What opportunities are there for architecture and urban planning in the Metaverse?
The Metaverse offers a range of new job opportunities and skillls for architects to thrive in. Since it is an emerging market where creativity without restrictions is the norm, many architects may be attracted by the freedom to design buildings beyond physical or bureaucratic impediments. Architecture in the metaverse will also allow for testing future real life buildings or for property viewings, and many architecture firms and other businesses have already shown interest in these elements of the Metaverse, and wish to merge Metaverse and real-life architectural techniques. Urban planning in the Metaverse has already been implemented by governments to cut through bureacratic redtape and envision fairer and better organised cities.
Demand for architecture in the Metaverse is in high demand, since tenents and owners of land parcels want to enhance their property and make it a space where they can perform day-to-day activities and invite others over for socialising or networking. Since 3D modelling is already a part of real-life architectural design, many architects have looked at the Metaverse as the next frontier for creative design, based on form, visuals and enhanced interactions rather than simply providing shelter; bringing in tools commonly used in architecture such as S-Max, Houdini or Grasshopper. The grid layout of the Metaverse is ideal for fixed and exact measures but also for flexibility using percentages and the alignment of items, which is perfect for structuring urban settings in an intuitive way.
The Metaverse also provides more rewarding experiences for architects, who can make a revenue without going through large firms or relying on planning authorities to decide if they can launch their own projects. One of the most prominent group of architects in the business are Decentraland Architects, who have already worked on multi-million projects such as building stages for virtual Snoop Dogg concerts, and plan to build mental health clinics in the Metaverse.
Additionally, the Metaverse will enhance real-life elements in architecture such as teaching or conservation. By providing a fully immersive environment, students will be able to better visualize 3D models of architectural plans and interact with professors at a distance while still maintaining the advantages of in-person classes. Additionally, architects will be able to fullly recreate historical buildings and buildings in decay to preserve the cultural heritage of our cities.
Reputable architectural firms such as Zaha Hadid Architects have initiated multidisciplinary projects such as the one with PUBG Mobile to provide new gaming experiences where players can duel in interactive and immersive arenas. The parametric design, characteristic of Zaha Hadid, based on free-flowing shapes and inspired by computer algorithms, is particularly suitable for the conditions and the landscape of most Metaverse platforms. There have also been opportunities for real estate firms such as Everyrealm to manage the purchase, sale and renting of properties in the Metaverse through cryptocurrency. Even sports institutions such as the City Football Group, owners of Manchester City, have hired architects to design a virtual stadium that gives unlimited access to fans and freedom to choose any point of view and change seats in-game.
However, architecture and urban-planning in the Metaverse doesn’t limit itself to the private sector, and many municipal governments and even some national governments are starting to see benefits in the Metaverse to provide better access to services to their citizens. The most advanced case is the city of Seoul, where the Metaverse will serve as a method for planning efficient public works and redesigning street layout for traffic decongestion and avoiding overcrowding. It is also expected that by 2023 most bureaucratic services at the municipal level will be available in the Metaverse and citizens will be able to access this services in an intuitive way. Another example is the construction of the first metaverse embassy in the Decentraland by the Island Nation of Barbados, who expect to save spending in several physical embassies by providing consular services in the Metaverse.
At Metaseum we are fully aware of the importance of architects in designing our Metaverse in an efficient and aestheticly pleasing manner, and are already working with an architect with a high level of expertise in 3D modelling. They’re motivation for independent creation and innovation, finding in the metaverse a place to enhance creative capacity and interaction beyond the limits of the physical world, is of great help and inspiration to us when designing the ideal world for art and culture.
