The importance of digital documentation of heritage buildings: the case of the Larraín Mancheño palace.

The Larraín Mancheño Palace is one of the most representative architectural icons of the Belle Epoque in Santiago, Chile, at the end of the 19th century. However, despite the fact that its architectural, stylistic and historical value has been recognized by the Council of National Monuments (cMN) as a Historic Conservation Property (iHc) since 2018, the building does not have appropriate architectural documentation for the restoration, conservation and diffusion of its memory in the future. Consequently, this project aims to create a graphic and historical record of the Palace in coordination and collaboration with its custodians, through the digital survey of the property using documentation techniques, such as photogrammetry and BiM modeling, acquired through the "Advanced course on surveying and documentation for the conservation of heritage sites", taught by the Cultural Heritage Center of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in February 2023. Finally, this academic exercise is not only developed as support for the implementation value of the Palace, but also as a reflection on the role of survey techniques for the conservation and presentation of historic buildings, emphasizing and distinguishing their advantages and limitations.