New Perspectives and Usual Challenges: Present Technologies for Document Management in Architectural Heritage Conservation-Restoration Works

The lack of documentation regarding conservation-restoration works is a critical issue. This article emphasizes the impact of this deficiency on standardization and awareness of past processes, as well as on the development of new interventions and the implementation of preventive conservation plans; moreover, it sets forth an analysis of the current state, future trends, and potential of information management systems within the context of the concerns, needs, and professional practices in conservation-restoration. To achieve this, the work explores the retrieval, classification, contextualization, and interrelation of dispersed documents through the structuring of a database (DB) and proposes a conceptual framework that integrates three tools: a Catalogue of Document Typologies (CDT), a collaborative 3D workplace generated by Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM), and the semantic management through knowledge graphs—with a particular focus on how the information is generated as the result of specific actions defined and developed through projects. Next, it assesses whether the proposed technologies meet current conservation-restoration requirements, their additional features, and the challenges they present. To establish a scenario applicable to a broad range of heritage typologies, the implementation in the monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla, de Yuso (UNESCO World Heritage Site) is used as a case study. The results demonstrate the essential role of the CDT in structuring information within a project, the advantages of HBIM in data visualization and use, as well as in fostering collaboration among diverse disciplines and, ultimately, the advancement in formalizing knowledge through semantic management. Despite these favorable aspects, the research also highlights the need to enhance the interoperability, dissemination, and reuse of solutions to ensure their effectiveness. Finally, some training areas for conservation-restoration professionals are identified to leverage the benefits offered by these technological developments.