“The Spanish Cathedral”, a Prototype of Mobile Application for the Access to the Religious Cultural Heritage of Gothic Hispanic Cathedrals

Abstract

After an in-depth examination of the communication strategies, digital offerings, and audio guides currently employed by various Spanish cathedrals constructed during the 12th and 15th centuries, it was detected that there was a need to gradually build and improve an integral and unified tool that serves as a reference for the learning of the artistic elements that characterize the mentioned constructions. This will contribute to both the promotion of the cathedral —understood as an ensemble— and its communication with the public. This article introduces the conceptualization and design of the mobile application “La Catedral Hispana”, a high-fidelity prototype that seeks to promote Spanish cathedrals with Gothic elements in their construction. This prototype encompasses two areas of study for its task: the research of Gothic architecture in cathedrals and the principles of user experience (interaction design, information architecture, and interface development), for the correct development of the sample, using the Figma software for its design and implementation. The objectives lay not only in providing a tool that facilitates access and shares academic information, but also in establishing relationships among the diverse Spanish cathedrals by means of their common features. The Spanish Cathedral is a proposal for promoting the democratization of cultural information, the learning of the value of heritage, and the development of a new solid and accessible communication channel that enables the target audience to both value and recognize one of the most important types of constructions as a part of Spanish identity.