Places of Possibility: Applying sensory methods to inspire inclusive, future oriented development and design of heritage.

This film introduces an interdisciplinary PhD research project that utilises principles of scenographic theatre design, more than-representational theory (Divya Tolia- Kelly 2006), and co-productive fieldwork practices to weave together sensory, cultural, and social responses to heritage sites.

By attending to the multiple ways that participants respond to heritage sites, the research explores the ways that neurodiverse and embodied entanglements with place are articulated (Ingold 2010). A scenographer reads and records the geometry and identity of a found space or purpose-built arena to understand its affective qualities to stimulate connection between performance, performers, and the audience through their design. The interplay between a heritage site’s identity and locale, its visitors, and its atmosphere, has a sensory affect that influences the nature of connection to, or rejection of, that site. This methodology combines creativity with inclusivity when considering how heritage might be regarded, sustained, managed, developed, and made relevant for future generations.