Behind the scenes: How Artec 3D digitized Luxembourg for World Expo 2025

With both its HQ and production facility based in Luxembourg, Artec 3D flies the country’s flag with pride, labeling products ‘Made in Luxembourg,’ while seeking out new ways to work alongside local businesses, schools, and the many EU institutions based there.

Ahead of World Expo 2025, where Luxembourg has a Pavilion, the company hatched its latest plan to further the country’s interests: digitizing its heritage sites for the event. For Artec 3D’s head of strategy and partnerships, Asya Levadnaya, the project was a dream. As a child, she’d visited World Expo and was wowed by the idea of the world coming together to innovate.

“When I was little, I visited such a place, and I fell in love with the idea of a World Expo, where countries unite for six months to brag about something they’re good at,” she explained. “Since then, I’ve been waiting for a moment to do something special. When it turned out there would be an expo in Osaka, it felt like the best chance for us, because it united everything we love.”

While the project provided a great opportunity to promote Luxembourg, Japan, one of the firm’s major markets, and its latest 3D technology, there were still many hurdles to overcome. Notably, scale was a major restricting factor. The Duke’s Palace is an absolutely massive structure. At first, the Artec team tried to scan a much smaller model, but the detail just wasn’t there.

That’s when the team deployed Artec’s full arsenal of technologies. Artec Ray II was used to capture the palace’s exterior from ground level, and at the same time, a drone was flown overhead for a full aerial view and photogrammetry data capture. Inside Artec Studio, these datasets could be combined into a single, unified, full-color 3D model of the entire structure.

Capturing other models, including a monument to Luxembourgish writer and poet Michel Rodange, required a different approach. The wireless Artec Leo made scanning the two-in-one statue and fountain a breeze. Artec Spider II, an even higher-resolution blue-light 3D scanner was then utilized to pick up finer details – with resulting models overlaid for peak results.

Digitizing Luxembourg’s famous Gëlle Fra or ‘Golden Lady’ statue initially seemed so difficult that the team scanned a replica souvenir with Spider II as a backup. But in the end, Ray II and photogrammetry proved perfect once again for capture at scale. Other challenges included scanning obscured, partially destroyed walls, and flying drones down narrow streets.

However, the team’s efforts ultimately yielded the beautifully textured 3D models below, all of which featured at the Luxembourg Pavilion during World Expo 2025 in Osaka:

Model: Duke’s Palace

Solution: Artec Ray II, AI Photogrammetry (Artec Studio)

Initially, the team tried to digitize a small sugar model of the Duke’s Palace. Though this tiny realistic replica had been used in museums around the country, it didn’t feature a high level of geometric accuracy. That’s why they ended up using Ray II and AI Photogrammetry.

Long-range LiDAR scans captured from the ground were eventually combined inside Artec Studio with AI Photogrammetry data picked up by a drone. Drone capture came with all the usual caveats around flight access, but merging the datasets proved seamless. The result?: a complete 3D model of one of Luxembourg’s most recognizable tourist attractions.

Model: Gëlle Fra

Solution: Artec Ray II, AI Photogrammetry (Artec Studio)

Ultimately, this turned out to be one of the easier scans, but the initial problem was this: how do you digitize something standing on a 21-meter plinth? Just in case they couldn’t get permission to fly through Luxembourg City, Artec’s experts bought a souvenir version. But in the end, they didn’t need it. Ray II scanned the base, and once again, drone capture came to the rescue.

You can see the results for yourself. The above statue commemorates the Luxembourgish soldiers who volunteered for active service in the World Wars and the Korean War. It’s a standout landmark in the capital – we’re sure you’ll agree that it’s worth preserving in digital form!

Model: Vianden Castle

Solution: Artec Spider II & Artec Leo

Built on the foundations of a Roman ‘castellum,’ the picturesque Vianden Castle is a popular destination for tourism in Northern Luxembourg. Unfortunately, capturing the real site would have been a nightmare due to the structure’s sprawling courtyards and hidden areas.

To make life easier for themselves, the Artec team got hold of a scale model instead, capturing it with handheld 3D scanning. The wireless Artec Leo was used to digitize the wider object, with the ultra-high-resolution Spider II being deployed for high-detail capture. This was necessary due to size: even the model was 2.5 x 1 meters across – and the results were fantastic.

Now the castle has been immortalized in the form of a 3D model, complete with all its key features, in glorious full color and high definition, ready for display at the Osaka expo.

Model: Hollow Tooth

Solution: Artec Ray II, AI Photogrammetry (Artec Studio)

Eagle-eyed readers will already have spotted one of the challenges to digitizing Luxembourg’s ‘Hollow Tooth’: oncoming traffic. As you can see from the 3D model, engineers could only capture the fortress from across the road. This turned cars and pedestrians into moving obstacles – a major no-no for 3D scanning – but they were determined to see the job through.

Cross-road capturing proved to be no problem for the 130-meter range Ray II. Double-scanning also helped filter out unwanted guests. Drone footage was then captured from above to pick up the ruined areas of the site’s upper floor, turned into a mesh in Artec Studio using AI Photogrammetry, and fused with Ray II data to create the wonderfully detailed model above.

Model: Wormeldange Koeppchen

Solution: Artec Leo, Artec Ray II, AI Photogrammetry (Artec Studio)

Lastly, we have this beautiful little chapel on a hill in the town of Wormeldange. As you can see from our model, everything was captured – including the Luxembourgish flag flying in the wind.

Zoom into the front of the building and you’ll see a statue of Christ, as well as many other religious artifacts, captured with Artec Leo. Besides a few inquisitive Luxembourgers asking about how the technology worked, our team had no problem at all achieving this scan. Simply setting up Ray II and periodically switching position proved enough for complete capture in 1-2 hours. Drone footage was used to digitize the wider area and apply the finishing touches.

Turning heads at the big event in Osaka

At the World Expo in Osaka, these models are now viewable on the Luxembourg Pavilion, where attendees can explore Luxembourgish landmarks in the virtual world. Artec’s digital replicas aren’t just designed for viewing in person either, they’ve been made available to visitors around the world – users can sign up to experience them virtually via the World Expo app.

Already, the exhibition has captured the imagination of the great and the good in Luxembourg, with Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel praising it for “illustrating its traditions, culture, and openness to the world” – he also thanked “everyone involved in bringing the Pavilion to life.”

“It will serve as a showcase for our country and aims to introduce the many faces of Luxembourg to an international audience,” he explained. “We are particularly proud of the circular nature of the Pavilion: the importance of responsible and respectful resource management is one of the key messages we are sharing through our participation in the Expo.”

For Asya Levadnaya, the exhibition also strikes a personal note. Having visited the Luxembourg Pavilion soon after opening, she’s seen the excitement of visitors first-hand. Bringing her children to the show was also a special moment, as it allowed them to see the project come together in 3D.

“When you’re standing in the queue and you’re seeing that people are actually scanning the QR code and reading about Luxembourg’s heritage, it’s something fantastic,” she said. “I also brought my kids to see the pavilion. It’s a special feeling when it’s not about something virtual, they can actually see the results of our work. It’s very touching!”

Ultimately, the initiative hasn’t just brought the virtual and real worlds crashing together, it has broadcast the rich history of Luxembourg to visitors around the world. The Artec team are immensely proud of their contributions to the project, made alongside VR design studio Virtual Rangers. Stay tuned for further deep-dives into the individual models showcased in Osaka.

The Luxembourg Pavilion is open to visitors at World Expo until October 13, 2025. You can find out more and register to attend here.