Topcon announces data from its participation in the digital preservation of the historic Sogi hydroelectric plant in Japan was unveiled at a special event in Bonn, Germany in conjunction with the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meetings this week. The committee examined proposals to inscribe 36 properties on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.　

Considered a significant contribution to the Meiji industrial revolution, the plant was mapped as part of the CyArk 500 Challenge — an international project to digitally preserve and create awareness of some of the world’s most significant cultural heritage sites.　

The National Congress of Industrial Heritage, in collaboration with the Japanese government nominated the Sogi plant to the CyArk 500 Challenge in December of 2014. Topcon teamed with CyArk and the National Congress to develop a three-dimensional map of the site for future preservation and visualization.　

Topcon understands the importance of this site and appreciate the CyArk efforts to digitally preserve it for future generations. The Sogi hydroelectric plant was a pinnacle of the industrial ingenuity of the period, and we are honored to have this opportunity to link our technology with the technology of the past.

The Sogi site was recorded in 3D by an international team using the latest Topcon 3D Mass Data Capturing technologies including the GLS-2000 scanner, the IP-S3 mobile mapping system, as well as aerial mapping solutions.　

CyArk archived the captured data and used it to build an interactive online map of site to promote the preservation and study of Japan’s industrial heritage.

Located in Isa, the Sogi power plant was constructed in 1909. At its height the hydroelectric plant generated 6,700 kW of power. The Sogi plant closed in 1965 with the construction of the larger Tsuruda dam downriver. The new dam caused Sogi to flood seasonally, endangering the unique representation from the Meiji industrial revolution.　

Explore the project at cyark.org.