PRESERVING THE PAST TO DESIGN THE FUTURE READING, INTERPRETING AND TRANSFERRING KNOWLEDGE THROUGH ARCHIVES

Abstract

The diffusion and development of digital technologies had radically changed the way in which museums and cultural institutions offer content to the public. In this regard, the academic field has been discussed about the connection between the Design discipline and Cultural Heritage for several years; this is due to the profound transformations faced in both Design and Cultural Heritage areas. Through the description of two different projects we intend to highlight the problem of technology, which does not represent a solution to all the concerns about archives, protection, use and enhancement of the Artworks, on the contrary it represents an instrument and, as such, it should have empowering and emancipating capabilities. In particular, this contribution will describe the activities of the research team aimed at 3D digitization of the Tribuna degli Uffizi in Florence, and of two Egyptian Sarcophagi belonging to the Musées Royaux d'Art et d’Histoire in Brussells. The paper wants to emphasize the contrast between the "partial failure" of the Uffizi Tribune project, whose model did not produce any relevant result regarding knowledge and dissemination; in relation to the Sarcophagi project in which the digitization has been interpreted as a tool for enhancing and spread the knowledge contents discovered during the restoration. Comparisons between these two projects have given way to this reflection concerning the digitized heritage and consequently the nature and potentials of digital archives. Archives should be containers of information and knowledge ready to be activated for social and cultural purposes. As a system of knowledge open to multiple uses, reuses and interpretations (Sennet 2008), the archive allows both synchronic and diachronic actions for the narration of memories. The design process in this context can develop projects for different cultural experiences in order to foster the inclusive dimension of historical/artistic assets through archives. Through