3D Virtual Reconstruction and Visualization of Complex Architectures (Second Edition)

Dear Colleagues,

The knowledge, conservation and valorisation of cultural heritage sites and assets are increasingly recognized as fundamental pillars for ensuring the sustainable future of culture, tourism and collective identities. In a rapidly changing socio-economic and environmental context, digital documentation and analysis play critical roles in safeguarding tangible and intangible heritage, supporting informed conservation strategies, enhancing public engagement and enabling long-term monitoring of cultural assets.

In this framework, geomatics (photogrammetry, laser scanning, remote sensing) and ICT have emerged as key enablers of cultural heritage 3D documentation, digital preservation, valorisation and advanced management. In particular, recent progress in Artificial Intelligence (AI) has demonstrated significant potential and added value across a wide range of heritage-related applications, including 3D data acquisition and processing, geometric and semantic modeling and condition assessment. Moreover, sensor combination and (multi-temporal) data fusion have become some of the most common approaches for more detailed and complete 3D documentation processes. All of this facilitates the generation, structuring and analysis of multi-source and multi-temporal data within unified digital heritage environments.

This Special Issue stems from the 11th International ISPRS/CIPA workshop "3D-ARCH 2026" (http://3darch.fbk.eu/) and aims to collect state-of-the-art and innovative research activities, critical experimental works, new developments and reviews related to 3D recording, modeling, digital preservation and visualization of cultural heritage at various scales (artifact, monument, site).

The Special Issue’s themes include:

• Low-cost sensors and open-source algorithms for terrestrial 3D modeling;
• Fusion of multi-source and multi-sensor terrestrial data;
• Sensor characterization and investigation;
• Research in 3D/4D survey and modeling;
• Automation in terrestrial data processing;
• Image matching and Multi-View Stereo (MVS) 3D reconstruction;
• 3D reconstruction and modeling with AI methods (including LLMs, NeRF and Gaussian splatting); 
• Point cloud processing, semantic enrichment and analysis;
• 3D data structuring and querying;
• Accuracy requirement and assessment;
• Virtual and Augmented Reality for complex architectures and heritage.

We look forward to receiving your original articles and reviews.

Dr. Ramona Quattrini
Prof. Dr. Roberto Pierdicca
Prof. Dr. Francesco Fassi
Prof. Dr. Fabio Remondino
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• photogrammetry
• laser scanning
• open-source
• Gaussian splatting
• sensor and data fusion
• point cloud
• 3D reconstruction
• VR
• AR

• 3D Virtual Reconstruction and Visualization of Complex Architectures in Heritage (10 articles)