(IN)TANGIBLE HERITAGE(S)

Abstract

In the past decades, physical and digital methods of producing architectural content have led to various new outputs, processes, and tools in current design workflows. Issues concerning contemporary archival practices have become increasingly evident due to the proliferation of new forms of physical and digital architectural content. Recent discussions in architectural archivism often focus primarily on computer-aided design (CAD) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) preservation, with little emphasis on standardized archival approaches for other essential process works and design outcomes. To better understand the current and future challenges of architectural archivism, this research examines digital and physical content varying in form and complexity to determine their archival constraints. Sample selection includes content such as 3D printing, 3D scan capture data, drone data, CNC routing, laser cutting, physical models, virtual and augmented reality data, and other forms of physical fabrication and digital design. Selected sample content derives from the University of Manitoba’s Fabrication Laboratory (FABLab), Centre for Architectural Structures & Technology (C.A.S.T.), Architecture Workshop Facility, and Virtual Reality Laboratory. Each sample is systematically reviewed for its archival characteristics, focusing on three key factors, the production tools, the design process, and the final output. Expanded analysis of each key factor provides detailed sample-specific constraints addressing the archival relevancy, iterative process, output format, size, reproducibility, interoperability, and inherent legacy data risks associated with current physical and digital architectural content. In response to these constraints, this research proposes new standardized frameworks for archiving contemporary and emerging forms of physical and digital architectural content. The preservation of this content is crucial to the discipline as these works will later become significant artefacts in the history and culture of architectural design.