Dan Bochman explores the use of drones, LiDAR and 3D Scanning to better understand the design and materiality of country houses.

Advancements in digital technology and the removal of high entry costs have made LiDAR, 3D scanning and UAV/drones more accessible and easier to use in studying the country house. In this talk, Daniel Bochman discusses how archival country house research can be complemented by digital technologies. Utilising his own research at Dalkeith Palace and Drumlanrig Castle as examples, Daniel analyses how digital technology can deepen our understanding of country house and estate design – and can point us towards the illumination of hidden material details.

Daniel Bochman recently graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a PhD in Architecture. His thesis focused upon Duchess Anne Scott’s eighteenth-century design and construction of Dalkeith Palace near Edinburgh, Scotland. His research was complemented by LiDAR and 3D scanning conducted at Dalkeith Palace in conjunction with extensive archival analysis. Currently, Daniel is the Head of the Innovation Experience Centre at Colt Technology Services. He oversees projects involving smart architecture, including smart buildings and smart manufacturing. He recently launched a start-up digital technology company, Net Zero Heritage, which uses IoT devices, HBIMs and digital twins/triplets to create predictive maintenance monitoring systems for heritage properties. Daniel’s mission is to create affordable energy management tools that help historic properties reach their net zero carbon goals.