Brand Extensions For Architects
Design of The Metaverse
"The design of the metaverse is likely to follow rules; rules based on the types of interaction that users/visitors will want to pursue. What type of interaction will metaverse visitors want to pursue? Well, it is likely to be pretty much everything people do in RL (Real Life). They will want to get together in groups to hold discussions, listen to music, teach and learn, start romances, collaborate, exchange all forms of data and files, chat, ... It is likely that metaverse representations will likely look a lot like those in RL- your avatar will probably look like you (or a facsimile) rather than a ten storey action figure robot, say. Faces, facial expressions, body language and other forms of non verbal communication will still be very important. The places avatars hang out to pursue their goals will have at least some resemblance to RL. Humans will continue to be most comfortable interacting in places built for vertical ambulating, post-apes.These are spaces and places and faces that architects with their design skills, their technical skills and their art are comfortable designing. Architects should not give over the design of the metaverse to techies the way they have given over the design of our urban spaces in RL to unimaginative urban planners who have largely designed monocultured, soul destroying places. The Metaverse is tone of the new frontiers for architecture,"
Dr. Bruce M. Firestone, Thesis Supervisor (Emily Greenfield www.architype.ca), Carleton University School of Architecture, Ottawa, Canada. September 2001.