Design for Science: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach to Disseminate Archaeology Online

Archaeology has a lot in common with architecture. Both disciplines deal with the unknown and the uncertain—archaeology because it seeks to create knowledge about an unknown past and architecture because it gives form to ideas and proposals that have no physical form. Both disciplines argue with abstraction, archaeology primarily through verbal expression and architecture through visual expression. By its very nature, architecture is focused on public communication—architectural representation is designed to meet the public’s needs. Our approach adapts methods of architectural design and visualization to the needs of archaeological dissemination and sustainability. As both disciplines evolve in the digital world, the necessity for online approaches to content management is obvious. The growing availability and acceptance of VR experiences, especially, allow for a spatial impression that is equaled only by on-site visits accompanied by guidance and the strong ability of vivid imagination. VR experiences can raise knowledge, awareness, responsibility, and inspiration for heritage education, research, and design work respectively.