Delprat XR: Digitising the Past, Prototyping the Future for Real-World Heritage Sites

Delprat XR: Digitising the Past, Prototyping the Future for Real-World Heritage Sites | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Delprat XR: Digitising the Past, Prototyping the Future for Real-World Heritage Sites Nicholas Foulcher, Zachary Allan This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7034119/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted 15 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This article presents the Delprat XR project, an innovative digital heritage initiative focused on the immersive virtual restoration of Delprat Cottage, a historically significant site in Newcastle, Australia. Utilising advanced Extended Reality (XR) technologies—including LiDAR scanning, drone-based photogrammetry, and real-time rendering in Unreal Engine—the project digitally reconstructs the site's historical layers to facilitate interactive, multisensory experiences. Central to the initiative is the integration of architectural preservation, and immersive storytelling, enabling users to engage dynamically with the cottage's past, present, and speculative futures. The prototype proposes a participatory design methodology, emphasising local stakeholder collaboration, accessibility, and spatial narrative strategies to foster inclusive and critically engaged heritage experiences. Proposed evaluation methods include user experience metrics, interaction analytics, and qualitative feedback, revealing XR's significant potential to enhance public engagement, historical education, and cultural memory. By moving beyond traditional static conservation approaches, the Delprat XR project contributes a scalable, adaptive framework for rethinking heritage preservation through embodied, interactive encounters. Humanities/Cultural and media studies Social science/Cultural and media studies Social science/Science technology and society Extended Reality (XR) Virtual Reality (VR) Augmented Reality (AR) Digital Heritage Cultural Preservation Immersive Experience Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 26 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 25 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 25 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 22 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 21 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 17 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 20 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 27 Aug, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 20 Aug, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 17 Aug, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 16 Jul, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 16 Jul, 2025 Editor invited by journal 11 Jul, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 11 Jul, 2025 First submitted to journal 03 Jul, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7034119","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":487652706,"identity":"5820ea1d-fe80-4b7a-9e1c-f7e7817b5c73","order_by":0,"name":"Nicholas Foulcher","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"The University of Newcastle University Drive","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nicholas","middleName":"","lastName":"Foulcher","suffix":""},{"id":487652707,"identity":"2c9af888-6277-44e1-9c17-d892d92f2149","order_by":1,"name":"Zachary Allan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"The University of Newcastle University Drive","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zachary","middleName":"","lastName":"Allan","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-07-03 04:38:16","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7034119/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7034119/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":87154232,"identity":"c4ac2c9b-bac3-4ce8-a618-5014ec92fb71","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-21 02:43:38","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1292282,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"REVISED3DelpratXRDigitisingthePastPrototypingtheFutureforRealWorldHeritageSites.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7034119/v1_covered_3e3d6bfd-9429-4441-9854-ee5151b2962c.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Delprat XR: Digitising the Past, Prototyping the Future for Real-World Heritage Sites","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Extended Reality (XR), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Digital Heritage, Cultural Preservation, Immersive Experience","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7034119/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7034119/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"This article presents the Delprat XR project, an innovative digital heritage initiative focused on the immersive virtual restoration of Delprat Cottage, a historically significant site in Newcastle, Australia. 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