Spatial Dimensions of Heritage | Creative Research Capacities 2026
Join us for the upcoming T4EU Transforming Heritage Conference “Spatial Dimensions of Heritage | Creative Research Capacities”, organized by EKA on 27–28 January 2026 in Tallinn. This convergent event delves into the complexities of heritage preservation and embodied knowledge, from the tangible layers of paint on walls and canvases to the intangible realms of conceptual techniques or digital multidimensionality enriched with metadata.
The conference aims to bridge diverse disciplines, encouraging contributions from architecture, art, design, digital humanities, history and beyond. It will explore how ephemeral site-element-context relationships impact cultural heritage and emerging technologies—like AR, VR, and 3D modeling—can enhance preservation efforts.
The conference welcomes diverse perspectives with sessions to address participants across disciplines, including the arts, humanities, and sciences, with an emphasis on two main topics: spatial and artistic research in the context of heritage. The topics are meant to connect advanced research concepts with practice-based conceptual applications aiming to foster interdisciplinary dialogue. Inviting insights from varied academic and professional backgrounds to deepen our understanding of both cultural heritage and artistic research.
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Day 1: Spatial Dimensions of Heritage
Keynote speaker: Pascal Bronner, GB/DE, architect and artist.
Day 2: Artistic Research Capacities
Keynote speaker: Steinunn Knúts-Önnudóttir, IS, performance maker and artistic researcher.
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The conference is looking for contributions on the following topics:
-Instruments of Mapping and Measurement in Cultural Heritage.
How mapping and surveying tools shape our interpretation and documentation of historical sites.
-Heritage Insights from Remote Data.
Exploring the potential of satellite images, drones, and remote sensing to analyze and monitor heritage landscapes.
-Seeing Beyond the Surface – Uncovering Historical Information Without Physical Intervention.
Multispectral imaging, 3D scanning and other novel techniques revealing unseen historical layers.
-Digital Media Tools in Cultural Heritage Research.
Examining how digital tools, including interactive apps and virtual archives, enhance the study of cultural history.
-Exploring Material Culture through 3D Printing.
Investigating the potential of 3D printing in understanding historical objects.
-The Role of Visual AI and Emerging Technologies in Heritage Studies.
Harnessing AI and ML in identifying patterns and details in historical imagery.
-The Intersection of Generative AI and Cultural Heritage.
Exploring how AI-generated content can support creative methods in reimagining cultural history.
-Artistic Heritage Research.
The relevance of context and the importance of researching historical design techniques.
-Cognitive Approaches for Understanding Context.
Techniques and methods for analyzing spaces, delving into how people experience and emotionally connect with historical spaces.
-Gaming as a Tool for Understanding Anthropogenic Heritage Landscapes
Interactive technologies and methods for studying, interpreting, and engaging with human-altered heritage environments.
Call for abstracts: extended to 8 December 2025
Communication of acceptance to authors: 16.12.2025
Conference: 27.01.2026 – 28.01.2026 in Tallinn, EKA.
Submit your abstract HERE, meeting the following criteria: 300 – 500 words with 3 – 5 keywords.
Register as a listener HERE.
More information and inquiries: hanna-britt.augasmagi@artun.ee
The event will take place under the auspices of the Transform4Europe Alliance — a collaborative network of 11 European universities focused on climate change, digitalisation, and social challenges — and is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.
