From digital representations to conservation: Intermedial representations of historic Harput settlement and their impact on heritage awareness

This study explores how digital and intermedial representations relate to perceptions and conservation awareness of historical places. Harput is examined as a case study to analyze relationships between digital visibility and aesthetic perception, historical awareness, and conservation attitudes. It employs a three-phase methodology that combines collecting user-generated digital content, mapping spatial visibility, and conducting experimental evaluations with images selected by visibility categories. Through thematic analysis of digital content, visibility levels of relevant spaces were classified as high , medium , and low categories. An experimental survey was conducted using visuals selected according to visibility categories. The findings revealed that participants' aesthetic perception and conservation tendency scores increased significantly as representation frequency increased. They indicate a strong association between digital representation intensity and perceptual evaluations of historical spaces. Overall, the research indicates the potential benefits of integrating digital visibility dynamics into conservation approaches for cultural heritage sites.