The Tough Road from 2D Maps to 3D City Models: GIM International Interviews Dr Filip Biljecki

The demand for mapping intensively used parts of the Earth, including roads and cities, is steadily growing. This is because today’s rate of urbanisation requires detailed and up-to-date geodata in its full three dimensions. Such datasets help city managers to prevent a decline in liveability, to limit water, air and noise pollution, and to improve fair taxation and rapid emergency response. Crucial is the abstraction of the 3D real world, a concept known as level of detail (LoD). Since 2012 Dr Filip Biljecki has been investigating how to improve the level of detail (LoD) in 3D city models. For his efforts – which were published in a hefty book called Level of Detail in 3D City Models – he recently received a PhD degree from Delft University of Technology. In acknowledgement of the high standard of his research, he graduated with the rarely awarded cum laude distinction, providing GIM International with reason enough to interview him.