Mixed-reality heritage: Edutainment potential in Students square area public spaces

Abstract

Contemporary everyday life acknowledges the wide use of new technologies and digital media in many spheres of public life, making it a valuable aspect to be explored when designing contemporary public spaces. Approaching heritage information within public space, the use of new technologies enables interaction not only with the visible spectre of heritage sites but can also unveil the 'invisible' heritage through mixed-reality environments. Overlapped heritage sites within Belgrade's historical centre around the Students Square offer significant aspects for exploring the potential for creating interactive mixed-reality environments. The paper aims to define the variety of spatial aspects and public space qualities required for creating places of contemporary interaction with heritage sites. Considering the previously adopted concept of edutainment (education + entertainment) to communicate heritage information with users through different media, the research addresses new ways of heritage presentation to improve public spaces with densely overlapped heritage. By viewing mixed reality not only as a means of interaction but as a way of presenting multi-layered information, this research adds the requirements for digital infrastructure to the site analysis. By testing the new set of analyses in Students Square, research offers a new understanding of the relationship between stakeholders, users, and spatial characteristics, required for the mixed-reality presentation of cultural heritage.