A metaverse is a virtual world that exists on the internet and is accessible to anyone with an internet connection. It is a shared, online space where people can interact with each other and with digital objects. The metaverse is not a single world; it is made up of many different virtual worlds, each with its own rules and atmosphere. The Metaverse is a term coined by Neal Stephenson in his science fiction novel Snow Crash. It refers to a virtual reality simulation of the real world where people can interact with each other and digital objects. The Metaverse is also sometimes used to refer to the internet as a whole. The architecture of the Metaverse is still being developed, but it is already clear that it will be based on existing web technologies such as HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. The goal is to create a seamless transition between the real world and the virtual world.
Being able to construct buildings in a three-dimensional virtual space has always been an attractive feature in videogames. Earlier games such as the popular Roller Coaster Tycoon series, debuting in 1999, has allowed us to build up theme parks and attractions within that can be tweaked to our own preferences. In a similar vein are The Sims (debuting in 2000) which allowed us to build homes for our virtual families, complete with interior decor arrangements. Even the Tony Hawk skateboarding series allowed us to build skate parks to suit our skating needs beginning with Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 in 2000.
This love and interest in 3D virtual buildings has followed through into the exponentially increasing interest in web3 and the metaverse. Tony Hawk himself has not forgotten about his skate parks and recently announced that he has plans to build the metaverse’s biggest skate park. He will be hosting this skate park in the Sandbox metaverse, which runs on the Ethereum blockchain. He has partnered with Autograph, a web3 company, to create NFTs based on Tony Hawk and his skateboards, equipment and apparel. His skatepark will not only be hosting virtual skaters to skate there, it will also have many features within in to make the experience interactive and interesting, not just for skaters but also for other visitors. In this way, the skate park will also be partially an amusement park. He also plans to rent or sell smaller plots of land within his skate park for other businesses to advertise in or set up shop in.
With big plans to integrate virtual reality into metaverse projects, many other developers are looking to build up different facilities in the metaverse. In an attempt to create a quiet space for self-reflection, meditation and spirituality, The Trillionaire Life, an online/ social media platform for showcasing the luxury life is building a meditation and yoga monastery in the Sandbox. Membership into this monastery is, of course, through owning one of the items in their NFT project, simply called “nftgurus”. Membership accords a whole host of privileges, such as lifetime access to games and events in metaverse, celebrity meetups, business dinners, yoga events, guest speaker events, meditation events and networking parties to be hosted virtually or IRL (in real life). Of course, this monastery is meant to be for the upper echelon of society, but I’m sure we will be seeing monasteries which have public utility for the rest of us in the future.
Some developers have even bigger ambitions than that. The metaverse takes pride in being decentralised, and part of that decentralisation includes little to no censorship. This is why OpenSea allows NFTs of adult content to be uploaded, and that is the main reason why DTube (the web3 version of YouTube) (https://d.tube/) was created. In the same vein, a separatist group has set up space in the metaverse. The Free Republic of Liberland is a self-proclaimed micro-nation that sits on the disputed territory between Croatia and Serbia. Croatia and Serbia has had a long standing feud for a long time, fuelled by religious and political differences. The parcel of land that is being disputed upon sits in the real world area called Danube. In real life, the area is undeveloped, has no infrastructure and no residents.
DTube – a decentralized video service
Leading this project to build a virtual nation for this disputed parcel of land are Zaha Hadid Architects (a British architecture firm). They are intending to build up the virtual piece of land into a modern city. It will feature designs that are going to be unencumbered by the laws of physics and building/ zoning laws of modern polities. And just as royalties of the past had summer homes, the metaverse too will feature luxury virtual homes for people who can afford them. KEYS Token, a start-up web3 company focused on web3 real-estate and luxury-asset transactions, is launching the Meta Mansions, a “gated” residential community. There will be 8,888 luxury mansions built within the KEYS Metaverse. The metaverse itself was built using the Unreal Engine 5, a gaming design platform that has also been used by other 3D designers to create animations and interactions. “Residents” can enjoy their new homes via virtual reality headsets and decorate them with assets that can be purchased from KEYS.
So why do buildings matter in the metaverse? For one, the metaverse is not just a digital platform. We have seen many digital platforms over the years since public access to the internet has been granted. We have seen websites being built by companies in the Web 1.0 era that served as the main source of information and content for users. We have seen social media platforms launched in the Web 2.0 era which democratised content and put it in the hands of the user. Along the way, payment gateways were integrated into websites and catalogues uploaded to make e-ccommerce more convenient. The user experience was elevated by having catalogues uploaded, so that they no longer have to imagine what a certain item would look like. It also reduced the risk of getting a product they didn’t want on the part of the user, and increased sales for the e-commerce company. By having a paymen gateway, the user flow was shortened. A payment gateway served as a point-of-sales, making payment easier to be sent and received. The aesthetics of online platforms too changes considerably. From the earlier text-based classifieds of Gumtree and Craigslist, we now have more aestheically designed e-commerce sites like Carousell and Lazada. The improved aesthetics served to increase the user experience and the pleasure accorded with using these online platforms.
These similar principles could be applied to the metaverse too. With plans for immersiveness via VR headsets, the metaverse is set to create visual, sonic and perhaps other sensory experiences for the user. Buildings in the metaverse would not only attract users to join in the metaverse, but also to stay within the metaverse to engage with the activities there. In such an immersive space, buildings will be the most prominent way in which a company’s corporate identity is shown. A company’s branding would be greatly enhanced, as users walk around the metaverse, by seeing its advertisement on virtual billboards, as well as the virtual buildings which host the business within.
In conclusion, a metaverse is a shared, online space that allows people to interact with each other and with digital content. It is a growing trend that is becoming more and more popular as the technology improves. This architecture provides a foundation for creating virtual reality experiences that can be used for social, educational, and business purposes. The Metaverse will continue to evolve as technology advances and more people become aware of its potential. If you’re looking for an immersive online experience, then a metaverse is definitely something you should check out. .
