Situated Lightness: A Local-First WebAR Framework for Democratizing Digital Heritage in Rural China

Abstract

Digital interventions in rural heritage sites often face a "double bind": the high-fidelity technologies (e.g., Native Apps, VPS) required for immersive storytelling are incompatible with the infrastructural realities of rural environments. This mismatch leads to "digital exclusion" and unsustainable deployment. In this paper, we present a Research through Design (RtD) inquiry into the "Nanshe Ancient Village" project. Through an iterative in-situ prototyping process, we developed a "Local-First WebAR" architecture that leverages infrastructural constraints as design resources. We articulate the "Situated Lightness" Framework, which comprises three dimensions: 1) Technological Permissibility, utilizing mapless geospatial calculation and hysteresis state machines to ensure resilience in disconnected zones; 2) Interactional Friction, reframing browser autoplay restrictions as "rituals of consent" to foster volitional engagement; and 3) Socio-Technical Accessibility, adopting a zero-installation, static-hosting model to democratize access for resource-constrained communities. Our findings demonstrate that "Appropriate Technology"-rather than high-tech acceleration-offers a more ethical and scalable pathway for re-enchanting public spaces and combating digital alienation.

Keywords: Appropriate Technology, Local-first Software, Infrastructural Inversion, Research Through Design, Digital Heritage, Rural Computing.

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007987