An ambitious 3D scanning project captured one of the world’s unique hotels in detail to help shape its next chapter.
By Nathan Savory
The Burj Al Arab sits on a manmade island in the Persian Gulf.
The Burj Al Arab, a 320-meter-tall showpiece, has defined Dubai’s skyline since 1999. A symbol of luxury and innovation, this iconic 60-floor, 7-star hotel has evolved and grown over its lifetime. However, these renovations left its original 2D floorplans outdated.
The hotel needed accurate 3D plans of the building to better manage maintenance and renovation projects, optimizing the luxury experience for visitors.
PRD Measurement Solutions, a specialist surveying consultancy based in the United Arab Emirates, undertook the task of creating a precise 3D model of the entire, elaborate, structure. The Burj Al Arab’s unique architecture, combined with strict limitations on when scanning work could be conducted, presented significant challenges.
The project had to be completed in the early hours of the morning to avoid disturbing the hotel’s guests.
The team had to employ a variety of tools, including a 3D laser scanner, to create the digital model of the hotel. This documented the landmark’s iconic design and provided precise data to support the future development of this architectural masterpiece.
Unique Surveying Challenges
The PRD team was tasked with a complex job: capturing every intricate curve and floor of the Burj Al Arab in 3D. The hotel’s traditional Arabian sail-shaped design posed a challenging surveying environment. Not only is the building devoid of straight lines both internally and externally, but the expansive atrium soars 180-meters high.
Adding to the hurdles were hidden stairwells that proved difficult to access, harsh weather conditions, and strict overnight work hours limited to 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. to avoid disrupting the hotel guests. With additional security clearance protocols, the project required efficiency and precision. This meant meticulous planning and practical hardware to guarantee the high level of accuracy needed under the time constraints, all while maintaining the 7-star reputation of the hotel.
The Burj Al Arab, towering at 320 meters, has been a landmark of Dubai’s skyline since 1999.
From Curves to Clarity
To overcome the complexities of the structure, the surveying team established external control point measurements using GNSS and a closed-loop traverse around the building. For the internal traversing, the team worked floor by floor using a 3D laser scanner from Leica Geosystems, starting from the ground level and moving upward through the atrium.
Cloud-based field software verified data in real-time, ensuring each floor was precisely scanned before moving on.
This systematic approach helped overcome the setbacks posed by diagonal escalators and winding staircases–ensuring precise measurements and maintaining alignment across every floor.
While a total station was ideal for some of the external measurements, a 3D laser scanner was deployed to scan the hotel’s interior. Its ability to capture millions of points per second made it possible to thoroughly document each floor of the hotel to RICS tolerances within the tight overnight work schedule.
Due to the time restrictions, the team had to be certain after each setup that all the necessary data had been captured. So, they used cloud-based field software to verify the data collection in real-time, ensuring accuracy and complete coverage before progressing to the next floor.
Despite strict security measures that restricted the team to using a single scanner, they successfully completed the project within just one week–completing almost 600 individual scans over two nights.
3D laser scanners captured each curve and detail of the hotel’s lobby.
The traditional Arabian sail-shaped design of the hotel posed a challenge
Transitioning from 2D to 3D Data in Building Capture
Once the data was collected, the raw point cloud data was refined into a 3D model back at the office. For the hotel, transitioning from 2D to 3D representation provides greater detail, improved visualization, and easier collaboration.
Traditionally, the interior designers relied on 2D plans–elevations and cross-sections–to guide their projects. However, showing them the resulting 3D model proved what they had been missing out on.
Now, much of the hotel staff, including interior designers, managers, and maintenance engineers, can access a clearer, more comprehensive view of the space, enabling them to plan more effectively.
The Burj Al Arab’s expansive 180-meter atrium.
Scanning the Heights
The comparison between the new schematics and the original plans from 1999 revealed just how transformative the scanning process had been. The existing as-built plans were riddled with inaccuracies, including missing floors and incorrect dimensions, the result of limitations in the technology available at the time. The resulting data now allows the hotel staff to visualize the multitude of rooms in extraordinary detail, to milometer accuracy, supporting decision-making and reducing the risk of costly reworks as a result of unnoticed errors.
Thanks to the adoption of 3D laser scanning, the surveying team created a model and associated plans of the Burj Al Arab, capturing every curve and floor with pinpoint accuracy. This scan now stands as a vital tool, offering up-to-date schematics for future renovations and maintenance, celebrating Dubai’s most iconic landmark.
Nathan Savory is the regional segment manager for Reality Capture (EM, EMEA, and Asia) at Leica Geosystems (part of Hexagon). He helps organizations utilize laser scanner solutions within an ever-developing digital ecosystem.