Spatio-Temporally Navigable Representation and Communication of Urban Cultural Heritage

Virtual environments are effective tools for the representation and communication of cultural heritage. We suggest that an interactive, immersive and dynamic navigation of the virtual representation of the urban environment will not only convey the essence of the culture and the changes it underwent in a more comprehensible manner, but will engender a 'sense of place'—genius loci— in the visitors. This cognitive mode will help them learn about much more than the geometry and materiality of the city: it will make them 'feel' part of the event itself. By presenting a socially shareable experience, we aim to introduce the medium the character of a genuine place, and make it a social venue for active exploration, discussion and interaction