Digital applications for architectural heritage : using location-based technologies to contextualize digital cultural heritage assets

The project presented in this paper is positioned amidst two branches of study: that of Architectural Heritage, and that of Information Technology. Beginning with the hypothesis that digital data is essentially meaningless unless it is contextualized, the primary aim of the project is to explore alternative methods of creating, organizing, accessing, and navigating digital content relating to Heritage Architecture. Transcending the question of how to manage an inventory of digital content, the thesis addresses a broader set of questions relating to the creation and assimilation of knowledge. How might digital technologies be used to complement the physical environment, how might they be integrated to augment our experience and understanding of Architectural Heritage, and what is the relationship between environment and technology? The project begins with a survey of current technologies used in the creation, management, and presentation of digital resources. Based on this survey, a proposal for an exhibit on Canadian Ethno-Cultural Architecture is developed to demonstrate the depth and cultural value that contextualized digital information can bring to heritage buildings.