Restoring Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple

The challenge in this case was to be able to thoroughly document the 1909 Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece — to prepare for a multi-million dollar building restoration — without compromising the building’s historical identity or disrupting ongoing tourism and church activities within the Unity Temple.

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Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become a major practice within the AEC industry, specifically for new construction, adaptive reuse, or buildout projects.

But how does this practice of “build twice” translate to restoring an early 19th century architectural marvel? By means of High Definition Surveying (HDS). HDS is a non-contact measuring tool that collects visible information of existing conditions in a fast, precise way while, at the same time, reducing damage risks and time associated with traditional measuring methods. Visible information is captured in 360 degrees, generating a 3D point cloud with accuracy up to 2 to 4mm. These point clouds ultimately become 3D virtual worlds of the building, making the method a fast and cost-effective way to generate as-built documentation (both 2D and 3D) for project analysis and coordination.

In the case of Unity Temple, GPRS was hired for its expertise in historical preservation by means of laser scanning and BIM modeling. GPRS’ team of architects and engineers performed a comprehensive laser scan of the building’s interior (temple, offices, mechanical basement, classrooms, etc.), exterior, roof, and skylights to capture explicit detail of the Unity Temple’s current condition.

GPRS then created a 3D Revit model from the point cloud data so that the construction management firm and subcontractors (mechanical contractors, concrete restoration, architects, etc.) could investigate the building’s existing state and accurately assess their project designs for restoring the Unity Temple.

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The colorized point cloud generated from laser scanning gave explicit detailed information that would be otherwise nearly impossible or extremely difficult to document without risking damage to the fragile building elements.

Examples of two key architectural features are the intricate windowpanes (e.g., clerestories, skylights) and the wood trim throughout Unity Temple. Both features were collected in the point cloud data in congruence with other building information (structure, mechanical systems, etc.).

Additionally, GPRS trained the client on how to create 2D elevations, sections, and a Reflected Ceiling Plan (RCP) directly from the point cloud data within AutoCAD. These AutoCAD sheets contained precise measurements and photographs, making it quick and easy for the client to identify the exact piece and location of each element for its removal, restoration, and re-implementation.

GPRS also provided the client with TruViews. The TruView utilizes a free plug-in for Internet Explorer to view each scan location from the scanner’s perspective. This offers a quick, easy way to take rudimentary measurements, make hyperlink notes, and perform project collaboration, there by reducing the hassle, time, and cost associated with on-site visits.

Another bonus of producing a comprehensive point cloud and BIM model of the Unity Temple was documenting the existing mechanical room and tunnel in relation to the entire structure. Mechanical contractors and architects could then plan both demolition of the existing systems and implementation of the new systems without jeopardizing the Frank Lloyd Wright Unity Temple's aesthetics and spatial design.

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