Reconstructing Lost Heritage: Digital Presentation of 19th Century Rural Landscape of Gülbahçe (İzmir, Türkiye)

Abstract

This study aims to provide an original methodological framework for the digital reconstruction of Gülbahçe, a historically layered settlement in western Anatolia, Türkiye, which has experienced significant transformations and heritage loss over time. Confronting the challenge of limited documentation regarding its original condition, the study employs hypothetical spatial assumption by integrating comparative typologies, oral history, architectural drawings, and environmental data to digitally reconstruct the village's 19th century spatial and cultural character. This character evolved dramatically following the 1922 population exchange and was further transformed in the 1970s through tourism-driven urban development, the establishment of a university campus, and counter-urbanisation triggered by pandemics and earthquakes. The novelty of this research lies in addressing a critical methodological gap within digital heritage studies by introducing a geometry-based reconstruction technique specifically created for data-scarce heritage contexts often excluded from approaches reliant on rich archival or photogrammetric datasets. The proposed method integrates limited data within a transparent, evidence-based process that presents both the reliability level and the interpretive assumptions behind each modelling decision. By producing a historically grounded and immersive digital environment, the approach responds to the technical and ethical challenges of representing lost heritage, reinforcing discussions on interpretive accountability, community memory, and intercultural dialogue. Ultimately, this interdisciplinary and ethically informed methodology positions digital reconstruction as both an analytical and communicative tool—an adaptable model for documenting, responsibly interpreting, and conveying heritage that has been physically lost but remembered for its cultural significance and is under threat from urbanisation or environmental change. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd.