Houston’s Jones Hall is a large and complex structure. Originally completed in 1966 by architectural firm Caudill Rowlett Scott, the building contains a lobby with 60-ft. ceilings with a hanging bronze statue by Richard Lippold. The concert hall has a seating capacity of up to 2,912, with 800 hexagonal segments on the ceiling that can be adjusted to change the acoustics of the space. The building also contains rehearsal space, a green room, and all the facilities required to manage a building the size of a city block.
The team scanned top to bottom, from the center stage to the marble-clad exterior, the 3D laser scanning team documented the entire building. While the building is large, there were various tight or hard to reach spaces. Some of the more treacherous scan locations were harness-only areas. For the mechanical room, the laser scanning technicians had to ensure the space was captured from every angle so the laser beam could hit every necessary surface. The crew closely coordinated with the architect, issuing multiple progress models to ensure alignment in expectations.
The final Revit model ranged in level of detail from LOD 200 to 350, depending on what was needed to document the varying intricacies of the spaces. The model became the client’s foundation for initial conceptual design and program budgeting. Eventually, it played a vital role as the basis for design and construction documentation.