HBIM model created for a Song‑dynasty Main Hall and a reusable family library of 330 parts
What happened: Researchers produced a detailed Heritage Building Information Model (HBIM) of the Main Hall of Chuzu Temple in Dengfeng, Henan Province, and packaged a reusable component library containing 66 family categories and 330 individual families. The work appears in a peer‑reviewed article published on 14 August 2025 in an open access journal with DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-025-01926-1. The study aims to support protection and management of Chinese timber architecture through accurate geometry, component‑level detail, and linked non‑geometric information.
Key findings up front
The project built a millimetre‑accurate 3D record of the Song‑dynasty Main Hall of Chuzu Temple (coordinates 34°30′N, 112°55′E), using over 1.1 billion TLS points and about 3,000 UAV images. Structural timber assemblies such as beam frames, bracket sets (puzuo), and roof components were modeled to a high Level of Development (LOD400), while walls, doors, windows and columns are at LOD300. A structured naming and identification system and a family‑based workflow enable reuse of the created components across future heritage projects.
Why this matters
Chinese timber buildings rely on interlocking joints and layered timber components that are not fully captured by point clouds alone. By combining high‑resolution surveying, archival research and expert interpretation, the study produces an HBIM that records both visible geometry and inferred internal connections. The result is a digital asset intended for conservation planning, condition monitoring, virtual display and future reuse.
What was modeled
The study focused on the Main Hall of Chuzu Temple, a nearly square, three‑bay by three‑bay Song‑dynasty hall (original construction dated 1125) that sits within a two‑courtyard site of roughly 3,000 m2 containing 49 steles and 14 old trees. The building has a xieshan gable and hip roof with a main ridge and four prominent ridge elements, octagonal stone columns (16 in total), and complex internal and external puzuo systems divided into 26 external and 23 internal puzuo elements. Decorative paintings, carved stone columns and a decorated high base (xumizuo) were included as linked, non‑geometric records.
How the HBIM was made
The workflow followed four main steps: multi‑source data collection, creation of an architectural component family library, geometric model creation and loading of non‑geometric data. Field acquisition combined a FARO Focus S70 terrestrial laser scanner (110 stations, 6 mm scanning resolution, RMSE of registration within 3 mm) and a DJI Phantom 4 RTK for oblique and nadir imagery with RTK control (about 3,000 images, reconstruction accuracy ~±1 cm). Point clouds from TLS and UAV were merged, cleaned and simplified then imported into Autodesk Revit for HBIM authoring.
Family library and model detail
Teams created single and composite Revit families through 2D drafting, extrusion and nested assembly. Families were organized into 12 major categories including platform, main body, puzuo layers, upper beams, purlins, roof structure, interior decoration, tiles and ridges. The library totals 66 family categories and 330 loadable families designed for reuse. Components are named with a combined numerical and grid‑based system containing eight information elements to ensure unambiguous identification and easy retrieval.
Non‑geometric data and deterioration recording
Non‑geometric information such as materials, conservation history and detailed damage notes was linked to families via attributes, decals and point cloud extracts. The team produced 23 deterioration drawings (5 for timber beams, 15 for puzuo, 3 for roof) and used Revit schedules to export deterioration lists for further analysis. Component properties display condition notes, and schedules can be exported as text for analytics.
Visualization and virtual tools
A virtual tour and construction animation were produced using a combination of Navisworks TimeLiner, Twinmotion, 3ds Max and Unreal Engine. The HBIM was split into 45 parts for scheduling and performance. The virtual scene includes surrounding courtyard context reconstructed from UAV data for roof and environment accuracy.
Practical recommendations and limitations
The report recommends a family‑based, component workflow for timber heritage because joints and internal connections require expert interpretation beyond surface scanning. Minimum practical guidelines include keeping at least 2 m clearance for TLS, a field team of around six for scanning, and post‑processing and modeling teams of four and three respectively. The study notes that full automation remains difficult for timber systems and points to the need for region‑specific HBIM standards and IFC use for cross‑platform interoperability.
Project details and credits
The paper lists multiple contributors from Zhengzhou University and partner organizations, with corresponding authors identified. Funding was provided by provincial and national science funds and open research funds for cultural heritage. The authors declare no competing interests and indicate datasets are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. The paper is published under a Creative Commons Attribution‑NonCommercial‑NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.
Where to find the paper
Bibliographic details: Journal npj Heritage Science, volume 13, Article number 399 (2025). Received 19 March 2025; Accepted 01 July 2025; Published 14 August 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-025-01926-1.