Photogrammetry as a Digital Tool for Heritage Buildings Documentation and Modeling in Architectural Education

Abstract This chapter aims to emphasize the importance of using the photogrammetry technique to obtain information and three-dimensional digital models, which can be done through the processes of recording, measuring, and interpreting two-dimensional photos for the purposes of heritage digital modeling and documentation, and to accredit this tool as a contemporary educational digital tool which potentials exceed the traditional documentation methods currently used in architectural education. A way of incorporating photogrammetry into architectural education is proposed. This chapter is structured into two main sections; the first is the theoretical framework discussing the concept of photogrammetry and the importance of heritage building documentation and modeling in architectural education, as well as photogrammetry strategies. The second details an academic field experiment conducted with students in the “Digital Photography” course. The objective of this experiment was to apply photogrammetry techniques to document and model several heritage buildings in Al-Madinah. A major outcome of the chapter was the successful execution of photographing, documenting, and modeling processes for three heritage buildings in Al-Madinah, demonstrating the technique’s effectiveness in architectural documentation.