Built Stories: a Web-based and Mobile Information System for Community Led Heritage Asset Inventory and the Preservation of History, Culture and Built Heritage

The overarching aim of the study, of which the proposed MITACS funded work is part, is to determine if heritage designation impacts properties and to better understand some people’s support and other peoples resistance to designation. One aspect in particular concerns a building’s time-on-the-market (TOM). Although there have been studies on designation, there is a gap in academic literature that explains how heritage designation may impact a building’s TOM and how people’s perception of that factor influences their attitudes toward heritage conservation. Undertaking this research is significant as it attempts to add to the calculus of valuating heritage buildings and also future approaches to heritage policy. A key tool in relating to and interacting with people in communities is Building Stories a crowd source system for recording historic properties. It is through interaction with users of Building Stories that the intern will enhance the qualitative side of his research.

Faculty Supervisor:

Robert Shipley;Dan McCarthy

Student:

Partner:

WIDE Software Systems Corporation;Centre for Community Mapping

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Information and cultural industries

University:

University of Waterloo

Program: