Use of ICT for Community Building Actions Towards the Reactivation of Urban Heritagescapes in South European Cities

UDigiSH, the DARIAH Working Group on “Digital Practices for the Study of Urban Heritage”, organised a public space co-creation workshop with the title “Everyday experiences and heritage in southern European cities: Digital tools and practices”, that was held at Cantieri Culturali della Zisa, Palermo, 25-30 July 2021.

This Dariah Campus resource contains the presentations, discussions, and materials made for the workshop.

Workshop Abstract

Challenged by urbanization, economy, gentrification, migration, and climate change the experience of historical spaces and buildings is fragmented, thus mirroring the disconnected perception of urban societies. This Dariah workshop studied how urban heritage and the abundance of culturally valuable structures in historic cities across Europe can contribute to reflective processes and the creation of legible, inclusive, accessible, resilient and enjoyable cities.

The workshop aimed to offer to authorities and policy makers of the city opportunities for data-driven consultation actions that engage:

• Cultural Heritage institutions;
• Scholars and researchers in Digital Humanities;
• City stakeholders;
• Professional associations;
• Urban communities and citizen groups

Learning Objectives

Participatory Design: Learn how community-building projects can engage local stakeholders, pull insights from diverse perspectives, and influence urban redevelopment authorities.

Urban Theory: Hear state-of-the-art theories and approaches to sustainable heritage, with reflections from experienced architects, academics, and urban thinkers. Identify critical issues of urban gentrification, place-making, and the pressures faced by historic urban neighbourhoods in Southern Europe.

Information-Communication Technology: See state-of-the-art technologies deployed for rapid 3D reconstruction, documentation, and urban co-design with non-experts. We specifically explore augmented reality as a possible solution to scalable public outreach.