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Context and presentation of the conference The Art, Music, Heritage, Environment, and Society Laboratory of the The Higher Institute of Arts and Crafts of Gabès, University of Gabès in collaboration with The Laboratory of Governance, Atmosphere, and Urban Development of the National School of Architecture and Urbanism of Tunis, at the University of Carthage, Invites you to the 2nd edition of the international and interdisciplinary conference on Digital innovation and Heritage preservation IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND SUSTAINABILITY: RETHINKING HERITAGE THROUGH ART, DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE, AND MUSIC « PATR’INNOV 2026 »Conference objectives This international and interdisciplinary conference focuses on immersive technologies that are playing a crucial, radically transforming the way we conceive products, spaces, and experiences related to the promotion of tangible and intangible cultural heritage. This evolution is driving transitions and transformations in the creative process, offering considerable benefits and redefining the standards of conceptual innovation. The PATR'INNOV 2026 international conference is positioned as a key event at the crossroads of advanced technologies and cultural heritage. Its goal is to bring together researchers, practitioners, artists, and experts of (ICCs) to explore and share their knowledge, experiences, and scientific findings related to immersive and intelligent technologies. This conference will highlight how extended reality (XR), artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, serious games, and metaverses are revolutionizing conservation, artistic creation, mediation, and the experience of cultural heritage. These innovations are opening the path to the hybridization of physical and virtual spaces, the transformation of artistic expression, and a new aesthetic of interactivity. They offer new perspectives for a more dynamic, interactive, and inclusive approach to heritage, both tangible and intangible. They act as powerful vectors of innovation, enabling us to reconsider creative processes and the transmission of knowledge. Today, they are a leverage for human-centered approaches, where design thinking, artificial intelligence, and interactive storytelling are combined with historical and artistic knowledge. Indeed, XR applications can support sustainable cultural tourism by facilitating access to the preservation and authentic interpretation of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage, while strengthening communication and marketing to address issues related to access to information, accessibility, sustainability, and authenticity. This conference examines on-site, off-site, and hybrid XR applications that promote sustainable cultural tourism through innovative, user-centered, and engaging approaches to enhance cultural heritage assets. We invite the scientific community, the entrepreneurs, and professionals in the cultural and creative industries (ICCS) to collaborate, exchange ideas, and submit contributions presenting theoretical and empirical research on the design of user experience, co-creation, case studies, immersive storytelling and interpretation, behavioral change, impact assessment, future critical reflection, and emerging trends related to XR’s implications and applications for preserving threatened cultural resources and the promotion of sustainable and responsible visitor behavior patterns. PATR'INNOV 2026 invites a deep reflection of a central question: how do immersive tools promote sustainability, understanding, and accessibility of cultural heritage in a world of change? Topics
The topics show how virtual and mixed environments deepen heritage understanding, energize the visitor experience, and foster collaboration across disciplines and economic actors. This technological and cultural convergence also opens the way for new models of participation, education, and social inclusion while addressing the ethical and ecological dimensions of these technologies. Multimodal immersion redefines our relationship with the past and present, turning heritage into a living, shared space.
In short, PATR'INNOV 2026 aims to be a privileged space for dialogue and innovation, enabling us to think together about the preservation, promotion, and dissemination of cultural heritage at the beginning of a digital era where the frontiers between the real and the virtual are breaking down, offering enriched and sustainable experiences. THEMATIC SESSION 1: XR AND IMMERSIVE SENSORY EXPERIENCES IN VISUAL ARTS, MUSIC, DESIGN, AND CULTURAL MEDIATION. XR technologies (virtual, augmented, and mixed reality) are revolutionizing sensory dimensions by offering immersive, multisensory, and multidimensional experiences across art, music, design, and cultural mediation. This research area focuses on the study of individual works and creations, focusing on the uniqueness of artists and creators. to understand how XR technologies enrich and redefine creative processes and individual aesthetic experiences, rather than on collective or purely institutional devices. In the artistic field, XR offers the potential to broaden modes of plastic expression by integrating the body, space, and time into the conception and reception of works, transforming the frontal relationship between the viewer and the artwork into a dynamic and participatory interaction (Wanjiku, J. (2024). López-Rodríguez, M. et al. (2025). Thanks to rapidly advancing virtual restoration technologies (3D modeling, photogrammetry, laser scanning, artificial intelligence, etc.), it is now possible to digitally reconstruct the original appearance of works and propose virtual restoration scenarios. This virtualization promotes multidisciplinary and international collaboration around heritage objects, allowing researchers and the public to explore various hypotheses while ensuring the authenticity and scientific accuracy of the reconstructions, the durability of digital formats, the preservation of copyright, and the transmission of historical context (Klink et al., 2022, Pietroni, E., & Ferdani, D. (2021) , without risking the original work. Immersive scenography in extended reality (XR) transforms the musical experience through new forms of sensory interactivity, sound spatialization, and participatory experiences. By considering sound space as a dynamic architectural element, it creates three-dimensional environments where sound evolves with visitor movement and interaction, blurring the boundaries between passive listening and immersive performance (Hedges, J., Sazdov, R., & Johnston, A. (2024). Nagele, A. N., et al. (2021). Thanks to artificial intelligence and advanced spatialization, narrative content can adapt in real time, enabling personalized cultural mediation and more inclusive, engaging experiences while rethinking how heritage is shared and knowledge is disseminated to diverse audiences (Zhang et al. (2024)). Thus, XR sound design becomes an autonomous narrative device, orchestrating emotions, sensations, and memories within a multisensory and participatory universe, offering a non-linear, enriching experience that enhances knowledge transmission and historical awareness, and strengthens emotional engagement and memorization (Partarakis, N.; Zabulis, X. A.(2024). XR design is an essential lever for rethinking immersive experiences, integrating technical, creative, and cultural aspects to create stimulating and engaging interactive experiences . Unlike user-centered design, participatory design is based on co-creation, where users, experts, designers, and the heritage community collaborate to co-design innovative multisensory immersive environments, where the visual, auditory, tactile, and sometimes olfactory senses intertwine. Interaction design thus aims to transform the frontal relationship between visitors and heritage, enhancing interactivity, immersion, and engagement. Konstantakis and Caridakis (2020) emphasize that co-creation fosters inclusion and intercultural dialogue, thereby renewing heritage mediation. This theme invites critical reflection on:
In particular, it addresses universal accessibility, the sustainability of digital content, and environmental and social impacts, in order to ensure responsible, sustainable, and respectful cultural tourism (Li J, Wider W, Ochiai Y., and Fauzi MA. (2023). THEMATIC SESSION 2 : HERITAGE INNOVATION THROUGH (DIGITAL TWIN) AND INTELLIGENT VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS. Digital twins applied to cultural heritage represent represent a sustainable, resilient approach to heritage management. At the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and extended reality (XR), these technologies enable real-time predictive monitoring by integrating sensors, 3D surveys, images, and other multisensory data. It allows accurate, up-to-date modeling of cultural assets (e.g., European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage - ECHOES, 2024; Siliutina et al., 2024), anticipating deterioration, guiding restoration scenarios, and optimizing conservation interventions, for better resource use (Agence WebGram, 2025; Intent Tech, 2025). They provide managers with accurate information on environmental conditions, structural integrity, and climate risks to support sustainable conservation (MITI CNRS, 2025, Meritis. (2025). Beyond preservation, digital twins are redefining cultural mediation practices with personalized immersive and interactive experiences, enabling a better contextual and historical understanding of heritage sites. These technologies support reconstruction of ancient sites and artifacts, restoration, education, and social innovation, fostering collective involvement, co-creation of content, and improved visitor experiences. They strengthen public engagement (Mashaly, M. (2021), heritage education and cultural democratization through virtual tours, interactive exhibitions, and immersive historical reconstructions (Agence WebGram, 2025), integrating visual data with sound and gesture to promote intangible heritage such as artisanal skills (ArcheoSon Hypotheses, 2023). Contributions to this theme will emphasize interdisciplinary combining advanced digital models and artificial intelligence, promoting research, education, and cultural mediation. Researchers will address data integration, accuracy, scalability, and environmental factors (temperature, humidity); plan conservation interventions; and consider ethical implications of virtual representations. They will envision innovative, sustainable solutions for safeguarding and experiencing local cultural heritage. Researchers and practitioners in the field of cultural heritage will discuss:
THEMATIC SESSION 3: METAVERSE AND SERIOUS GAMES: TOWARDS IMMERSIVE AND PARTICIPATORY EXPERIENCES FOR CULTURAL TOURISM The metaverse and serious games are transforming cultural tourism by delivering immersive, participatory experience, as designed, experienced, and promoted. These digital environments, stimulate cognitive and emotional engagement, promote experiential learning and remote collaboration, and the formation a learning community around heritage. (Dirox, 2025). As an immersive digital ecosystem, the metaverse enables the creation of virtual destinations, augmented tours, and interactive digital twins, facilitating personalization, co-creation, and intercultural exchanges, while making heritage more accessible to diverse audiences (Barten, M. (2024). Digitization reduces the need for physical visits, helping to prevent overcrowding, wear and tear, and the travel-related carbon footprint—crucial for sustainable cultural tourism. Megacities like (Seoul Metaverse Seoul (2023), showcase interactive experiences and rich cultural activities, reflecting the growing digitalization of tourism. Local initiatives, such as (Africa Metaverse (2022), aim to promote African cultural heritage (tangible, intangible, natural) through gamified experiences that connect countries continent-wide and create a shared virtual ecosystem. The metaverse can complement or replace certain in-person physical experiences by enabling remote concerts, workshops, sales, and exhibitions. Visitors explore historical narratives via themed NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) and engage in interactive games, bringing heritage to life in an enjoyable way. Serious XR games offer clear educational and cultural benefits: immersive, interactive environments support experiential learning (Bouko, C., 2015), and allow deep exploration of heritage through gamified scenarios. The integration of XR and AI enhances interactivity and immersion, making content engaging and memorable(Cecotti, H. (2024)), boosting motivation and engagement, and improving knowledge transfer and interest in heritage (Ali, M. (2024).. From a legal perspective, these technologies raise important issues, especially around intellectual property. Indeed, the digitization and virtual reproduction of works require the preservation of creators' copyrights while regulating commercial exploitation (e.g., via NFTs). Furthermore, the regulation of virtual spaces—still emerging—must protect personal data, user safety, platform governance, and editorial responsibility. Addressing these challenges is essential for a sustainable and reliable ecosystem for cultural and tourism stakeholders and for ethically deploying these technologies. This theme invites original articles on metaverse and serious games in XR environments, highlighting a dynamic technological and cultural field for sustainable, inclusive tourism that reconfigures heritage experiences and related educational, cultural, and professional practices. Submissions may cover, but are not limited to:
THEMATIC SESSION 4: XR AND AI FOR ARCHITECTURE: MANAGING INNOVATION AND ETHICAL IMPACTS. The convergence of AI and XR in the architectural field opens up unprecedented opportunities for designing intelligent, adaptive, and human-centered architectural spaces. AI enables real-time concept automation, parametric modeling of complex forms, and user-specific project adaptation (Adeusi, T. S., et al. 2024). Technically, AI integrated with XR environments supports volumetric planning, environmental constraint analysis, regulatory verification, and energy optimization, contributing to more sustainable and efficient buildings. It also enables the automatic generation of immersive, interactive, and personalized projects (Janosik, S. M. (2022) fostering collaboration, informed decision-making, reducing manual modeling, and enabling dynamic simulations that enhance design flexibility and visual communication ( Zhang, K., & Fassi, F. (2024)). This human-machine collaboration opens new avenues for architectural co-creation, where algorithms assist creativity while adapting to user preferences and requirements and enabling the customization of space. It also raises raises ethical concerns about data security, algorithmic transparency, and bias prevention, requiring ethical governance to ensure inclusive, responsible, and sustainable architecture that balances innovation with human expertise (FORMES (2025)). We cordially invite researchers, architects, designers, and practitioners in the field of architecture to submit contributions in order to explore the synergies between XR technologies, AI, and HBIM and to reflect on:
THEMATIC SESSION 5: MUSEUMS IN SEARCH OF NEW FEELINGS: SCRIPTING PARTICIPATORY EXPERIENCES CENTERED ON THE USER EXPERIENCE. This research area investigates museum itineraries and institutional strategies deployed to reinvent the visitor experience. Inspired by the principles of design thinking and user-centered methods, this approach places immersion, interaction, co-creation, and the emotional and cognitive engagement of the public at the heart of museum practices (Manghisi, V. M. et al., 2018). Indeed, immersive technologies have transformed museums into innovative and participatory visitor spaces, where immersive storytelling and scenography, combined with XR technologies, create innovative sensory and emotional mediation. Visitors become Visitors become active agents in heritage discovery rather than passive spectators. Furthermore, smart interactive devices and data-collection technologies (feedback, eye tracking, biometrics) enable museums and cultural institutions to continually adapt and personalize their offerings (Making Smarter Museums Through New Technologies, 2022). This adaptation optimizes satisfaction, loyalty, understanding, and memorization of cultural content (Lian, J. (2025)). In addition, multisensory stimulation (visual, auditory, tactile) and "smart" exhibitions promote democratization, social inclusion, and collective creativity. Thus, museum visits become shared social and cultural acts, turning museums into spaces for dialogue, co-creation, and social innovation. Ultimately, the design and implementation of participatory visitor experiences is an essential lever for situating museums within an ethical and social framework where emotion, interactivity, co-construction, and social responsibility renew profoundly the value of cultural heritage in a dynamic digital society. (Sepe, F. & Marzullo, M. (2022). This theme explores new approaches to scripting participatory museums experiences, emphasizing technological and artistic innovations that place the visitor at the center , as well as design and evaluation challenges and prospects for more immersive and inclusive cultural mediation. Through interdisciplinary approaches, this thematic addresses the following questions:
The aim is to understand how museums can renew their offerings to meet contemporary needs while leveraging new technologies to their full potential Scientific coordinators
Héla Ben Maallem: Assistant Professor at the Higher Institute of Arts and Crafts, Gabes University. Ferdaws Belcadhi : Associate Professor at the National School of Architecture and Urbanism of Tunis Submission deadlines
Once anonymized, abstracts will be submitted to the scientific committee for double-blind review. Each final article received will be evaluated using the same double-blind principle. Modality and guidelines of submission
Submitted articles must be original and must not have been previously published or currently under review for publication elsewhere. Acceptance will be based on the article's contribution to the field, the originality of the ideas, methodological rigor, clarity of results, and significance. Only articles submitted via the online submission system and formatted in accordance with the conference guidelines will be considered for review and publication. For the abstract: The abstract must not exceed 2000 words (excluding references) and must be structured according to the following headings: Introduction, Problem Statement, Methods, Results, and Implications. Submissions will be evaluated according to specific criteria of originality, methodological rigor, and thematic relevance. Patr'Innov 2026 accepts two types of articles: Long paper (From 11 to 20 pages) Short paper (From 6 to 10 pages) Researchers are required to specify the type of article they wish to submit (full paper or short paper) in their summary submissions. For the final submission: 1- Full papers must present a rigorous theoretical and practical reflection that advances the state of the art (action research, creative research, project research). Full papers will be published in the conference proceedings and presented as oral presentations at the conference. 2- Short papers (posters) should highlight ongoing work, research at an early stage, current projects, or case studies. Accepted short papers will be published in the conference proceedings and presented as scientific posters during the conference. 3- Submissions in Arabic, English, and French are accepted. Regardless of the language, the research document should include both an English abstract and an Arabic abstract. 4- The research document and its abstract must be prepared using Word, with font size 16 for the Arabic language and Times New Roman font size 12 for Latin languages. 1- References must be formatted according to the APA standard / APA Style Common Reference Examples 2- Researchers are required to respect the guidelines concerning the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies when preparing abstracts and articles for conferences. To submit a paper, please register on the conference website. https://techimmersives.sciencesconf.org/ Articles submitted outside the conference platform will not be accepted. If you have any questions, please contact the scientific director of the conference: hela.benmalem@isamgb.u-gabes.tn Accepted and presented articles will be published after a rigorous peer review process in conference proceedings, details of which will be communicated at a later date.
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