USUST Specialists Conduct 3D Scanning of the SEI ‘DIIT’ Water Tower

Specialists of the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies carried out 3D scanning of a unique object of engineering and architectural heritage – a water tower located on the territory  of the SEI ‘Dnipro Institute of Infrastructure and Transport’ (DIIT).

 

The work was carried out by representatives of the SEI ‘Prydniprovsk State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture’, USUST, using a Leica BLK360 laser 3D scanner, which is part of the equipment of the 3D Modelling Labooratory of the CREATE Center.   The collected data made it possible to create a high-precision digital model of the facility and to document its actual technical and spatial condition.

 

The water tower was build in the 1930s, during a period of active development of the elevated part of the city. It played a key role in the water supply system not only for the educational buildings of DIIT, but also for the nearby student dormitories. At the time of its operation, the structure was one of the tallest along Haharina Avenue (now Nauky Avenue) and was actively used until the outbreak of the Second World War.

 

Despite wartime events, the tower suffered almost no damage and has preserved its characteristic architectural features, including its two-tier structure, which is of particular value from the perspective of the history of engineering and industrial architecture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

 

With the development of centralized water supply systems, the need for the tower’s operation gradually declined, and the facility eventually lost its practical function. At the same time, it has remained an important element of the urban landscape and a subject of interest for researchers, architects, and local residents. Some urban legends about the structure have also emerged, including stories about possible underground passages; however, these narratives have no confirmed historical or archaeological evidence.

 

The conducted 3D scanning is of significant importance for further research, digital preservation of the site, the potential design of restoration or conservation solutions, as well as for educational and scientific purposes. The work once again demonstrated the practical value of modern digital technologies employed by the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies in the field of preserving architectural and engineering heritage.