The Construction and Inheritance of Urban Memory through Visual Communication in the Context of Cultural Heritage

Abstract

This paper will explore how visual communication can help to build and pass down urban memory in the context of cultural heritage conceptually. Archival photographs, maps, exhibitions, public interpretation and digital interfaces are selected representations of urban history, not comprehensive records of it. Based on the existing research of collective memory, cultural representation and heritage interpretation, this paper proposes an analytical path connecting source selection, visual organisation, public interpretation and opportunities for continuous engagement. Particular attention has been paid to the origin, the connection between material culture and daily life, and the addition of contradictory memories. There are no new interviews, surveys, observations or quantitative analyses in the paper. Therefore, the practical recommendations are design proposals rather than implemented measures. Responsible visual communication should make historical evidence accessible, retain a sense of the unknown, be mindful of representational choices, and enable community participation in the interpretation of urban history.