Liverpool Maritime Museum: A Digital Journey with SIAD Studio

At SIAD Studio, we are experts in transforming the built environment into high-precision, actionable digital assets. Our work bridges the past and the future, and we are incredibly proud to have partnered with the team at the Liverpool Maritime Museum, due to reopen in 2029, a magnificent Grade I listed building at the heart of the Albert Dock, to begin a project that will safeguard its legacy and revolutionise its future.

The Liverpool Maritime Museum, with its extraordinary collections detailing the city's profound relationship with the sea—from the Titanic and Lusitania to the Battle of the Atlantic—is a national treasure. To support its ongoing maintenance, redevelopment, and the creation of its digital archive, a level of detail is required that only cutting-edge digital technology can provide.

Our comprehensive service begins with an on-site 3D Laser Scanning operation. Forget inaccurate tape measures; our advanced LiDAR technology uses light to capture millions of highly accurate data points, creating a 'point cloud'. This non-invasive method is critical when working with sensitive, historic buildings like the museum, ensuring every arch, column, and intricate detail of the former bonded warehouse is documented to millimetre-level precision without causing any physical disruption.

This raw data forms the foundation of our 3D Measured Survey. This is far more than a simple set of plans; it’s a comprehensive digital blueprint of the building's current, as-built state. This meticulous data capture is essential for restoration, planning, and long-term facility management.

The next, crucial step in our workflow is developing a highly detailed BIM Model (Building Information Modelling). We convert the dense point cloud into an intelligent, data-rich 3D model. BIM transforms the survey data into a dynamic asset, where every modelled element is linked to critical information about its materials, structure, and history. For a building as complex and significant as the Maritime Museum, this model becomes the single source of truth for all stakeholders, dramatically reducing the potential for error in future design and construction work.

But our job doesn't end with technical data. One of the most exciting aspects of our work is the power of Visualisations. Using the precise BIM model, we generate realistic renders and videos that bring the building to life. These visualisations serve multiple purposes: they allow architects to explore proposed changes with perfect fidelity, they help non-technical stakeholders easily grasp complex plans, and—crucially for a museum—they can form the basis of immersive, engaging digital content for exhibitions and public outreach.

This digital journey—from the initial 3D measured survey through to a stunning, fully realised digital twin—showcases the full scope of SIAD Studio’s expertise. We work across the UK, dedicated to bringing complex, historic, and modern buildings to life with unmatched digital precision.

Would you like to know more about the specific benefits of BIM for heritage projects? Contact Our Team.