOS and Android devices) lies in the computational demands of the original datasets. Point clouds and detailed geometric meshes generated during the survey and modeling phases are often too large and complex to be rendered efficiently on mobile hardware, resulting in poor performance and a suboptimal user experience.

To address this limitation, the CAMP project implemented a strategic optimization workflow aimed at significantly reducing model complexity while preserving the level of detail necessary for visualization and interaction:

• Decimation of meshes and textures – using the Minerva statue as a reference, the heavy polygonal files derived from laser surveys and photogrammetry have been lightened through geometric decimation algorithms.
• Maintenance of visual quality – this process allows for the creation of extremely lightweight and manageable files for mobile devices without compromising the aesthetic rendering and color accuracy of the asset.
• Fluid enjoyment in Augmented Reality – thanks to this optimization, the user can frame the surrounding space with their smartphone and see the sculptural element appear in AR with excellent navigation fluidity.

This is a workflow that opens up infinite applications not only in cultural heritage but also in infrastructure monitoring.

Real-Time Visualization of the Villa d’Este Model

The mobile app of Villa d’Este: the immersive storytelling of “Myth” and “Fountains”

The culmination of this digital ecosystem is the mobile application developed specifically to support and enrich the guided visit within the park of Tivoli.

The app’s interface, managed directly by the museum curator via the CMS, organizes multimedia content and optimized models along two main narrative paths:

• The Myth Path – a structured itinerary through 14 points of interest that unveil the allegories and mythological stories hidden behind the park’s works.
• The Fountains Path – an itinerary focused on 12 points of interest dedicated to the hydraulic and architectural masterpieces of the site.

The application does not simply display digital models but amplifies the sensory experience in the field through advanced storytelling techniques. Visitors are guided by immersive narratives, such as stories dedicated to Venus who guards the entrance courtyard, or the narrating voice of Cardinal Ippolito d’Este himself, who explains the ambitious dream of reproducing the magnificence of Rome in his villa in Tivoli. Additionally, the integration of audio clips dedicated to the study of the sound spectrum of the fountains allows for appreciation of the original acoustic landscape of the site. This combination of informative HBIM modeling and interactive narration demonstrates how digital transition is the key to implementing profound and effective historic garden restoration, transforming cultural heritage into a dynamic, accessible, and economically sustainable resource for the nation.

The new standard for the protection of Italy’s landscape heritage

The success of the experimentation conducted at Villa d’Este unequivocally demonstrates how the future of monumental protection lies in the synergy between multidisciplinary skills and advanced digitalization. The union of the scientific research world (represented by entities such as CNR and the University of Federico II) and high-tech companies in the construction supply chain has allowed for overcoming the traditional fragmentation of data, defining a systemic and circular approach to conservation.

Cultural assets and monumental complexes today represent one of the greatest resources of our territory and our nation: protecting them with the tools of digital transition is no longer an option, but a strategic necessity.

The Villa d’Este model as a scalable and replicable best practice

The workflow applied in the park of Tivoli outlines a clear line for all future historic garden restoration interventions at a national and international level. The field experience has demonstrated that the HBIM methodology, supported by advanced cloud platforms (CDE) and integrated geomatic surveys, is not a theoretical exercise but a concrete operational tool:

• Centralization of knowledge – allows for encapsulating centuries of history, structural data, degradation sheets, and complex geometries in a single digital archive that is perennial and queryable.
• Management efficiency – optimizes the predictive maintenance of greenery and historic hydraulic infrastructures, reducing costs and intervention times for historic garden restoration.
• Democratization of culture – lowers access barriers to cultural heritage, allowing anyone (even from a distance) to understand and appreciate the magnificence of a UNESCO site through virtual tours, Augmented Reality, and cutting-edge multimedia narratives.

The CAMP platform and the implemented software ecosystem represent the new reference standard. This integrated management model demonstrates that when technology meets scientific expertise, historical heritage is not simply preserved but projected into the future, ensuring its intact transmission to future generations.

FAQ on historic garden restoration

What is HBIM?

HBIM, which stands for Historical Building Information Modeling or Heritage BIM, represents the application of the BIM methodology to existing architectural, archaeological, and landscape heritage, with particular attention to valuable historical and cultural assets. Unlike traditional BIM, it takes the reverse path: it starts from an already existing artifact or secular park to construct, through digital technologies, an intelligent ‘Digital Twin,’ which serves as the scientific basis for modern restoration strategies.

What geomatic technologies are used for the integrated acquisition (Reverse Engineering) of historic monuments?

Since historic monuments do not have regular geometries, an integrated approach is utilized with three main technologies: 1) Mobile laser scanning (SLAM technology), for rapid and accurate surveying of the ground’s geomorphology and elevation changes; 2) Detailed photogrammetric surveying, to obtain textured 3D models at very high resolution of individual elements of artistic value; 3) Aerial photogrammetric drones, essential for precisely mapping millimeter-scale parts that are elevated or difficult to access on facades and large complexes to generate the point cloud.

How is the informational modeling of greenery and natural elements done in HBIM?

The point cloud data is processed in BIM authoring software (such as Revit or Edificius by ACCA software). To overcome the limitations of traditional software’s ‘parametric families,’ which are unable to replicate the unique shapes of nature or sculptures, specific software modules for terrain management are used. These allow for the insertion of complex 3D objects in the form of textured meshes, ensuring a smooth management of the tree heritage while keeping the geometric model lightweight and queryable.

What is the role of the multidisciplinary database and cloud environment in HBIM?

The true strength of HBIM lies in the ‘I’ of Information: each modeled element becomes a container for data to which technical data sheets in PDF, information on materials, historical periods, degradation status, and multimedia data can be associated. HBIM relies on a centralized data sharing environment in the cloud, called CDE (Common Data Environment) or ACDat, where federated digital models, surveys, and GIS maps converge. This allows all professionals involved (restorers, historians, engineers, architects) to collaborate and query the model directly via web browser.

How are HBIM models used for cultural enjoyment in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)?

The geometric and informational database of HBIM can be converted into tools for tourist enhancement. Thanks to cloud platforms, models and point clouds can be explored in Real-Time Rendering via browsers for immersive virtual tours. Additionally, by applying optimization and geometric decimation processes, the heavy original polygonal files are lightweightened and transformed into agile assets for smartphones and tablets, unlocking the potential of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) on-site to create multimedia and interactive storytelling paths.

What is the CAMP project and what is its connection to Villa d’Este in Tivoli?

The CAMP project (Cultural Heritage Management Platform) is a research and innovation initiative aimed at redefining the management and knowledge processes of valuable monumental assets, applied as a best practice to the digitization of Villa d’Este in Tivoli (UNESCO heritage). The project arises from the experience of Stress Scarl (a high-tech district for sustainable construction promoted by the Federico II University and CNR) and brings together a synergistic supply chain composed of ETT Spa, Stress Value, Stress Living, and ACCA software. The objective is to overcome data fragmentation by creating a multichannel digital platform that connects tourism paths (AR and VR) with backend management and HBIM informational models.

How were the Digital Twins for the Pegasus Statue and the Organ Fountain at Villa d’Este created?

For the Pegasus Statue, a detailed photogrammetric survey was carried out to generate a three-dimensional, accurately textured Digital Twin, providing restorers with a perfect model to analyze the conservation status of the surfaces. For the Organ Fountain, which combines architecture, sculpture, and flowing water, the ground survey was integrated directly with data captured from aerial photogrammetric drones, documenting every niche and decorative element to then federate the information in the HBIM informational model.

What technical operations does the ACDat (CDE) cloud platform of the CAMP project allow?

The ACDat interface allows technicians to query federated BIM models and point clouds directly from a common web browser, offering functionalities such as:

1. Precise linear and angular measurements;
2. Dynamic sections and section boxes to isolate and analyze specific portions of the artifact;
3. Deep informational levels, displaying in a side panel the structural and historical properties of the selected object, to which PDF data sheets, renderings, and multimedia content (such as audio clips for studying the sound spectrum of the noises produced by the fountains) can be associated.

How does the integration of GIS maps work in the CDE for historic garden restoration?

The workflow connects the model to the territorial scale through GIS mapping services integrated into the CDE. The area of interest is located and graphically represented in parametric forms in open format GeoJSON, on which all federated geometric models are related. This allows users to geographically navigate the territory and delve into the technical details of the garden by clicking on the map, as well as manage the orientation of the site and simulate lights and shadows to analyze the microclimate and plan the conservation of structures and botanical heritage.

What does the mesh optimization process applied to the Minerva Statue for mobile devices consist of?

To overcome the computational limits of smartphones (iOS and Android), the heavy original polygonal files derived from laser and photogrammetric surveys of the Minerva Statue have been lightened through mesh and texture decimation algorithms. This process allows for extremely lightweight and manageable files for mobile devices without compromising the aesthetic yield and color accuracy of the asset, unlocking smooth access in Augmented Reality (AR) directly on-site.

What are the features and paths of the mobile application developed for Villa d’Este?

The application organizes multimedia content and optimized models along two routes managed by the curator via CMS: the ‘Path of Myth’ (14 points of interest dedicated to mythological allegories) and the ‘Path of Fountains’ (12 points of interest dedicated to hydraulic masterpieces). The app amplifies the on-site experience through immersive storytelling based on interactive narratives (such as the tales of Venus or the voice of Cardinal Ippolito d’Este) and the integration of audio clips dedicated to studying the sound spectrum of the fountains to appreciate the original acoustic landscape.

Why does the model of Villa d’Este represent a scalable best practice for the protection of Italy’s landscape heritage?

The applied workflow demonstrates that the HBIM methodology supported by cloud platforms (CDE) and geomatic surveys offers three concrete advantages:

1. Centralization of knowledge, encapsulating in a single permanent digital archive centuries of history, structural data, degradation data sheets, and complex geometries;
2. Management efficiency, optimizing the predictive maintenance of greenery and historical hydraulic infrastructures while reducing costs and time;
3. Democratization of culture, lowering access barriers to cultural heritage through virtual tours, Augmented Reality, and cutting-edge multimedia narratives.