Digital technologies are increasingly transforming museums into experiential spaces where historical contexts can be reconstructed and narrated. Three-dimensional reconstructions, virtual reality, immersive environments and digital storytelling enable visitors to explore lost architectures, ancient cities and intangible heritage. Rather than focusing on technology as a spectacle, contemporary museums are adopting narrative-driven solutions that enhance understanding, emotional engagement and accessibility. Recent trends show that immersive experiences and historical reconstructions are among the most appreciated tools for cultural mediation, supporting a shift towards museums as dynamic, participatory and inclusive spaces.
In today's landscape, cultural heritage is no longer just a collection of objects to be silently observed, but a living ecosystem that requires new ways of interaction. The challenge for museums, galleries, libraries, and places of worship is to transform the visit from a passive moment of reception to an active experience of dialogue. Thanks to the integration of Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Artificial Intelligence, we are witnessing a revolution: one in which technology does not replace the artwork, but unleashes its narrative potential. The starting point of this evolution is not merely technological, but methodological. With thirty years of expertise in the ICT sector, our approach is based on a core concept: building a vision together. We do not offer "off-the-shelf" products, but state-of-the-art solutions that stem from a dynamic approach, aimed at concretizing the specific needs of conservation and dissemination. The goal is to provide professionals in the sector and institutions with tools that are, at the same time, concrete support for management and catalysts of wonder for the public. In this scenario, institutions become partners in a creative process that aims to celebrate history through innovation.
The online publication of the first digital catalogue of the Cappella Sansevero marks a turning point in the monument’s scholarly understanding and scientific enhancement: the first complete cataloguing of its heritage, the result of a multi-year project coordinated by Gianluca Forgione with a team of specialists. This cataloguing tackles an organic, one-of-a-kind complex in which architecture, sculpture, painting, and symbolic programs are inseparable, addressing a longstanding lack of up-to-date research tools. The digital catalogue—updateable and interoperable—incorporates gigapixel images as primary research resources. The collaboration with Haltadefinizione (Gruppo Panini Cultura) was pivotal. The 31 essaystyle entries provide new interpretations, sources, and attribution updates.
A methodology for analysing very high-resolution (VHR) satellite images was developed to detect buried structures in arid regions using optical and infrared bands. Applied to the desert around the Giza Plateau, it revealed four sand-covered areas of interest. West of the pyramids, evidence of quarrying activities and an underground chamber was identified. Shadow analysis suggested buried vessels, possibly a depot linked to pyramid construction, while 3D topography indicated a probable ancient waterway. Additional features, including tombs, architectural remains, and other buried structures, were also detected and described.
Modern telecommunications networks, from third generation onwards, based on the IP protocol, allow for varying levels of technological flexibility. One level involves the ability to create virtual networks, managed by virtual operators (VNOs), i.e., non-licensed operators who, based on technical/ commercial agreements with licensed operators, offer services independently. Another level involves the creation of private networks, i.e., the use of infrastructure for a defined set of users, usually belonging to a well-defined community (company, public entity, public service provider, etc.), who access a well-defined set of services exclusively by connecting to a core network or a dedicated portion of it. Private network technology can be efficiently used for a variety of services and applications, and among these, the museum sector is certainly among the most suitable and interesting. This article focuses specifically on the use of 5G private networks (the latest generation of the mobile network standard), which introduces additional technological possibilities that bring benefits in terms of both performance and user experience. In particular, 5G introduced the ability to access the core network via WiFi for all services. This feature allows for improved and complete 5G network coverage via RAN at extremely low costs.
This paper 3D Virtual Tour designed to promote the heritage of the University of Padua's Museum of Geography and communicate its cultural legacy. Having discussed the benefits of virtual tours for museums, such as increased accessibility and cost-effectiveness, as well as the ability to presents an interactive enhance experiences through multimedia, the methodology for creating this tour is described in detail. The process begins with the acquisition of spherical images using a Ricoh Theta Z1 360 degrees camera. Focus is given to the implementation phase in the 3D Vista Virtual Tour PRO software, where multimedia hotspots were added to enhance the virtual experience with text, audio, video, interactive 3D models and digitised historical sources from the university's digital library. The tour also incorporates e-learning paths with multiple-choice quizzes. Further planned developments include usability testing, multilingual versions and an extension to temporary exhibitions. Designed as an immersive learning environment, the virtual tour aims to enhance the museum's accessibility, strengthen its educational mission, and encourage public engagement by blending real and virtual dimensions through an innovative storytelling approach.
Modern telecommunications networks, from third generation onwards, ba-sed on the IP protocol, allow for varying levels of technological flexibility. One level involves the ability to create virtual networks, managed by vir-tworks. tual operators (VNOs), i.e., non-licensed operators who, based on techni-cal/commercial agreements with licensed operators, offer services inde-pendently. Another level involves the creation of private networks, i.e., the use of infrastructure for a defined set of users, usually belonging to a well-defined community (company, public entity, public service provider, etc.), who & acy;& scy;-cess a well-defined set of services exclusively by connecting to a core network or a dedicated portion of it. Private network technology can be efficiently used for a variety of services and applications, and among these, the museum sector is certainly among the most suitable and interesting. This article focuses specifically on the use of 5G private networks (the latest generation of the mobile network standard), which introduces additional technological possibilities that bring benefits in terms of both performance and user experience. In particular, 5G introduced the ability to access the core network via WiFi for all services. This feature allows for improved and complete 5G network coverage via RAN at extremely low costs.
This article reconsiders the concept of cultural landscape through the intersection of geophilosophy and contemporary design practices. While traditional interpretations often describe landscape as a material outcome of interactions between environment and human settlement, this study proposes a relational and process-oriented framework in which landscape is understood as a dynamic cultural field shaped by perception, memory, and spatial practices. Drawing on philosophical reflections on place, territoriality, and spatial experience, the article argues that cultural landscapes should be interpreted as historically layered configurations in which symbolic meanings, material forms, and collective practices interact across time. Within this perspective, landscape becomes not only an object of representation but also an epistemological and operational framework for understanding and shaping spatial transformations. By bridging theoretical reflection and design-oriented approaches, the article demonstrates how geophilosophy can provide a conceptual foundation for interpreting landscape complexity, while design practices offer tools for engaging with its ongoing transformation. The study contributes to current debates in landscape studies and spatial humanities by framing cultural landscape as a living cultural process that links interpretation,memory, and territorial design.
The Theatre of Priene is a well-preserved example of Greek theatrical architecture, offering an exceptional case study for the integration of historical documentation and digital methodologies. The theatre dates to the late Classical and early Hellenistic period and preserves cavea, orchestra, proedria, and proskenion. It was the subject of extensive documentation during late 19th-century excavations, which provides a solid foundation for interpretative reconstruction. This study presents a comprehensive digital workflow combining photogram-metric survey, parametric modelling, and virtual reality visualisation. UAV and terrestrial photogrammetry allowed producing a metrically reliable 3D model, subsequently refined through data cleaning and validation against historical sources. The model was then transposed into typological elements governed by generative rules, enabling the creation of a metadata-based system. The integration of detailed modelling and material rendering further enhanced the legibility of architectural forms and surface characteristics. Finally, the digi-tal model was implemented within a virtual environment to support immersive exploration and comparative analysis between the current state and reconstructed hypotheses, demonstrating how the convergence of ar-chaeological evidence, digital survey techniques, and advanced visualisation tools can produce a coherent and accessible narrative for both scholarly investigation and public dissemination
The Laser scanner survey of the remains of the Forum of Theodosius in Istanbul, conducted by Zema-stek in cooperation with Giorgio Verdiani, was the foundation for the design developed during the in-ternational workshop Architecture and Archaeology. Theodosius' Forum, Istanbul. The design proposes the partial demolition of the & Scedil;imke & scedil;hane building, defining a new excavation of the area of the forum, revealing the ancient Mese. The project also includes a small pavilion as the gate of the archaeological area, with an Analogical and digital Augmented Reality (AR) device displaying the reconstruction of Theodosius' arch.
Within the D-TECH project, has been developed an innovative web-based multimedia platform for the management and exploitation of cultural heritage has been de veloped, capable of making dialogue between 3D models, HBIM, point clouds and GIS data with the standards of the ARCO ontology. Intended for the institutions that protect the heritage, as well as all those who study it, value it or simply carry out research activities, it is designed as a modular and open-source tool capable of offering advanced monitoring services, the diagnosis, conservation and use of cultural assets.
Galata, one of the most historically layered districts of Istanbul, represents a critical site for understanding the urban palimpsest of the Golden Horn. The research focuses on the analysis and documentation of selected blocks along the Galata waterfront, investigating the relationship between surviving defensive structures, later architectural additions, and contemporary transformations affecting the district. The study adopts an interdisciplinary methodology combining archival and cartographic research, architectural-historical analysis, stratigraphic urban reading, and advanced metric digital surveying through 3D laser scanning. The resulting point clouds, orthophotos, and CAD restitutions enabled the reconstruction of diachronic transformations and the identification of alterations, discontinuities, and degradation patterns within key architectural artifacts, including the second tower of the fortification system and the historic Caravansary complex. The integration of empirical survey data and historical sources facilitated the development of a coherent interpretative narrative linking urban growth processes to the physical evidence of masonry structures and spatial organization. This approach contributes to understanding the dynamics through which traditional urban tissues have been replaced by new construction driven by globalized market logic, often compromising typological continuity and authenticity. The outcomes support conservation-oriented strategies, promote informed decision-making for restoration and reuse, and provide a framework for future research and public dissemination. The work, presented and discussed during the International Urban Design Workshop “Urban Façade: Istanbul Waterfront” (2019), highlights the value of accurate documentation as a tool for preserving memory and guiding culturally responsible urban transformation.
Priene and Magnesia ad Maeander constitute two emblematic case studies for investigating Hellenistic urban planning, architectural form, and the relationship between cities and their environmental settings in western Anatolia. Both settlements developed within the Maeander valley during the Hellenistic period, under complex political and cultural conditions following Alexander the Great’s conquests, and later underwent significant transformations during Roman rule before abandonment. Despite differences in scale, origin, and topographical context, the two cities share fundamental planning principles rooted in the Hippodamian urban model, characterized by orthogonal layouts and a clear hierarchy of civic, religious, and residential spaces. Priene, founded on the steep slopes of Mount Mykale, represents one of the most complete examples of an orthogonal urban system adapted to a challenging terrain. Its preserved street grid, domestic quarters, and monumental buildings, including the Temple of Athena Polias, reflect the ideological coherence of Hellenistic urbanism. Magnesia ad Maeander, established in a flatter landscape, developed on a larger scale, enabling the construction of extensive monumental complexes such as the Artemision and the stadium, which expressed civic identity and regional importance. The impact of environmental dynamics, including seismic activity and fluvial processes, have a significant impact on the urban evolution of both cities. Recent digital survey campaigns using photogrammetry and 3D laser scanner technologies in the present time, are essential tools for documenting, analysing, and interpreting these complex archaeological contexts.
At its core, CHEDAR aims to establish a Research and Advanced Training and Education Centre, envisioned as a nerve center for the convergence of scientific efforts from partner institutions.
Archeomatica is pleased to have had the opportunity to dedicate this special issue to one of the most significant projects exemplifying Italy’s ability to apply geomatic sciences in the service of art and culture.
- Digitizing Memory for looking into the Future coordinated by University of Florence. - A New Generation of Multidisciplinary Experts for Cultural Heritage Challenges coordinated by University of Florence - Digital Creativity and Artificial Intelligence Coordinated by the Accademia di Belle Arti of Carrara - Communication and Outreach, Lead Partner Istituto Superiore per le Industrie Artistiche di Firenze - Scientific Research & Creativity: the best practice for new life of cultural heritage coordinated by CNR-ISPC
The integration of digital and sustainable practices in cultural heritage is essential for innovation and the enhancement of heritage. This study examines the research methodology and analyzes the data collected from the mapping of 44 best practices within the Eco Art initiative, funded by the PNRR, highlighting trends and strategies for the digital and green transition of the cultural sector. The results demonstrate a wide adoption of technological tools such as 3D digitization, augmented reality, and methodologies for sustainability. The data analysis also highlights the role of training, the involvement of cultural institutions, and the importance of a user-centered approach to improve accessibility and public interaction. Furthermore, the study investigates the sustainability principles pursued through "green" strategies in the production of both goods and services. The evidence confirms an increasing awareness of environmental sustainability issues, with best practices aimed at improving environmental performance, while maintaining a significant connection with tangible material assets as tools for promotion and information.
