HBIM-Based Digital Restoration and Documentation of Hyeumwonji as Lost Wooden Architectural Heritage

This study presents a Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM)-based approach for the digital restoration and documentation of lost wooden architectural heritage. The approach was applied to Building 1-2 of Hyeumwonji, the site of a temporary Goryeo Dynasty palace in Paju, South Korea. To reconstruct this lost structure, we combined historical and archaeological analyses to estimate the original design and generated blueprints that guided the HBIM-based 3D model of the building. We collected LiDAR point cloud data from the site, aligned them with the HBIM model, and visualized the integrated result using Unreal Engine 5. The outcome was a comprehensive virtual restoration comprising 13,814 individual building elements. This case study demonstrates that, even with minimal physical remains, wooden heritage sites can be digitally restored by leveraging HBIM and historical reasoning. It also highlights the strengths of HBIM in version tracking, incorporation of historical updates, and systematic documentation throughout the restoration process. Compared to traditional 2D CAD-based restoration methods, the HBIM approach offers significant advantages in terms of updatability, data integration, and long-term preservation of restoration data. Overall, the project illustrates how combining rigorous historical analysis with advanced digital modeling can revive lost heritage architecture in virtual form, providing a rich resource for research and conservation.