21 March 2011

MEDIA RELEASE

Historic Timeball Station all mapped out

A team of specialists have been at the Timeball Station in Lyttelton over the weekend to digitally map the historic site ahead of its dismantling.

Dr Hans-Dieter Bader from Archaeology Solutions Ltd and Raysan Al-Kubaisi, an architect and internationally-renowned 3D modeller from Mishmish Productions, have collated detailed data of the Timeball Station in its damaged and undamaged state. Pre-earthquake photos and building floor plans will add to the on-site information gathered.

The Timeball Station is cared for by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT) and is a Category I historic place internationally significant because of its maritime history. The NZHPT confirmed earlier this month (4 March) that the station would be dismantled following extensive damage caused by the 22 February earthquake.

“This work will keep the possibility open that the Timeball Station can be reconstructed,” said Dr Bader. “The information will give a variety of ways to reconstruct a digital model of Timeball to the millimetre.”

Dr Bader said the work involved high resolution digital photos being taken, a ‘total station’ survey instrument to compile building reference points and a 3D laser scanner supplied by company Global Survey Ltd to take “millions of reference points” of Timeball and its surrounds.

“This enables us to capture as much data as we can from the building from a safe distance,” Dr Bader said.

The NZHPT said the data will help to enable the organisation to make final decisions around the building’s dismantling.

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