The disclosed subject matter relates to a method for generating an orthogonal view of an object in a surrounding area, comprising the following steps: creating a location-based first 3D point cloud over a predefined angular range around a first location by way of a laser scanner; representing the object in a computer-generated representation; selecting a view direction and a view boundary in the computer-generated representation; projecting the first 3D point cloud, or a derived first 3D point cloud derived therefrom, counter to the view direction onto a plane defined by the view boundary; and outputting the first 3D point cloud, or the derived first 3D point cloud, projected onto the plane within the view boundary as an orthogonal view.