Stonehenge in 3D
National Geographic
In 2021 IVAR Studios co-founder Martin Edström got an assignment from National Geographic to make a complete 3D-model replica of Stonehenge. So together with the IVAR Studios team, they captured over 7000 images to recreate this historic landmark site using a process called photogrammetry.
Our end goal was to recreate Stonehenge in high enough resolution that the 3D-model could stand the test of time as an archival scan of this landmark, while also making it possible to adapt it enough to work on social media platforms.
The Process
We used a process called photogrammetry to recreate Stonhenge as a 3D-model. This process relies on a large input of images, the dataset, that is fed to a computing algorithm that can calculate point-clouds and 3D-data from the source images.
While this might sounds easy enough, it involves a lot of planning and a high attention to detail while photographing – as reality is often more complex than you might think at first glance. While many people think of Stonehenge as a few slabs and boulders, the heritage site actually consists of over 120 different pieces of stone. All of these rocks have to be photographed, from every possible angle, to recreate a high detail 3D model in the end. So before heading to the field, the team made a fully choreographed photo list – including both high-resolution mirrorless cameras used on the ground and drone camera to cover the top of Stonehenge.
Services we have provided
Story development
We specialize in developing stories for immersive formats, letting the audience step into the story and interact with it.
Immersive production
We capture, produce and publish content within all fields of the immersive space - from 360-video to interactive virtual reality.
3D and Reality Capture
We bring back high-resolution 3D assets from all over the world, using photogrammetry, lidar and reality capture.
Post-Production of 3D-model
After photographing the source images in the field, the team produced a high-resolution model as well as a much smaller variant that could be used in smartphone applications. The 3D-models were later crafted into a full AR-experience that published on the National Geographic instagram account. IVAR Studios handled the full photogrammetry and reality capture post-production process for Stonehenge 3D. This entailed everything from data asset management, source image curation and dataset preparation to the actual 3D conversion process.
Impact
The final Stonehenge AR experience launched on the @natgeo instagram account, as a digital complement to the National Geographic Magazine cover story. The AR-filter was downloaded and used millions of times by users, bringing our digital replica of Stonehenge into living rooms, gardens and personal spaces all around the world.
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