WWW-Based Building Information System for "Domus Severiana" Palace at Palatine in Rome by Open Source Software

Abstract

The aim of this research project is the digital documentation of the "Domus Severiana" Palace at Palatine in Rome through the integration of geometrical 3D- and non-geometrical information. The great density of information requires an efficient concept of data storage and management and an adequate means of presentation of high quality. The decision was made to develop a www-based information system based mainly on open source software modules. Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP as well as VRML-data format as open source components, were used for the information system; only the construction of the 3D-geometrical model was realized by means of commercial software. The 3D-model shows the different construction phases and depicts the reconstruction ideas at the respective different construction phases. Above all the 3D-model is the basis of joining the building information system to other sources of information, available in databases: the digital "Raumbuch", which contains all non-geometric information about the several rooms, archives of plans, drawings and photos, catalogues of the devices, brick stamps and constructions, as well as keys to literature and archives. The data storage, management and analysis are the central tasks of the project; realistic visualisation is secondary.