Integrating Laser Scanner and Bim for Conservation and Reuse: “The Lyric Theatre of Milan”

Abstract. The paper underlines the importance to apply a methodology that integrates the Building Information Modeling (BIM), Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and the Laser Scanner tool in conservation and reuse projects. As it is known, the laser scanner technology provides a survey of the building object which is more accurate rather than that carried out using traditional methodologies. Today most existing buildings present their attributes in a dispersed way, stored and collected in paper documents, in sheets of equipment information, in file folders of maintenance records. In some cases, it is difficult to find updated technical documentation and the research of reliable data can be a cost and time-consuming process. Therefore, this new survey technology, embedded with BIM systems represents a valid tool to obtain a coherent picture of the building state. The following case consists in the conservation and reuse project of Milan Lyric Theatre, started in 2013 from the collaboration between the Milan Polytechnic and the Municipality. This project first attempts to integrate these new techniques which are already professional standards in many other countries such as the US, Norway, Finland, England and so on. Concerning the methodology, the choice has been to use BIM software for the structured analysis of the project, with the aim to define a single code of communication to develop a coherent documentation according to rules in a consistent manner and in tight schedules. This process provides the definition of an effective and efficient operating method that can be applied to other projects.