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F1209 New Technologies, Cultural Heritage and the Urban Experience (F1209)

Munoz Francesc

Tuesday  9.15-10.45
Thursday 9.15-10.45

 

The main aim of the course is to offer an overview on how information and telecommunications technologies are suggesting new approaches for understanding cultural heritage intervention and management. The use of telematics and digital technologies are providing with highly innovative experiences currently linking cultural heritage visibility with the urban experience.

 

More specifically, the course is organized in three main parts:

 

Firstly, some preliminary definitions are presented. Concepts such as ‘cultural heritage’ and ‘information/ telecommunication technologies’ are explained. This first part, approaches three different type of issues:

 

-Some epistemological questions on the nature of time and history considering the transition from modernity to postmodernity.

-Some sociological ideas as the notion of ‘speed’ or the experience of ‘real time’ that characterizes the use of telecommunications at the present moment.

-Some psychological discussions regarding human perception of both physical and virtual environments.

 

Secondly, key evidences and facts are presented to illustrate how information and telecommunication technologies have definitely changed the nature of many different economic, social and cultural processes. This discussion leads to explain how telematics have been used in relation to cultural heritage. A wide range of examples shows in this sense how digital technologies have provided with innovation and creativity the intervention and management of cultural heritage. This selection of inspiring experiences includes some of the more relevant study-cases of urban museums world-wide.

 

Thirdly, the course suggests that some dimensions of digital technologies regarding cultural heritage management have not been explored. In this sense, the relationships between heritage and the urban experience appear as a very clear opportunity. This is to say, activating from creative and innovative approaches cultural heritage as a remarkable part of the individuals daily urban experience.

 

Finally, the course approaches these contents using the city of Venice as an urban laboratory where testing the previous mentioned ideas. Considering this ambition, the students will be invited to work putting in relation brand new uses of information and telecommunication technologies with local Venetian cultural heritage focusing on the urban experience and the perception of the physical city.

 

The final conclusion of the course suggests that digital technologies have been used as a basic technical support for the better availability and portability of information on heritage. However, the potentialities of the information and telecommunication technologies remain relatively unexplored and they clearly offer inspiring ways to design more attractive and successful heritage management programs, able to put on the mental map of the citizens this essential part of the local culture and identity.

 

Learning outcomes

Getting familiar with critical definitions and perspectives on key concepts such as ‘heritage’, ‘culture’, ‘information and telecommunication technologies’, ‘digital technology’ or ‘digital culture’.

 

-Multidisciplinary knowledge on different approaches –economic, social, cultural– to the definition of cultural heritage and digital technologies.

-Comparative work on different real study cases particularly relevant for the understanding of the main contents.

-First contact with some of the leading concepts, projects and programs updating cultural heritage management from the basis of the use of digital technologies.

-Empirical knowledge on the city of Venice based on the analysis and observation of urban space, local cultural heritage and the urban experience.

 

 

Teaching and Evaluation Methods (priority given to interactive tuition)

-Two presentations on selected readings particularly relevant for the course

-One essay based on an observation and research urban fieldtrip

-One essay based on a group work and discussion on selected issues particularly relevant for the course

-One final essay based on a research work on an issue particularly relevant for the course