3D Data fusion and multi-resolution approach for a new survey aimed at a complete model of Rucellai’s Chapel by Leon Battista Alberti in Florence

Leon Battista Alberti planned, in the middle of XV century, the renovation of Rucellai’s family Chapel in Florence and designed the Holy Sepulchre temple as a Renaissance reinterpretation of the Jerusalem original one. In the occasion of the 5th century anniversari of his birth, new studies have been performed on his works. A complete survey of the Chapel has been done in 70’s and some years ago a survey of the temple has been published too. The results are very interesting from the documentation point of view, even if both survey campaigns have been performed with traditional measurement techniques. This work presents a new complete survey, aimed to support new restoration task. Several kinds of data have been collected to store an almost complete geometrical and radiometric documentation of the Chapel: information given by classical topographic survey and analogical stereo-plotting have been integrated with new technology skills offered by 3D scanning systems. The structure appears to be as a little precious building within another simpler space defined by a barrel vault, pilasters and a complex pediment; consequently, a multi-sensor and multi-resolution approach in collecting data has been used and is here described. Multi-resolution approach has been performed “zooming” our attention, and consequently choosing the most appropriate measurement instruments and survey techniques for: a) the whole chapel, b) the little temple, and finally c) on a very close-up point of view on a round inlay detail. Multi-sensor approach has been useful to complete geometrical data (by vector and surface description) with radiometric ones.