In the Spotlight

One of the artificial harbours that played a pivotal role in supplying the Allied forces who landed on D-day is to be surveyed using the latest hydrography software and survey techniques.

VEKTA, a survey company in Australia, has chosen the VisionMap A3 airborne digital camera and processing system as their primary digital aerial camera. VisionMap A3 digital camera has the largest footprint of 60,000 pixels across track and can collect thousands of km2 a day in high resolution. Together with a fully automatic processing end-to-end workflow it provides AT, DSM, Orthophoto, stereo models and oblique geo-referenced imagery, in a fast turnaround time. Vekta is planning to use the VisionMap A3 system for rapid response and fast imagery collection projects in addition to statewide large area aerial imagery collection projects.

Complex laser scanned computer models, created using software from Pointools, are helping architects design the most complete recreation of an English renaissance indoor theatre ever attempted. The indoor Jacobean theatre, the shell of which already exists on the Shakespeare’s Globe site in London, will be restored to provide a brand new theatre space that will seat around 320 people, with two tiers of galleried seating and an authentic pit seating area.

Bentley Systems, the company dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure, celebrated the opening of its new U.K. headquarters at 20 Gracechurch Street in the City of London. CEO Greg Bentley and COO Malcolm Walter hosted the event, which included a reception for Bentley users and colleagues, and more than 30 members of the media. Bentley’s new office overlooks London’s inspiring skyline comprising many landmark structures designed and built by leading user organizations with the help of Bentley’s information modeling and collaboration software. Bentley’s new premises, in the former Barclay’s Bank headquarters building, were designed by BDP, Europe’s most progressive interdisciplinary design practice, and in keeping with Bentley’s commitment to sustaining the environment, the project is expected to achieve a “Very Good” BREEAM rating and “Silver” LEED certification.

Award winning architect Pozzoni LLP is using computer-generated 3D models from Bluesky to help redesign a number of railway stations in the south east of England. Working for Solum Regeneration, a partnership between Network Rail and Kier Property, Pozzoni has already completed the design of a mixed use scheme at Haywards Heath including supermarket, hotel and improvements to the station facilities and a project near Tufnell Park tube station for Network Rail.

Modern laser scanners, in combination with popular CAD software, make highly-efficient, accurate and cost-effective three-dimensional building documentation a reality.

A recent project in the ancient harbor of Ostia, a major Roman archaeological site, will include checking and developing the existing network of control points and extending the network further into the archaeological area, among others.

Bentley Systems, the company dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure, announced that Geospatial World, published by India-based Geospatial Media and Communications Pvt. (formerly known as GIS Development Pvt. Ltd.), has honored Greg Bentley, CEO of Bentley Systems, with its Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes individuals for their outstanding contributions to geospatial communities worldwide.

Esri has acquired Procedural, a software company for creating stunning 3D urban environments from typical 2D data. Urban planners, architects, video game developers, and movie studios around the world use Procedural’s CityEngine product to create 3D cities at any resolution.