Held in Vienna from March 3 to 5, the ARCHE conference “Innovation through Heritage: Resilience in Times of Climate Change” was co-organized by the Time Machine Organisation, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, the Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport, EIT Culture & Creativity, and ICOM Austria. The event combined the ARCHE Member States workshop with a broader conference, bringing together around 80 policymakers, researchers, and practitioners. It provided a platform to explore critical issues surrounding the future of cultural heritage, with a particular emphasis on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and climate resilience.

Day 1: Exploring National Research Priorities and Responses to Destruction

The first day of the workshop took place in the modernist hall of the former Länderbank building, designed by the renowned architect Otto Wagner. This historically significant setting provided a backdrop for discussions on national research priorities and actions in Austria, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and Moldova. Ukrainian guest speakers highlighted the massive destruction of heritage resulting from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which served to underscore the urgency of the situation. In his concluding address, Yves Ubelmann, President of Iconem, presented the potential of new technologies—such as drones and 3D reconstruction—to restore world heritage sites destroyed by conflict.

Days 2 and 3: Key Themes in Cultural Heritage and Urban History

Over the next two days, participants gathered at the MAK (Museum für Angewandte Künste). The discussions covered a broad array of significant topics, including interactions between policymakers and heritage professionals, as well as the involvement of cities in preservation. The workshop highlighted several ongoing European projects focused on the digitization of urban history, such as the Amsterdam Time Machine and the Valais-Wallis Time Machine, which engage local residents by leveraging community knowledge and municipal archives.

One of the most notable aspects of these discussions was the active involvement of local stakeholders and Austrian institutions. Topics explored included the impact of war on cultural heritage and the use of cutting-edge visualization techniques to resurrect lost heritage. The role of museums was also a central theme, with the session hosted by EIT Culture & Creativity featuring Sofia Widman of Museumboosterdiscussing how immersive experiences are reshaping museum engagement. The use of AI in this context was frequently discussed as a transformative tool, with speakers like Tomasz Parkoła of Poland’s PSNC (Poznań Supercomputing and Networking Center) presenting on the subject.

Key Takeaways and Future Directions

The main takeaways from the workshop centered on three critical themes:

  1. Territorial Focus: The national roundtables for Austria, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and Moldova emphasized the importance of tailoring heritage preservation to specific local and national contexts. This was further reinforced by presentations on community-driven projects like the local Time Machine branches.

  2. Mutual Training: The event was designed to promote shared learning and collaboration. The structured speed networking session allowed approximately 80 participants from policy, research, and the creative industries to establish new professional relationships. This cross-sectoral dialogue included contributions from academic leaders like Roger Street (University of Oxford) and institutional representatives from JPI CH and the European Commission.

  3. Integration of New Technologies: The conference showcased how AI and other advanced technologies can enhance the resilience of cultural heritage. Key European initiatives were at the forefront of this discussion, with speakers like Vania Virgili (CNR) representing the European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science (E-RIHS), and Harry Verwayen presenting on the Common European Data Space for Cultural Heritage (implemented by the Europeana Foundation).

Looking ahead, the future of European collaboration in this field appears promising. The event concluded with a ceremonial handshake, where representatives from major European initiatives—including JPI CH, Time Machine Organisation, EIT Culture & Creativity, and E-RIHS—pledged to work together towards a sustainable, inclusive, and innovative future for cultural heritage.