Future Archeology

Enza Migliore, Yujing Ma，Yaohan ，Ran Che，Yujie Peng，Miao Zhang

Experiencing, Discussing, and Testing the Living Archive on the example of Hakka Culture

Shenzhen, a high-density and vibrant city in southern China, exemplifies the rapid transformation and development of urban regions. Since its rise in the 1980s, it has not formed a collective memory but instead reflects personal stories of individuals seeking opportunities from across the country.

The "Future Archaeology" research project, led by the Materialities Research Group at the School of Design, Southern University of Science and Technology, approaches the city as a future archaeological site. This project questions the effectiveness of traditional methods of historical reconstruction in our rapidly changing and interconnected society. Through community engagement and co-design, combined with digital tools and artificial intelligence, the research reimagines both real and fictional reconstructions.

We propose a speculative archive called the "Living Archive" to challenge and reimagine the exploration and accessibility of cultural heritage, ultimately offering a participatory approach to urban archaeology. By engaging with tangible, authentic materials and digital technologies, we question conventional narratives and reject single-perspective interpretations. Using open-source APIs and web technologies, we have developed a virtual domain to connect dispersed collections of materials and stories, encompassing regenerated data.

Focusing on the Hakka culture in the Pingshan community of Shenzhen, we aim to uncover hidden narratives and material dimensions through technological integration. By employing collaborative and speculative strategies, we aspire to connect historical elements with contemporary and future identities and actions, providing new insights into interaction design, ethnographic research, applied computing, and human-computer interaction.