The Mt. Elliott Open Air Research Facility is a garden and studio where architecture and ecology meet. Central to its development is the use of LiDAR scanning and drone photogrammetry, which provide precise spatial documentation to support design and interdisciplinary collaboration. Initially used to guide tree placement within the structure, this data ensured optimal access to light, ventilation, and circulation.

In 2023, a large oak fell across the site. Instead of removal, Alibi Studio partnered with arborists and structural engineers to explore preserving and raising the tree. Updated LiDAR and aerial scans captured the tree’s position and condition, forming a shared reference for all parties. This documentation supported structural analysis, arboricultural health assessments, and the planning of a phased lifting strategy.

Rather than a static record, the scans became an active design tool—enabling a restorative, collaborative response that wove the fallen tree back into the architecture and ecology of the site.