Embodied Scanning

Bamboo stick, printing on rice paper
Exterior corner of Bayard Ewing Building, Providence, RI, USA
2023













In architecture conservation, photogrammetry has emerged as a tool for digitally tracing archi-tectural surface conditions. By transforming these conditions into point cloud, photo-grammetry enables precise documentation and analysis. Interestingly, this process evokes parallels with the concept of bitmap.

Bitmap play a crucial role in screen printing, particularly when creating photographic stencil. The photograph is translated into a bitmap, allowing UV light to pass through during the shooting process. Both photogrammetry and bitmap essentially convert spatial information into a combination of dots. Recognizing this, I layered the bitmap model and the point cloud model together. This approach allows for the integration of precise digital data with the tactile and nuanced impressions obtained through frottage. Together, they provide a multi-dimensional record of the site.

Both photogrammetry and frottage yield imperfect records. However, frottage diverges from photogrammetry in its embodied form of scanning, requiring a person to spend time on-site and engage with the material directly. This process accounts for the physical motion and labor involved, offering a unique perspective on the documentation process.