Architectural Heritage through HBIM and Ontologies: A formal analysis of Sant’Andrea Fortress Portal in Venice

Abstract. This study outlines a methodological framework for architectural heritage documentation, grounded in integrating HBIM and ontologies. The applied case study is the portal of the Sant’Andrea Fortress in Venice, designed by Michele Sanmicheli, where a top-down approach is implemented. The process begins with the typological and lexical interpretation of the components, based on historical sources and architectural treatises, and proceeds to their formalisation into parametric families and digital schedules. The resulting idealised geometries are then compared with digital survey data, enabling a calibrated alignment between the theoretical model and the existing condition.This approach moves beyond mere geometric recording, transforming the HBIM model into a semantic infrastructure capable of ensuring terminological consistency, interoperability, and opportunities for reuse. The portal of Sant’Andrea Fortress stands as an emblematic yet replicable example, particularly in comparison with other portals related to Sanmicheli’s oeuvre, validating the construction of a comparative library of cases in support of research, conservation, and the enhancement of fortified heritage.