Digitization for Cultural Heritage Conservation in Emergencies: Lessons from Valencia’s DANA Flood

Résumé fourni par la source

The ChemiNova project—funded by the Horizon Europe programme and coordinated by the Universitat de València—demonstrates how digital innovation can transform cultural heritage conservation in the face of increasing climate-related emergencies. Through the integration of technologies such as augmented and mixed reality, AI-based analysis, and 3D modelling, ChemiNova will enable real-time monitoring and risk assessment of monuments, museum collections, and movable heritage. These tools became especially relevant during the emergency response to the catastrophic DANA flood that struck the Valencia region on 29 October 2024, which caused extensive damage to both institutional and domestic cultural heritage. In addition to safeguarding private collections, conservation teams intervened in contemporary art holdings at risk. Emergency protocols were activated to clean, stabilize, and digitally document paintings, sculptures, and archival materials using the methodologies developed by ChemiNova. The emergency also revealed the essential role of local museums as emotional and social reference points in times of crisis. These institutions provided spaces for care, community engagement, and memory reconstruction. This experience affirms that conservation must go beyond objects. By combining advanced digital tools with collaborative, community-based processes, projects like ChemiNova point the way toward a more resilient, inclusive, and human-centred approach to cultural heritage preservation.

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