Computer-implemented preprocessing method to preprocess a large point cloud, the preprocessing method comprising the steps of: - providing a large point cloud, the point cloud comprising points, each of the points at least comprising coordinates which define a location in space; - recursively subdividing the point cloud in cells with slice planes, whereby subdivision of a given cell is stopped once the cell contains at most a predetermined amount of points, and whereby each slice plane preferably splits the number of points in a cell approximately in half while preserving locality; - for each cell containing at most the predetermined amount of points, creating a set of discrete levels of detail for the cell by recursively constructing a new coarser level of detail from a former finer level of detail, the construction of a new coarser level of detail comprising the steps of: • subdividing the points at the former finer level of detail of the cell into one or multiple groups; • collapsing the points within a group of points to a collapsed point, the collapsed point part of the points at the new coarser level of detail of the cell; - storing a preprocessed point cloud into one or multiple files on a non-transitory storage system, the preprocessed point cloud comprising: • geometrical information on the cell subdivision of the point cloud, the geometrical information sufficient to determine a bounding box for each cell; • for each cell, the number of levels of detail for the cell, and for each level of detail of the cell the points at that level of detail of the cell, and for each level of detail the minimal distance between the points at that level of detail of the cell. - providing a large point cloud, the point cloud comprising points, each of the points at least comprising coordinates which define a location in space; - recursively subdividing the point cloud in cells with slice planes, whereby subdivision of a given cell is stopped once the cell contains at most a predetermined amount of points, and whereby each slice plane preferably splits the number of points in a cell approximately in half while preserving locality; - for each cell containing at most the predetermined amount of points, creating a set of discrete levels of detail for the cell by recursively constructing a new coarser level of detail from a former finer level of detail, the construction of a new coarser level of detail comprising the steps of: • subdividing the points at the former finer level of detail of the cell into one or multiple groups; • collapsing the points within a group of points to a collapsed point, the collapsed point part of the points at the new coarser level of detail of the cell; • subdividing the points at the former finer level of detail of the cell into one or multiple groups; • collapsing the points within a group of points to a collapsed point, the collapsed point part of the points at the new coarser level of detail of the cell; - storing a preprocessed point cloud into one or multiple files on a non-transitory storage system, the preprocessed point cloud comprising: • geometrical information on the cell subdivision of the point cloud, the geometrical information sufficient to determine a bounding box for each cell; • for each cell, the number of levels of detail for the cell, and for each level of detail of the cell the points at that level of detail of the cell, and for each level of detail the minimal distance between the points at that level of detail of the cell. • geometrical information on the cell subdivision of the point cloud, the geometrical information sufficient to determine a bounding box for each cell; • for each cell, the number of levels of detail for the cell, and for each level of detail of the cell the points at that level of detail of the cell, and for each level of detail the minimal distance between the points at that level of detail of the cell.