ARCHITECTURE IN THE METAVERSE(?)

The ever evolving social and technological revolution has left us with more efficient ways of doing life, for those who embrace it, and for others, it feels increasingly like the world had moved on all of a sudden and left them far behind.

With all the talk of the metaverse after Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, got everyone talking about it in October 2021, there's been a lot of excitement to uncover what the metaverse really is about and its variant possibilities.

Could it mean more efficiency and opportunities for those in the AEC(Architecture, Engineering and Construction) industry, or is it just another fad which will soon fade? Strap in as I attempt to speculate a bit on this.

What Is The Metaverse?

The concept, or at least idea of the metaverse isn't as novel as we think it to be. In fact, the term "metaverse" has been around since 1992. That's like - uh, three flattering decades? Wo-ow. American novelist, Neal Stephenson coined the term in his sci-fi novel, "Snow Crash" where the term expressed the idea of a digitalized world evolving soon. Crazy, right? My guess is this dude's probably a little bit clairvoyant.

Anyways, he's probably on to his way to making tons of money as he's now working with Magic Leap to build the metaverse. Seems unreal, but it's true.

The metaverse is actually a digital utopia that seeks to duplicate reality in a virtual world using augmented reality, 3D, holographic avatars, VR and other communication forms. In the metaverse, real life users have personalized avatars that sort of duplicate their life in reality on the virtual space and creating whatever life they choose for themselves using these avatars. Think of it as something from movies like "Matrix" and "Ready Player One" where one can literally imagine anything and bring it to reality. It is a kind of extending your physical life virtually with all the imaginative adventures you always had.

With the metaverse, you can have enjoyable experiences with the ability to completely immerse you in them, as though you're actually experiencing them physically. You can do whatever you want just like on real life, and even more because all the limitations and restrictions of real life wouldn't be present. So you can work, play, drive, hang out in the metaverse.

Zuckerberg is not letting this slip through his fingers. His drive to see this work shines through his recent overhauling of his company name, from "Facebook Inc." to "Meta". He speculates that the metaverse heralds the evolution of a new era and that by the next decade, there will be at least a billion users in the metaverse.

So between that next decade and now, where do architects stand?

The Metaverse And Architects

The possibilities of digitalization has never been milked as it has since the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Thus, previously non-existent digital doors have been flung wide open for people to explore the wonders of the digital space. The shift from the physical economy to the digital has been massive, and everything as we have known it, from work culture to real estate to companies and even money has been altered.

The metaverse is one of such possibility housing in itself multiple possibilities as far as the mind can imagine. The pacesetters in the metaverse are industries like gaming, fashion, crypto and Hollywood. The good news is that there are possibilities too for those in the building industry.

With the notoriously bureaucratic nature of building, getting planning approvals, etc. coupled with the stressful, time-consuming rigours of the job, suffering creative burnout is normal for architects, in my experience with talking with architects over the years. Many of their designs get rejected and never materialize into real structures despite the labors and hours poured into such designs.

However, the metaverse is an untapped goldmine for architects. There no denying that bringing the dream-like fantasies the metaverse projects into reality requires the skill of architects. Users would require buildings and other places for the perfect experience in the metaverse, hence the demand for architects and designers.

While this may cause a leap in the hearts of architects, there's just a little caveat I'll like to put here. What we consider architecture in the metaverse is radically different from traditional architecture, with even different roles and skills.

Metaverse Architecture Vs. Traditional Architecture

There are a number of areas where architecture in the metaverse and traditional architecture intersect, but the disparities are a bit vast. Whereas the core of traditional architecture is concerned with providing shelter and enhancing daily activities, meta architecture will be streamlined to primarily visuals, form and geometry.

Again, there are lots of restrictions and physical factors that inhibit traditional architecture such as laws and building codes, climatic, soil and environment conditions and even human behaviors. Architecture in the metaverse are free of these inhibitions, making it very different from what has been the status quo.

The metaverse presents this creative release, practically taking off the gloves, bureaucracy and restrictions, whilst also being financially rewarding. Skills such as 3D modeling and even game design would be a helpful addition to your repertoire of skills.

A wise thing to do would be to form architectural design teams comprising of game designers, programmers and the like, so enhance their work and make the job easier for them.

Truth be told, the possibilities are endless for architects in the metaverse as currently demand for metal architecture has surpassed the supply and instead of just watching the revolution happening like a movie, architects should take the bull by the horn and go with the flow. There is need for many buildings, parks and recreation centers in the metaverse to give users a realistic experience.

With the NFT technology, architects can start creating content and building digital assets like cities, stores, sculptures, furniture, point clouds, etc and sell them over and over again to users on the metaverse.

Truly, with the metaverse, the opportunities are as endless as your mind can imagine. And architects should not be left behind.

Got any architectural or building project you need professionals for? Let's help you get started on it! You can speak with our professionals at JPC Design Consortium to get you started on your project today. We also give consultation services just in case you need some more information for your project. Contact us right away.