VIRTUAL London Heritages Conference
Abstract
Ōtepoti Dunedin is a city of around 130,000 people in the South Island of New Zealand, with a rich cultural heritage comprising many places of cultural significance for Tangata Whenua (people of the land) as well as the country’s best-preserved collection of Victorian and Edwardian architecture. To date, there has been no systematic digitisation of the city’s heritage buildings and landmarks; this is an imperative move towards ensuring the ongoing preservation of Dunedin’s cultural landscape amidst the threats of deterioration, destruction and demolition. This paper presents a pilot study investigating the potential for development of a platform to document, and democratise access to, heritage buildings and landmarks in a regional context. As Senior Lecturers at Otago Polytechnic’s School of Architecture, we are leading an initiative to digitally document significant buildings and landmarks using reality-capture technologies and digital modelling. This research addresses the challenge of limited public engagement with regional heritage by exploring the feasibility of a collaborative, open-access repository for this data. The platform aims to reduce barriers to digital heritage resources, empowering community members, researchers, and educators. Furthermore, this study examines the pedagogical benefits of involving learners in the digitisation process, providing hands-on experience in advanced digital documentation and heritage preservation techniques. This paper will identify key findings from the pilot study including an outline of the platform’s initial development. It will also analyse the potential for this open-access model to serve as a framework for other regional heritage initiatives, suggesting the capacity for a more inclusive and accessible understanding of our architectural and cultural legacy.
Sarah McCallum is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Architecture and teaches across a range of courses in the undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. She has a foundation in architectural design and is passionate about the juncture between educational pedagogy and vocational practices. Sarah’s research centres around the interrogation of educational practice in an environment that is experiencing rapid change, with a focus on architectural history and our built heritage.
Blair Isbister is a Senior Lecturer based in New Zealand, with a focus on architecture, design, and Building Information Modeling (BIM). Passionate about bridging the gap between academic learning and industry practice, he works closely with both students and professionals to develop clear, practical knowledge in a fast-evolving field.