From Documentation to Digital Memory: Temporal Layered Spatial Alignment for Cultural Heritage Reconstruction

Abstract

The Sarajevo City Hall suffered severe damage, particularly during the 1992–1995 Bosnian War, and has undergone a reconstruction process. This study aims for a multi-layered digital memory model and the Temporal Layered Spatial Alignment (TLSA) method to document the temporal transformation of cultural heritage buildings. The study consists of two stages: digital documentation and TLSA. In the first stage, a photogrammetric model-based digital inventory was created using physical, visual and historical data; in the second stage, images from different periods were aligned in terms of perspective and scale to analyse temporal changes. The findings demonstrate that the method systematically reveals temporal and spatial changes in cultural heritage and provides a reliable data infrastructure for long-term conservation. Consequently, the study concludes that TLSA goes beyond digital documentation to offer a practical decision-support approach for post-disaster conservation, the evaluation of reconstruction decisions, and sustainable heritage management.