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Zaha Hadid Architects Venture Into Metaverse

Zaha Hadid Architects and ArchAgenda share a view of their now opened METROTOPIA metaverse – find out more:

Photo courtesy of ©Zaha Hadid Architects


METROTOPIA
is an innovative metaverse enterprise that has been launched by Zaha Hadid Architects and ArchAgenda, which is situated in Chicago. METROTOPIA is committed to become the virtual networking hub for the worldwide design community.

The “Metrotopia Metaverse” was introduced to the public with a virtual Venice Architecture Biennale exhibition titled “Knowledge Transfer.” The exhibition featured current works from some of the most prestigious architecture studios in the world, such as OMA, Morphosis, Coop Himmelb(l)au, UnStudio, MAD, Sou Fujimoto, Archi-Union, LAVA, CAP, EcoLogic Studio, and ZHA. Other notable participants included ZHA.

Photo courtesy of ©Zaha Hadid Architects
Photo courtesy of ©ZHA

We have invited leading firms to feature their most future-oriented work inside Metrotopia. Some of us noted that recent Biennales diverged from presenting the major architectural designs of our time. Our idea therefore is to foreground architecture’s actual contribution to urban development, in its most advanced incarnations.” shared Zaha Hadid Architects principal Patrik Schumacher explains

“The Laboratory of the Future” is the overarching concept that was proposed by Lesley Lokko for the 18th Venice Architecture Biennale, and this show is a response to that theme. A physical exhibition at Palazzo Ca Zenobio hosted by the New York Institute of Technology and presenting student works from numerous colleges of architecture is part of the Metrotopia segment of the Architecture Biennale collateral event. CityX is a swarm of virtual pavilions that are hovering above Venice and displaying the research work of architecture teachers from around the world. In the latter part of this year, Metrotopia will also make a contribution to the Chicago Architecture Biennial.

“While early adopters have been those in the ecosystem who are pioneering Web 3.0 via NFTs, or via metaverse designs, there can be no doubt that the metaverse as an immersive web that enables spatial browsing navigation, real-time multi-user interaction and crowd experiences will take off with everybody onboarding soon enough. Once adoption crosses a certain threshold irresistible network effects will be unleashed. Metrotopia stands ready to anticipate and embrace this moment,” adds Patrik Schumacher

Photo courtesy of ©ZHA

The Metrotopia Metaverse is a multi-player virtual environment that was created using Unreal Engine 5. It features spatial sound for authentic communicative engagement within a lifelike setting, which enables the personality and quality of designed objects and settings to be depicted in an accurate manner. Mytaverse serves as both a technological partner and a hosting platform for Metrotopia.

In its pursuit to become a virtual city and a creative culture-industry hub for the larger design ecosystem, Metrotopia brings together all design disciplines. These include urban design, architecture, interiors, furniture design, product design, fashion design, and graphic design. Also included are related schools, galleries, museums, exhibitions, Design weeks, Biennales, awards, and conferences, as well as related publishing houses, magazines, and web-media.

While we are transferring the technology developed by the gaming industry, Metrotopia leaves all associations with video-gaming behind. Our audience are creative professionals looking to expand their cultural communication, global reach and ways of displaying, networking and collaborating,Schumacher notes additionally.

Photo courtesy of ©ZHA

ZHA has built the first incubator building and an initial urban center for Metrotopia, and there are now available intervisible spaces in the building. Soon, an increased number of architects and interior designers will collaborate to produce a cityscape that is multi-authored and diverse. This cityscape will give the kind of co-location synergies that are prized in the most active city districts.

Discover Metrotopia in our gallery

Project Team
Founders: Zaha Hadid Architects and ArchAgenda
Urban and Architectural Design of virtual environment lead: Patrik Schumacher

Metaverse Map Design

ZHA CODE: Jennifer Durand, Shajay Bhooshan, Vishu Bhooshan, Henry David Louth.
ZHVR:  Jose Pareja Gomez

Exhibition building Levels Design
ZHA CODE:
 Binru Wang, Jianfei Chu, Shajay Bhooshan, Vishu Bhooshan, Henry David Louth
ZHA IA: Bidisha Sinha, Chhavi Mehta, Marco Pavoni

Metaverse Integration for Unreal Engine
ZHVR: Jose Pareja Gomez
ZHA CODE:  Jennifer Durand, Keerti Manney
Metaverse Content Optimisation 
ZHA CODE:  Sergio Mutis, Keerti Manney, Jennifer Durand, Taeyoon Kim, Ling Mao, Henry David Louth, Vishu Bhooshan
ZHVR:  Jose Pareja Gomez

Documentation Graphics & Multimedia
ZHVR:  Jose Pareja Gomez
ZHA CODE: Taeyoon Kim, Jennifer Durand, Keerti Manney, Vishu Bhooshan, Henry David Louth, Shajay Bhooshan

ZHA Exhibitons and Archives Henry Virgin
Metrotopia Technology Partner and Hosting Platform Mytaverse

Cushing Terrell

The Wachholz College Center by Cushing Terrell

Casa JP by Arq. Pablo Gagliardo