Virtual and augmented reality for world heritage vernacular architecture: The 3DPAST Project

Abstract

UNESCO World Heritage properties are places of special cultural interest. Due to their outstanding significance, these sites also justify an innovative communication and dissemination approach to reach broader audiences and to target other publics, such as teenagers and young adults, as well as people that usually will not travel to vernacular sites and that, thus, could become more aware of the importance of these cultural properties. This chapter presents and discusses the development of tools and their Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality content, as well as how digital awareness could be addressed in European vernacular architecture listed as World Heritage. The 3DPAST Project “Living and Virtually visiting European World Heritage” is also introduced. 3DPAST contents were developed by a multidisciplinary team, with a robust scientific research base in architecture, vernacular heritage, intangible knowledge, multimedia and arts, with the support of the areas of design and programming for the implementation of the contents. The digital outputs of the project were divided into two major areas: an app that has information to enrich the on-site visit, which includes regular and AR content; and a web platform with more in-depth information for a remote visit, including VR content.