METAVERSE - HOW TO DESIGN THE NEW WORLD

Imagine sitting in a plain white room with no windows and no doors. And within a click of a button, you are now in the Bahamas enjoying the white sand and crystal clear water. And then another click, you're now underwater swimming with the sharks. I know this sounds like a scene from a Sci-Fi movie, but this could be our future thanks to The Metaverse. [You can also watch this blog as a video format here]

Before we dive too deep into the Metaverse, let's talk about what it is like to be an architect. As architects, we have tons of creative ideas ready to be used. We always want to experiment with different forms and new concepts and challenge the traditional design. But, in reality? Almost every client is on a tight budget, and most of the "creative" designs will stay on paper. It's either not practical, structurally impossible, or too expensive to build. And even if your design is lucky enough to get built, the construction will take years and cost a fortune.

Just take the example of the Taj Mahal that we discussed in a previous post. It took 22 years, 20,000 workers, and cost a whopping 1 billion US dollars just for the construction. There's a lot more to this story, so I will attach the link here to read if you haven't read the post. 

What is the Metaverse? 

So back to our topic, what is Metaverse? And what does it have to do with architecture? Metaverse might seem like a newly found word, but long before 1992, the American author Neal Stephenson already included the word "Metaverse" in his novel "Snow Crash." He believed that this is how the future will evolve into – an online virtual world that includes 3D holographic avatars, augmented reality, and immersive audio experience. In this virtual reality, people can design and create their digital avatars. This way, they can live parallel lives in a utopian world.

In the current social media world, you can feel the line between reality and virtual reality begin to blur a little bit. We set up profiles on Facebook only to show the best highlights in our life and make assumptions about someone else based on what they posted on their profile. So we shouldn't be surprised if this situation is magnified soon, except that it looks more surreal this time. 

In the Metaverse, everything feels and looks real. People can move between different spaces and have real-time interaction as their digital avatars. Companies can have meetings, students can learn in the classroom, and tourists can go to destinations without being there physically. Now celebrities like Marshmallow and Justin Bieber are seizing the opportunity to host concerts in Metaverse. 

What does the architecture look like in Metaverse?

People will need places to "stay" in Metaverse. As a result, most of them started trading virtual lands they own on platforms like Decentraland and Somnium Space. Even big companies are spending millions just to buy a plot of virtual land. Can you see where this is going? Data shows that the demand in meta-architectural firms has recently surpassed the supply, which means more and more architects are needed! Even Zaha Hadid Architects have recently announced their collaboration with PUBG, taking the gaming architecture industry to a whole new level. Other than that, there are a lot of meta-architecture startups like Illusor, Decentraland Architects, founded during the Metaverse hype in March 2021. 

As we mentioned earlier, in real life, architects need to consider the budget and practicality of the design. But here's the good news, The Metaverse will have no gravity, no budget constraints, and no Newton's law. In The Metaverse, architects will have the freedom to design however they like. They only have to focus on the visuals and users' experience. This way, every piece of design will be an authentic art, considered an NFT. Unlike in the real world, most modern buildings look identical across the world because it is simply the most cost-efficient way to build. Whether it's a condominium in Malaysia, an office building in New York, or a hotel tower in Dubai, they all look the same. These buildings could easily fit in any other location due to their lack of identity. But in The Metaverse, architects will get to unleash their wild imagination and creativity to bring out the best piece of art. 

Are architects ready for this change?

So do most of us architects have the skills required to design in the world of Metaverse? The answer is mostly yes. Architects understand how people interact with the built environment, and they implement design features to influence the users' emotions. This skill set is very useful in The Metaverse since users will transport from one space to another within seconds. So a well-designed space could help capture the users' attention and make their experience more enjoyable.

On top of that, most of us have 3D modeling and digital rendering skills. But we might need to have more professional knowledge in other fields, like game design and user interface, to enhance the users' virtual world experience. 

Will the Metaverse benefit the current architecture industry? 

Besides being a "virtual architect" in the virtual world, you might ask, how can we "real world" architects benefit from the Metaverse? Well, this virtual world might be able to save you from all those site visits that take up most of your working houses and will allow you to design real-life scale buildings. You will be able to collect data, build it in the Metaverse and be in the space yourself. Once the design is completed, you can invite the clients for a virtual visit to experience the building beforehand. The Metaverse and Virtual Reality will become a design tool to help clients and designers solve design problems before they occur, saving the team time and money during construction. 

Conclusion 

Despite the hype, there are still a lot of uncertainties and technology barriers to overcome. However, since big companies are starting to venture into the Metaverse space, I believe it is only a matter of time before the Metaverse becomes mainstream. Just like how Facebook and Instagram came into our lives in the 2000s, and now most of us can't go a day without them. 

Before we end this, here's a quick question, would you consider pursuing architecture in Metaverse? If so, why? Do let me know what you think in the comment section below.