Multimodal Dissemination for Vanished Architectural Heritage: A Case Study of the Weixian Opera Theater Stage

Abstract

Recreating vanished architectural heritage while incorporating public accessibility remains a core challenge in cultural preservation. Here we present a unified multimodal framework that integrates evidence-based computational reconstruction with multimodal dissemination, using the Weixian City God Temple—Opera Theater Stage (1752–1951) in northern China as a case study. Within this framework, historical records were converted into parametric rules, component uncertainty was explicitly represented, paradata was documented through open-access platforms, and the reconstructed content was deployed through augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). The reconstruction results demonstrate that the proposed framework facilitates transparent communication. In the exploratory evaluation, VR received higher ratings than AR for perceived heritage understanding and dissemination effectiveness, while engagement showed no significant difference. These preliminary findings indicate the project’s potential to support the sustainable inheritance of lost historic buildings and their intertwined tangible and intangible cultural heritage.