The In-Situ Projection Mapping of Architectural Heritage Information

Understanding spatial transformations of architectural heritage over time is not only vital for documentation and conservation purposes, but also for communicating valuable heritage information towards visitors, such as the salient architectural features of a buildings’ evolution. Yet we believe that communicating the spatiotemporal transformation of architectural heritage should raise community awareness and enable visitors to appreciate heritage in more experiential ways.

With the rapid evolution of digital technologies, projection mapping technology offers potential in communicating heritage in-situ because the graphical depiction of the projected information physically relates to the real context. Furthermore, projections can integrate interactive features that together with the situated buildings’ facades offer an immersive experience to convey information in a more relevant and engaging atmosphere.

Consequently, this research aims to investigate the deployment of interactive projection mapping in-situ, steered by a tangible user interface (TUI). Through a field study, we deployed a mixed-method evaluation to investigate how interactive projection mapping enhances the communication of the spatiotemporal transformation of a medieval chapel during about 850 years. Our findings show the qualities of using interactive projection mapping in-situ such as how the situated projection positively affects visitors’ understanding and memorability of the salient architectural features over time, and how combining the projection with TUI enhances visitors’ perception of salient features of the chapel, and allows for better social interaction among them. The paper concludes with discussion points and recommendations for applying interactive projection mapping and TUIs in the context of architectural heritage.

Publication

Eslam Nofal, Robin Stevens, Thomas Coomans, Andrew Vande Moere, Communicating the spatiotemporal transformation of architectural heritage via an in-situ projection mapping installation, Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, Volume 11, 2018, ISSN 2212-0548, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.daach.2018.e00083.