3D Laser Scanner as a Tool of Documentation for the Heritage Gardens

The Heritage Gardens are a very important urban component in Egyptians’ lives, from ancient times until now. In the modern era, a lot of very important and famous gardens have been established in Egypt, especially by Mohamed Ali Pasha and Khedive Ismail (1830–1895). Most of these gardens have been listed as Heritage Gardens by the National Organization for Urban Harmony (NOUH), but because of the shortage of data, the conservation process could not be completed. The Heritage Gardens have deteriorated over time. They were built as privet gardens, palace gardens or public gardens. One of the most unique gardens in Cairo is the Fish Garden and Grotto, which was established in 1867 as a privet garden for the royal family. It was turned into a public garden in 1902. Because 3D laser scanning is considered an initial tool for documenting the huge and important Heritage Gardens in Egypt, this paper presents the technique of preparing a full, detailed documentation for sites and open spaces by the 3D laser scanner. It will prepare a high level of documentation, especially for the Heritage Grotto. The project takes eight weeks on-site and four weeks in-office to complete the documentation to finish the Fish Garden and Grotto (total area 10 feddan) from both the outside and the inside. To reach the goal of the paper, the research goes through the historical background to present the importance of the garden as a Heritage Garden, as well as to show the importance of this garden in the local community. Then, the paper presents the documentation technique by using the 3D laser scanner and a sample of the outcomes to confirm the importance of using the 3D laser scanning as a revolutionary technology in the fields of cultural heritage and landscape site documentation.