In one of his recent articles Stefano Bernuzzi in Archinfo took stock of the current situation of architecture and design in the virtual world of Second Life. The article made us reflect a lot and now we strongly recommend it to every fan of architecture and architecture professionals.

After covering interesting competitions and experiments that took place recently, the article moves on to review the most common opportunities and problems featuring the metaverse. Firstly, Bernuzzi bemoans how only very few architects still have demonstrated a knack of capturing the potential of Second Life, in terms of experimental platform, where to introduce and test radically creative and innovative solutions; and, not to mention, in my opinion, the planning of virtual spaces destined to three-dimensional “experiences” which can only happen in the metaverse and cannot consequently be emulations and prototypes of the “real life”. Secondly, what we have seen so far hardly moves away from the archetype and concepts of “real” architecture, which are often based on destinations of use restrictions, actually disappearing in the virtual world to make room for other bonds. Nevertheless, the article unfailingly points out how in the “Linden Economy” (which, in reality is not all that “virtual”) architectural planning and the realisation of buildings is becoming one of the most sought-after and profitable activities and therefore prospectively highly competitive. In short, we need to get a move on.

In light of all this, we believe it essential for a company which produces architectural and building materials, such as ours, and in particular for its creative laboratory, which by definition is constantly striving to seek aesthetical innovation, to be open to the many opportunities of the virtual architecture. We need to force ourselves away from this traditional “material” culture and attempt a new conceptualization of the ceramic product that shifts from a tangible object (the “pallet” logic) to a pure aesthetic object (the “file” logic).

We have already spoken of the trust Refin and DesignTaleStudio have put into “metaverse architecture” as a platform for creative experimentation, as a test-bed to launch new products. Our very own “Meta Design” was our first “attempt” into the world of “virtual porcelain stoneware slabs” for wall cladding and flooring in Second Life. Our work carries on, parallel to the development of the “rendering engine” of the metaverse of Linden Labs: we are positive that new really innovative and useful solutions for “virtual architecture” will only be possible after the creation of truly convincing interior and exteriors. In the next few days we will share a few observations worked out during our experience in Second Life in the hope they will be helpful for all architects currently facing virtual worlds.

Technorati Tags: 3d, archinfo, architecture, bernuzzi, business, ceramics, design, designtalestudio, metaverse, second life, virtual architecture

Pubblicato il 4 September 2007 da Alberto in Second Life | |