George Washington’s Mount Vernon home is a well-loved national treasure, meticulously studied by researchers, restored by preservationists, and visited by a million guests every year. It is the best-documented historic site in the nation, with a trove of information available about everything from the original builders and craftsmen of the house to the individual trees that lived on the grounds in George Washington’s day. Blue Raster shares this information to Mount Vernon’s patrons and stakeholders through an easy and intuitive website, in a partnership with the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association (MVLA) and Quinn Evans Architects.
Blue Raster developed a prototype online 3D GIS portal for viewing the available spatial, structural, and background information associated with a historic building information model (HBIM) created by Quinn Evans Architects. This includes location information and 3-D modeling and will include details and documents associated with individual elements of the buildings and landscape once the content management system is complete. The tool will make the extensive historical documentation of the estate accessible to scholars, educators, and the public while improving its conservation and maintenance.
The web application leverages Esri’s ArcGIS API for JavaScript 4.0 and makes use of its WebScene class, allowing the user to virtually explore the estate while investigating documents and historical artifacts. Blue Raster also designed a custom user interface for the application, aligned with the Mount Vernon style guide. Users will now be able to view Mount Vernon and learn about its history in ways never possible before.
Be sure to take a look at this new 3D web application today, and explore the Mt Vernon property, inside and out!