Conceptual Model for the Digital Documentation of Architectural Heritage in the Context of the Historic Urban Landscape: A Case Study of Almaty

Intensive urbanization and the transformation of historic urban environments require broader approaches to the digital documentation of architectural heritage. Existing digital platforms predominantly document individual architectural objects, while insufficiently representing their relationships with the natural, spatial, and sociocultural context. This study develops a conceptual model for the digital documentation of architectural heritage based on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach, using Almaty, Kazakhstan, as a case study. The research included a survey of 200 residents, an analysis of the ArchiCode database and four tourism-related online resources, adaptation of HUL principles, and expert evaluation of the initial model. The results showed that, within the study sample, perceptions of Almaty encompassed not only architectural objects but also the natural landscape, green and water infrastructure, public spaces, and place-related memory. The proposed model comprises a basic level documenting the architectural object and a HUL-based contextual level representing its relationships with the historic urban landscape. Expert evaluation of the initial model by 12 experts yielded Aiken’s V values of 0.94–0.96. The model was subsequently refined based on the experts’ recommendations. Further research is required to test its practical applicability in digital environments and other historic cities.