The Metaverse and the World of the 21st Century: How can Architects and Artists adapt to a fast-changing digital World?

Abstract

The Metaverse as a concept is not a new idea. The term was first coined by Neal Stephenson in 1992 science fiction novel 'Snow Crash'; but Humankind has been wondering about other worlds and fantastical realities for millennia. With the advent of computers, the Internet, such virtual realities are becoming increasingly more possible through programming and 3D modelling. This dissertation embarks on a practical journey exploring and understanding the concepts tied to the Metaverse industry, so that architects and artists are able to help build, design, and envision this new world of the 21st century. From its inception and early proof-of-concepts, to the Metaverses of today, that are different from the yet to come Metaverses of tomorrow; whilst exploring other adjacent topics such as cryptocurrencies or the creation of architecture that would be physically impossible to exist through non-euclidean spatialities. In a world that is becoming more dominated by gamification processes and widespread use of Artificial Intelligence in our social and professional lives, this dissertation reflects upon an unavoidable revolution to come in the upcoming years.