Hierarchical data structure which enables interactive visualization of a geographical space

A data record for storing hierarchical scene data that represents a geographical scene, the data record embodied in a computer readable medium, comprising:

• an identifier for a physical structure residing in the geographical space;
• link data which provides information to access three-dimensional model data for the physical structure;
• positional data which provides location information for the physical structure in the geographical scene;
• and
• hierarchical data which is indicative of other data records having a child relationship to said data record.

A method for retrieving scene definition data that represents a geographical space having one or more physical structures residing therein, comprising:

• providing a scene definition data structure that represents the geographical space, the scene definition data structure comprised of a root node and a plurality of associated nodes, such that each node represents a physical structure residing in the geographical scene;
• determining an address for the root node of the scene definition data structure;
• retrieving a data record for the root node based on said address, said data record including hierarchical data which indicates first generation data records having a child relationship to said data record;
• and
• recursively retrieving the first generation data records based on the hierarchical data in the data record for the root node.