In the heart of Italy, a digital revolution is taking root, promising to reshape how we preserve and understand historic gardens. Dr. F. Li, a researcher at the Politecnico di Milano, has been at the forefront of this transformation, evaluating cloud-based platforms to enhance historic garden conservation. The findings, published in *The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences* (International Archives of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences), offer a glimpse into the future of cultural heritage preservation.
Dr. Li and her team put six cloud-based platforms to the test: ArcGIS Online, Cintoo, Flai, Pointly, Cesium ion, and Atis.cloud. The case studies were as diverse as the tools themselves—Naxos Archaeological Park, a sprawling complex, and the compact, formal Villa Burba. The results were revealing. Cesium ion and Cintoo stood out in point cloud visualization, with Cesium ion excelling in large-scale rendering and Cintoo offering high-precision geometry and version control. “Cesium ion’s ability to handle large datasets was impressive,” Dr. Li noted, “but Cintoo’s version control features were a game-changer for collaborative projects.”
Flai’s AI-driven element classification proved particularly effective in heterogeneous landscapes, though Pointly required manual refinement and struggled with organic features. ArcGIS Online, meanwhile, shone in stakeholder usability and layered documentation but lacked native 3D analytics. Collaborative functions were best addressed by Cintoo and Atis.cloud, highlighting the need for integrated solutions in the field.
The study underscores the fragmented nature of current solutions and calls for a modular, garden-oriented Common Data Environment (CDE) model. This model would integrate semantic intelligence, temporal awareness, and stakeholder-specific interfaces, supporting adaptive and sustainability-sensitive conservation efforts. “The future of historic garden conservation lies in the cloud,” Dr. Li asserted. “But we need a more cohesive approach to fully realize its potential.”
For the energy sector, the implications are significant. As renewable energy projects increasingly intersect with historic and cultural landscapes, the ability to visualize and manage these sites efficiently becomes crucial. Cloud-based platforms can streamline the process, ensuring that conservation efforts are both effective and sustainable. The research by Dr. Li and her team at the Politecnico di Milano is a step in this direction, offering a roadmap for the future of digital preservation.
As the digital revolution in historic garden conservation gains momentum, the insights from this study will be invaluable. The call for a modular CDE model is a clarion call for the industry to come together and create a more integrated, efficient, and sustainable future. The journey has just begun, but the destination is clear—a world where technology and heritage coexist harmoniously.