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Abstract:
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This thesis discusses and proposes a design for a new kind of web -based interface for the display of historical interpretation . The design , specifically for the interpretation of the now -demolished Texas Confederate Home for Men in Austin , Texas , uses this site as a case study to explore how original historical research can combine with and inform the design of a hypothetical open and dynamic on -line database of historic properties . The first half discusses the history of the Home's development , highlighting its significance as a relic of 19th century reform movements and social utopianism , while exploring how this relates to its physical isolation from the surrounding urban context . The second half discusses the scope of web -based historical interpretation and some conclusions about the limitations of current solutions . This chapter then discusses and proposes a series of web -based interactive diagrams illustrating the significance of the site's history identified in the previous chapter . The design attempts to bridge two competing desires in historical interpretation : the desire for rigorous yet static curated interpretation and the desire for an open non -curated data management system . |