What We Do
3DVDT provides a complete range of reality-capture and digital documentation services for architects, engineers, contractors, facility owners, and preservationists across the San Francisco Bay Area:
- Scan-to-BIM & Digital Twins — accurate BIM models built from real existing conditions.
- As-Built Documentation — point clouds and 2D/3D as-builts of your space as it exists today.
- Historic Preservation Documentation — non-contact documentation of landmarks and heritage sites, including HABS/HAER/HALS deliverables.
- Building Inspection & Analysis — objective, measurable condition assessment using 3D scanning and photogrammetry.
- 3D Visualization & Virtual Tours — immersive visuals and virtual walkthroughs.
We also serve specific sectors, from architecture, engineering & construction to industrial & manufacturing and historic & cultural heritage.
Our Approach to Reality Capture
Every project begins by capturing existing conditions with millimeter-level accuracy. Using terrestrial 3D laser scanning, aerial imaging, and photogrammetry, we record a complete, unbiased digital replica of a site as a dense point cloud. From that data we produce the deliverables your team actually needs—registered point clouds, BIM/Revit models built to an agreed level of development, 2D as-built drawings, orthophotos, and 3D visualizations. For historic and cultural sites, our work follows recognized standards such as the National Park Service’s Heritage Documentation Programs (HABS/HAER/HALS) and the building-documentation best practices advanced by the U.S. Institute of Building Documentation.
Serving the San Francisco Bay Area
Based in San Francisco, 3DVDT serves clients throughout the greater Bay Area—including San Francisco, Oakland, the Peninsula and Silicon Valley, and the North Bay communities of Napa and Sonoma—as well as select projects beyond the region. Wherever your project is, our goal is the same: to give you an accurate, reliable digital foundation you can build on with confidence. Get in touch to discuss your project.
About Shari Kamimori & 3D Virtual Design Technology
Capturing history and design with accuracy, care, and innovation—delivering the clarity you need to move forward with confidence.
I’ve spent more than 35 years in the architectural design field, but my true passion has always been connecting people with the stories told through the buildings around us. That passion led me to found 3D Virtual Design Technology, Inc. (3DVDT)—a San Francisco Bay Area firm dedicated to using cutting-edge tools like 3D laser scanning, aerial imaging, and 3D photography to capture places with accuracy, care, and imagination.
For me, this work is about more than technology—it’s about preserving history, solving complex design challenges, and helping clients feel confident in their projects. Whether it’s supporting an architect through a fast-paced renovation or digitally safeguarding a landmark at risk of being lost, I believe every building deserves to be understood and documented with precision.
I’m also deeply committed to historic preservation, serving as a Board Director for Napa County Landmarks, an Education Committee member for the California Preservation Foundation, and a Technical Documentation Committee member for the Western Chapter Association for Preservation Technology. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to share insights through publications such as my LiDAR News article, “3D Laser Scanning Technology – Key in Preserving Historic Structures After South Napa Earthquake.”
At 3DVDT, my team and I combine advanced technology with a hands-on, collaborative approach. We don’t just deliver data—we provide solutions tailored to each client’s workflow, helping reduce risk, save time, and support better decision-making. Our services span from detailed as-built surveys for renovation and construction, to digital preservation of cultural heritage sites, to aerial mapping and 3D modeling that bring projects to life.
Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of working on some of the Bay Area’s most iconic sites—San Francisco City Hall, Fort Point, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Civic Center, and the Port of Oakland—as well as countless projects throughout the West Coast.
Looking ahead, my goal is simple: to continue blending design, technology, and preservation in ways that not only serve today’s projects but also safeguard the legacy of tomorrow.
Shari Kamimori, President
