AR+AI = Augmented (Retail + Identity) for Historical Retail Heritage

From the cafés in the dreamlike square in Rimini depicted by Fellini in Amarcord to the movie theater in the village of Giancaldo depicted by Tornatore in Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, historic shops represent a rich and significant cultural heritage. The protection of historic shops is often the subject of specific dedicated regulations throughout the country, aimed at preserving their compositional identity and preventing the impoverishment of their urban image. In this context, starting from the analysis of future scenarios in the field of retail design, the proposed contribution aims to open new perspectives on the potential offered by the use of AR and AI technologies in the identity enhancement of the architectural heritage of historic shops. The idea, presented through a real case study, is that the concept of Augmented Retail can represent a strategy to achieve an Augmented Identity, changing the retail space from a ‘product window’ to an ‘experiential theatre’.