Building Information Modeling for Cultural Heritage: The Management of Generative Process for Complex Historical Buildings

Building Information Modeling (BIM) enhances the sharing of information during the traditional process for new construction, but most of the time, it requires high levels of knowledge management for the historical digital model (H-BIM). The innovation in the Digital Cultural Heritage (DCH) domain is supported by the development of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and modern tools that are able to transmit morphological characteristics of the buildings in all their uniqueness. The latest research in the field of H-BIM shows a significant emergence of innovative methods and management initiatives for the generation of complex historical elements, leading to the confrontation of the paradigm of regularity (simple geometric shapes) with the new paradigm of complexity (historical building elements). This paper proves the benefits of the BIM for project management of the Centre Block of the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa, Ontario Canada, and shows the results obtained by the introduction of Advanced Modeling Techniques (AMT) during the generative process, reducing time and cost for the creation of the complex architectural and structural elements. The uniqueness of the forms of historical buildings is a real value to be transmitted throughout the building’s lifecycle with high Levels of Detail (LOD). Proper management of geometric primitives and Non-Uniform Rational Basis Spline (NURBS) models have guaranteed the conversion of spatial data (point clouds) from laser scanning and photogrammetry (geometric survey) into parametric applications. This paper explores the generative process of one of the most complex spaces within The Centre Block building of Parliament Hill—Confederation Hall.