Exploring quickly made 3D models of the mansion

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Restoring the Carnegie Mansion which provides the shell in which Cooper-Hewitt resides, gives a fantastic opportunity to test some 3D scanning. So in the latter part of 2012 we started exploring some of the options.

One local startup, Floored.com, came to do a test scan of our freshly restored National Design Library. In just 15 minutes their Matterport camera had scanned the room and their servers were generating a navigable 3D model. This is much more than a 360 panorama, it is a proper 3D model, and one that could, with more clean up be used for exhibition design purposes as much as general playfulness.

3d-library-floored

We’re pretty excited to see what is becoming possible with quick scanning. Whilst these models aren’t high enough resolution right now, the trade off between speed and quality is becoming less and less every year.

We’re sharing this, too, because of the way the unmasked mirror in the scan has created a ‘room that isn’t there’. It would be a good place to hide treasure if the 3D model ever ended up in a game engine.

Go have an explore.

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About Seb Chan

Seb Chan is currently the Director of Digital & Emerging Media, Smithsonian, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. Prior to joining Cooper-Hewitt he led the Digital, Social and Emerging Technologies department at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, where he oversaw the implementation of Open Access and Creative Commons licensing policies and many projects exploring new ways for visitors and citizens to engage and contribute to the Powerhouse’s collection. Chan was a member of the Australian Government’s Government 2.0 Taskforce and, as a consultant, has helped organisations and institutions all over the world strategise and implement cutting-edge technologies in the cultural sector. He also writes about museums, technology and digital strategy at http://www.freshandnew.org.

  • Kjell

    FYI, Disqus spams your blog under the guise of ‘recommended content’: http://cl.ly/image/3G2p0I3h1e3P

    I already have Freakishly Long Eyelashes.

    • http://micahwalter.com Micah Walter

      FIXED!

  • http://twitter.com/interkatie katie shelly

    seb, you gave away the treasure hiding spot!!!!!!! ugh!!!

  • http://twitter.com/dirdim Direct Dimensions

    This is so awesome! Go Matterport and Floored!!