Digitize to preserve: project scans monuments in Lima to preserve the city’s historical heritage

Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the city of Lima It is constantly threatened by a powerful earthquake that could not only cause a human tragedy and considerable material damage, but also damage the history of the Peruvian capital itself.

That is why, within the framework of the 490th anniversary of the founding of Lima, the University of Lima, in collaboration with Prolima, is part of an ambitious digital preservation project of the city’s historical heritage. This effort seeks to safeguard the architectural and cultural wealth of Lima through advanced technologies, aware that the region is located in one of the areas with the highest seismic risk in the country, as reported by the Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP).

“A large earthquake could cause significant damage to Lima’s historical monuments. Having digital records of these spaces ensures that we can reconstruct them with respect to their historical and cultural value,” explains Ana Luna Torres, professor of the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Lima.

With laser scanners, drones and the BIM (building information modeling) methodology, virtual models have been generated that capture all the details of the emblematic buildings such as the tower of the University Park and the crypt of the Santo Domingo church.among others. The BIM methodology facilitates the creation and management of construction projects, and centralizes all project information in a digital model accessible to all involved.

“Thanks to the use of laser technology and drones, we have been able to collect detailed data from these monuments and historical spaces. This data is processed and generates a point cloud, which is then converted into 3D models. For inaccessible areas, we use drones equipped with cameras to use photogrammetry to complete the information gathering,” he added.

Monuments, buildings and emblematic parks

The collaboration project with Prolima, led by the Sustainability Center and technically supported by the Civil Engineering Department, carries out digital records of the University Park tower, located in the historic center of Lima. This emblematic structure, whose construction began more than a century ago, symbolizes the efforts to modernize the city in its time. Besides, A digital record has been made of specific sectors of the Santo Domingo church, seriously affected by the 1946 earthquake in Lima, with the aim of contributing to its preservation.

In the coming months, digital records will be carried out of the façade of the Casona de San Marcos and its plaza, an emblematic symbol of Peru’s educational tradition and home of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. In addition, buildings located within the Exhibition Park will be documented.

National schools are also registered

The University of Lima has renewed its agreement with Minedu to digitize national schools that in some cases are more than sixty years old, in order to guarantee the generation of technical files that allow them to manage financing and reinforce their infrastructure.

Among the schools intervened are IE 0074 Fernando Belaunde Terry (founded in 1970 in Ate), IE 1220 San José Marello (1985, La Molina), IE 6047 José María Arguedas (1961, Santiago de Surco), IE 1140 Aurelio Miró Quesada Sosa (1961, La Molina), the IE Pedro Venturo (1985, Santiago de Surco) and IE 0082 La Cantuta (1970, San Luis).

Currently, the projects developed in collaboration with Prolima and Minedu have the participation of teachers and students from the Civil Engineering Major at the University of Lima. “This project represents a unique opportunity for our Civil Engineering students, who apply their knowledge of technology, buildings, structures, etc., in real projects that contribute to social well-being,” adds Luna Torres.