The art of augmented memory: Remembering with augmented reality application in the case of the Temple of Artemis

Abstract

This article focuses on the effects of different representation modes of architectural heritage in augmented reality (AR) applications on remembering. Deterioration of the tangible evidence of architectural heritage compromises not only its visibility in the heritage site, but also its presence in memory. Converging survived features and digitally produced representations of the heritage, AR applications in mobile devices provide the memory of the site with endurance, however what is remembered immensely depends on how the heritage is digitally represented on screen. Conceived as a case study for the method of analysis derived from classical memorizing technique of the art of memory, the ‘[AR]temis’ project, reported in this article, aimed to get insights into the effects of the representational qualities of augmented architectural heritage on remembering and also into future AR projects developed for architectural heritage sites with its original method of analysis to inform design decisions. The research project involved the development of the method of art of augmented memory, the AR application, as well as questionnaires and interviews with the respondents’ on-site tests of the application. The results of this analysis show that the decisions regarding the digital representation of architectural heritage in AR applications entail not only the visual qualities of the heritage per se, but also how the actual site of memory is visualized on screen.