Bringing Gaussian Splats, Point Clouds, and BIM Together for Scan-to-BIM
When deploying reality capture data in AEC, different tasks require different representations. Point clouds are the geometric reference, while BIM models dominate engineering deliverables. Gaussian Splats add an intuitive visual layer that makes captured reality easier to understand and communicate.
Rather than replacing one another, these representations complement each other throughout modern Scan-to-BIM workflows. The opportunity lies in building hybrid datasets that leverage the strengths of each representation.
The following examples demonstrate how this can be achieved using object-category-based clip animations in NUBIGON.
Hybrid Reality Capture in Practice
The video showcases four projects that combine multiple representations of the same captured environment.
The first sequence features a project by Adam Havkin, where a Gaussian Splat complements the finished BIM model as a rich visual layer within a Scan-to-BIM workflow.
The second sequence presents a popular XGRIDS project. One side of the animated clip plane displays the Gaussian Splat while the other reveals the corresponding point cloud, illustrating how both representations complement one another while preserving their spatial context.
The third example showcases Philipp Posch’s Scan-to-BIM project, in which the Gaussian Splat serves as a visual validation layer alongside the original point cloud and the completed BIM model.
Finally, a non-AEC example demonstrates that this principle extends well beyond architecture, engineering, and construction. Every representation reveals different aspects of the same captured reality.
Object-Category-Based Clip Animations
These transitions are made possible by the object-category-specific clip animations introduced in NUBIGON v7.5.2.
Unlike conventional clip planes that affect an entire scene, individual object categories can follow different clipping rules. One side of a clip plane can display a Gaussian Splat while the other reveals the corresponding point cloud, BIM model, or mesh. This makes it possible to present multiple representations simultaneously, each exactly where it contributes the most value.
Animated transitions preserve spatial context throughout the sequence. Rather than abruptly switching between datasets, viewers can naturally follow how different representations relate to one another as the clip plane moves through the scene.
This creates a more intuitive way to communicate Scan-to-BIM workflows, illustrate reconstruction results, explain how different reality capture technologies complement one another, and produce more engaging presentations for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Different Representations, One Reality
Reality isn’t made of point clouds, meshes, Gaussian Splats, or BIM models. They’re simply different ways of representing the same captured environment.
As hybrid Scan-to-BIM workflows become more common, visualization tools need to do more than display individual datasets. They need to present multiple representations together while preserving the spatial context that makes them easy to understand. Object-category-based clip animations provide a simple but powerful way to bridge visual realism, geometric accuracy, and engineering deliverables within a single interactive scene.