Digital heritage consolidation and innovation, three case studies between documentation and divulgation aims

In recent years, the need to digitize and create digital twins of architectural and artistic heritage has been confirmed and accelerated. In this context, the DIDA-LXR (Laboratory for eXtended Reality) of the DIDALABS system, has carried out a series of research on the use of Virtual and Augmented Reality solutions to create and support activities in digital surveying, workshops for architects, and the establishment of a common knowledge basin regarding the existing architectural heritage. In this paper, several experiences are presented, and their workflows and results are shared. The selection focuses on the virtual reconstruction of the Gothic apses in the Cathedral of Fabriano; the reconstruction of the frescoes in Santa Maria dei Bianchi in Gubbio and the virtual reconstruction of the Horrea Agrippiana at the Roman Forum in Rome. Despite these four case studies being different, they all aim at creating a series of products that document the state and possible aspects of the past of significant elements of the architectural heritage. In their own way, they fix the state of knowledge and condition of these complex artefacts, preserving their memory and creating a valuable basis for any further interventions. Simultaneously, the use of today's digital tools in structures geared towards both sharing in working groups and dissemination activities makes this content available for a wide variety of processing. The technologies for the visualisation of digital works are to be considered excellent tools for the use and enhancement of Cultural Heritage.