Designing for the Metaverse: creating a VR utopia with FibreGuard

We all know that the digital world is rapidly evolving. And in the same way that we saw 3D digital renders transform the way designers visualise their creations, now the metaverse is set to revolutionise design.

Here, we explore some of the ways in which the metaverse is inspiring creativity and serving to ‘bridge the imagination gap’ in architecture and design.

What is the metaverse?

The metaverse is an immersive, virtual world in which digital versions of ourselves can interact with one another and the environment around us. The term was first coined in Neal Stephenson’s 1992 science fiction novel ‘Snow Crash’, but interest in the metaverse skyrocketed in October 2021 when Facebook announced its commitment to the concept and rebranded itself as ‘Meta’.

Although the metaverse still remains largely conceptual at this stage, many people believe it will inevitably become a new, 3D version of the internet with far-reaching implications for commerce, culture and creativity.

What does the metaverse mean for architecture?

With its virtually-created homes, shopping malls and cityscapes, the metaverse could be viewed as a threat to conventional architecture. However, many architects actually believe the reverse to be true. It could be argued that the metaverse represents a new arena with limitless possibilities. The platform will allow for enhanced design capabilities and improved communication.

Dialogue between architect and client, for example, could be greatly improved via the use of techniques such as virtual reality and augmented reality. New design iterations could easily be created and signed off, allowing for greater efficiencies, enhanced collaborations and swifter results.

“My thesis is that the design of the metaverse falls within the remit of the discipline of architecture and the wider design disciplines, not video game artists. The metaverse is where much of the architectural action and innovation will be happening in the coming period.” – Patrik Schumacher, Principal Architect, Zaha Hadid Architects

"Spark Creativity and Inspire Wonder": The Design of Crystal City

Felipe Escudero, principal architect of of Quito-based practice Estudio Felipe Escudero, recently launched Crystal City – his latest design for the metaverse.

Felipe Escudero’s futuristic vision features angular, icicle-like structures and The Crystal Tower, the tallest multipurpose tower in Decentraland, a prominent metaverse platform. Its unique central crystal shape and towering height of 167 meters make it a standout feature. The tower's design is reminiscent of a glacier, extending upward and outward in all directions, with an observation deck encircling one of its branches on the 16th floor.

Crystal City seeks to transcend the limits of the physical world by defying the constraints of gravity and material properties. It offers a unique, transcendent experience that is only possible in the digital realm. The impressive design spans approximately 6 hectares and will feature an array of facilities, including offices, stores, galleries, and event spaces.

Architectural design in virtual reality: endless possibilities

The metaverse offers architects a new frontier as far as design is concerned. Freed from the usual physical restrictions of gravity and materiality, creativity is unleashed and architects are at liberty to push the boundaries in terms of exciting, innovative design.

“The metaverse is a space where there are new opportunities for design. Here I can apply ideas that cannot exist in the real world, ideas that can provide inspiration and vision of what could be in the future, the physical world.” – Architect Felipe Escudero

Andrés Reisinger and Alba de la Fuente's Winter House: a step towards virtual architecture

‘The Winter House’ is a digital imagining of an elegant winter hideaway in the metaverse. Inspired by 1960s designs, architects Andrés Resinger and Alba de la Fuente have created a digital dwelling featuring pink and grey tones as well as natural materials such as concrete, glass and steel.

The designers of the "Winter House" sought to integrate indoor and outdoor spaces, creating a refuge that is both warm and inviting.

The design team took inspiration from early 1960s designs of Dieter Rams to propose a large concrete structure as the building's support that sprouts—or grows out of—the ground. Its floating floor is offset by the glass walls that run from floor to ceiling, flooding it with natural light.

Related Read: Digital prototyping: The future of sofa design

FIBREGUARD’S GROUNDBREAKING METAVERSE UTOPIAS

Here at FibreGuard, we pride ourselves on embracing innovation. One of the most notable ways in which we’ve achieved this is by digitising our fabrics to create ‘twins’ which can be incorporated into photorealistic 3D renders. Twinbru is the name of the service which allows our clients and partners to explore our fabric range digitally.

Inspired by the creative possibilities of the metaverse, we decided to challenge our 3D designers to create four utopian rooms for each of our brands – FibreGuard, FibreGuard Pro, FibreGuard Outdoor and FR-One's Inherently Fire Retardant Fabrics. Each virtual room needed to express the brand’s distinct personality, with each one allocated a specific colour palette. Incorporating scenes from the natural world, each utopia is populated with visuals from the Twinbru digital library and features a futuristic chair design.

Our hope is that these beautiful and ethereal images will inspire other 3D designers to go the extra mile creatively, as well as encouraging them to explore the possibilities of using digital assets such as Twinbru. Read more about our inspiring metaverse utopias.

Now is the time to embrace design as experiential creation – bringing dreams to life, igniting the senses, and evoking emotions. What creating the metaverse is showing us is that imagination has no limits.

Let’s go boldly forward. Explore what you can do with Twinbru today.