When Technology Meets Heritage: The Forum of Augustus in Rome

What is it about?

This article looks at how digital technologies are being used to help people reconnect with the past, focusing on the Forum of Augustus in Rome. Through large-scale nighttime audiovisual projections displayed directly onto the ancient ruins, visitors are invited to see how the monument once looked and to better understand its historical meaning. Drawing on perspectives from communication and architecture, the study explores how these digital projections change the way people experience the site—turning the ruins into a space where history, storytelling, and technology come together. Rather than replacing the physical monument, the projections add new layers of meaning that make the heritage site more visible, engaging, and accessible to contemporary audiences.

Featured Image

Photo by Enric Domas on Unsplash

Photo by Enric Domas on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Heritage sites are not just static relics from the past; they are spaces that can be activated and re-interpreted through technology. The article shows that ICT-enhanced projections do more than decorate ancient ruins—they produce new spaces where history and technology converge. These digital interventions influence how both visitors and passersby interpret the cultural value of heritage, making heritage more visible and meaningful in contemporary urban life. This research is relevant for scholars and practitioners interested in the intersections of culture, technology, urban spaces, and public engagement with history.