Every week here at Geo Week News, we have been highlighting some of our favorite stories from around the internet that cover the geospatial, 3D, and AEC industries. Whether it’s a fascinating case study, insights from an industry thought leader, or deep dives into new tools, there is never any shortage of great writing and storytelling in this industry. So, below you can find links to three stories that we loved this week.
Bringing SkyTour to life: Designing an immersive 3D experience for home exteriors
Ha Phan | Zillow Front Porch
Zillow's new SkyTour feature lets home shoppers virtually fly around a property in interactive 3D, orbiting the home from any angle and altitude to understand its relationship to neighbors, lot size, and surrounding terrain. Built on 3D Gaussian Splatting technology, the experience works in real time across web, iOS, and Android, no in-person visit required.
Since Precision Exists: How Topcon Is Reframing Construction Through Geospatial Intelligence
Staff Writer | xyht
At ConExpo, Topcon made the case that precision measurement shouldn't be a specialty add-on — it should be the starting condition for every construction workflow, from machine control and layout to digital twins and AI. Central to that vision is the new Origo system, a layout solution that removes line-of-sight and tripod dependencies by building a continuous reference map of its surroundings — while passively collecting scans and as-built data in the background as operators work.
Engineered from scratch: 40 years of geospatial intelligence in Flevoland
Wim van Wegen | GIM International
To mark the 40th anniversary of the Netherlands' youngest province, GIM International looks back at how Flevoland — a territory literally engineered from the bottom of a lake — was surveyed and spatially planned before a single field was ploughed. The piece traces the province's geospatial journey from theodolites on bare polder mud to AI-assisted aerial imagery analysis and cloud-computed digital twins, told through the reflections of two specialists who have worked there for the full four decades.
