Zhangzhou Unveils Fujian's First Real 3D City Model, Setting New Standard for Digital Urban Development

Dec 29, 2025

Nestled in Fujian Province, Zhangzhou is a historic port city that once flourished along the ancient Maritime Silk Road. Renowned for its profound Minnan culture, it boasts iconic tulou (earthen buildings) and charming ancient streets. The city's landscape is equally captivating, featuring the unique Coastal Volcanic Geopark and the serene beauty of Dongshan Island.

Zhangzhou has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in digital city development with the successful completion of its Real 3D City Model Construction Project - becoming the first prefecture-level city in Fujian Province to establish a comprehensive three-dimensional urban digital foundation.

Precision Modeling Through Advanced Technology

The project, jointly implemented by Zhangzhou Surveying, Design and Research Institute and Feiyan Aerial Remote Sensing Technology Co., Ltd., represents a significant leap forward in urban digitalization. Utilizing state-of-the-art technologies including oblique photogrammetry and LiDAR scanning, the project team has created an exceptionally detailed digital replica of Zhangzhou's urban landscape.

Covering 417 km² of central urban area - exceeding the original target of 389 km² - the project achieved remarkable precision in its 12 km² core area, where modeling exceeds LOD2.0 standards. This high-resolution modeling captures urban details with unprecedented accuracy, digitally recreating everything from individual buildings to street-level features.

Comprehensive Platform for Urban Management

The project has established a standardized Real 3D data system supported by the sophisticated Zhangzhou Real 3D Spatiotemporal Big Data Platform. This integrated system features specialized management tools, service publishing capabilities, online applications, and operational maintenance systems.

The platform serves as a powerful tool for spatial data application, providing essential support for territorial space governance and sustainable socioeconomic development through comprehensive 3D spatiotemporal data resources.

Platform Main Interface

Platform Function Demonstration

Transforming Urban Governance Through Practical Applications

Awarded as a 2025 National Exemplary Case of Real-World 3D Data Empowering High-Quality Development, this project has been recognized for its effective "build-as-we-apply" approach, integrating development with real-world implementation from the very start.

Key applications currently driving urban transformation include:

• Intelligent Planning Review: A 3D visual intelligent review system that revolutionizes the planning approval process by enabling three-dimensional spatial governance instead of traditional 2D plan examination

• Heritage Preservation: Millimeter-level digital archiving and dynamic simulation capabilities that support comprehensive ancient city conservation while enabling cultural continuity through technology

• Ecological Monitoring: Advanced multi-source surveying technologies that provide new solutions for uninhabited island monitoring and marine ecosystem protection

• Urban Intelligence: Integration with the "City Brain" initiative through Real 3D data support, enabling comprehensive urban situational awareness via unified spatial visualization

The Zhangzhou Real 3D project demonstrates how advanced spatial data technologies can enhance urban management, preserve cultural heritage, and promote sustainable development. By establishing this robust digital foundation, Zhangzhou has not only accelerated its own digital economy development but has also created a replicable model for smart city initiatives across the province, setting new benchmarks for urban digital transformation in the region.