An integrated multi-temporal urban digital heritage model based on HBIM–GIS for urban morphology analysis and conservation planning: Old Rusafa, Baghdad, as a case study

Abstract

Baghdad's Old Rusafa Center, composed of a fragmented but coherent urban fabric that has experienced significant morphological changes to its spatial structure, architectural character and functional organisation. The Old Rusafa Center is a viable case study since the four different land-use categories (residential, commercial, mix-use and public facilities) are found within compact historic urban fabric. In this paper, we present a framework that combines both historical documentation and the drone-based photogrammetric with point-cloud processing methods together with HBIM modelling and GIS geospatial analysis to explore urban form from 1919-2025. The historical aerial photograph supported LoD1 urban reconstruction in ArcGIS Pro (1919), while 2025 condition analysed by Agisoft Metashape, Autodesk ReCap, Autodesk Revit and ArcGIS Pro. The workflow linked geometric representation with descriptive and spatial attributes through IFC export, geodatabase conversion, and building-level attribute tables. Results show that HBIM–GIS integration enables multitemporal comparison of land use, building mass, spatial relations, and conservation status. The model was also published as an interactive Web Scene through the University of California, ArcGIS Online platform, which enabled cloud-based visualisation, layer comparison, attributes, and reliability testing. The study concludes that HBIM–GIS integration provides an effective analytical and decision-support framework for conservation planning in historic urban centres.