The Rocca Malatestiana of Verucchio. SCAN-to-HBIM process for the digitisation of cultural site with severe topography condition

The essay highlights the process of three-dimensional acquisition and digitisation through HBIM of the Rocca Malatestiana of Verucchio, in the Rimini area. The case study presented is set in a context strategically located on a hill overlooking the Marecchia river valley with high orographic and interpretative difficulties due to the different overlapping historical layers. The Malatesta Fortress of Verucchio, which is built on a number of levels to accommodate the terrain’s orography, is perched atop the towering pinnacle of a rocky spur that dominates the Marecchia valley. Due to its location nearly 300 meters above sea level, overlooking the Adriatic Sea and the Apennines, the fortress—a symbol of the Malatesta family’s power—became a crucial strategic and defensive hub. It served as the main seat of Malatesta power along the coast and in the Marche region for centuries. ùThe research group involved in the project of integrated three-dimensional survey and digitisation through BIM of the building of the Rocca di Verucchio has worked to give back to the small municipality a model for the management of the rich heritage of the place. The integrated scanning and HBIM implementation process has resulted in a coherent and highly informative digital model of the material, historical and typological conformation of the various parts of the artefact. The Verucchio case study exemplifies how the development of digital representation systems for architectural heritage is a field that is constantly evolving and is currently a focus of interest and innovation for all players in the field.