Experiencing Past, Present, and Future Urban Environments Through Digital Representation, Storytelling, and Simulation

Digital technologies can have a great impact on the methodological and epistemological research regarding urban contexts, not only for the documentation and reconstruction of the built heritage but also in the simulation and transmission of intangible values. 3D representation is a powerful tool for communication and also for interpretation. It has perceptive and cognitive impact while also providing a visual interface toward making multiple and deeper connections of meaning and contents. The chapter analyzes the approaches commonly adopted in 3D reconstruction of urban contexts. Methodologies, technologies, software, and data are examined, together with possible outputs (2D or 3D GIS, computer-graphic movies, real time or augmented-reality applications) while offering new perspectives. A study case is presented of the Matera Città Narrata project, whose aim was the creation of a multi-channel digital platform able to support public tourism of this World Heritage Site. It includes, for instance, 3D reconstructions of the urban context evolution through eight chronological phases. It also tells the stories behind those ancient sites, provides real fragments of life, as well as myths, events, characters, and memories.