Abstract
The term metaverse was first used in the novel 'Snow Crash.' However, it has come into people's lives with the development of 3D design and visual techniques, machine computations, blockchain, and the internet. Companies and communities worldwide are launching their metaverse platform with diverse functions like trading, gaming, and socialization. The virtual spaces are designed, and virtual buildings or reconstructions of existing ones can be seen. The facts and laws of the universe that people live in directly affect their understanding, so developers generally tend to implement these into their virtual environments. However, the factors which shape and govern the real world are not valid in virtual environments. Thus, there are diverse possibilities in the metaverse. This chapter presents the metaverse and its platforms with definitions, usage, interfaces, and problems. It explores the facts of the universe and discusses gaps and lack of designing spaces and buildings in virtual environments by thinking about the possibilities in the metaverse.
TopIntroduction
3D modeling of buildings has been made for 50 years in the virtual environment to enrich the sights of objects before construction in the real world. Spaces, buildings, and some urban areas are geometrically constructed in the virtual world and used for different purposes. By exploring the relation, structural or electromechanical calculations are made, and it is tried to analyze the objects and relations. Furthermore, project stakeholders use diverse 3d rendering technology and methodology to reflect and evaluate the spaces and buildings. With the improvement in technology, especially in Building Information Modelling, semantic knowledge is related to geometrical objects of the 3D model, which makes advanced-level simulation or analysis possible (Li, Wu, Shen, Wang, & Teng, 2017). It is not only technology change but process change by enabling a virtual building represented by intelligent objects that carry detailed information; it alters all of the key processes involved in putting together (Eastman, Teicholz, Sacks, & Liston, 2008). Scheduling, cost calculations, energy analyses, light and life cycle simulations, and experiences with virtual or augmented reality are some possibilities that designers and industry consider. With initial and essential fact, the spaces or buildings developed and created in the virtual environment are somehow copies or twins of designed objects for the real world. These digital twins can monitor, simulate, predict, or optimize (Tao, Xiao, Qi, Cheng, & Ji, 2022). In other explanations, these buildings are tried to be designed for the real world actually or experimentally due to the primary laws and principles of Earth. For example, gravity, the reaction of forces, the scale of human or living beings, physical needs of living beings, and perception in the real world. In this manner, the copies or twins in the virtual environment naturally have features or behaviors parallel to the real world. In addition, all the calculations, semantical relations, and algorithms are to create the same or similar situations in the human world.
In the last decades, improvements and investments in creating virtual environments have dramatically increased. Various companies try to create their virtual universe /metaverse /multiverse and explore and develop the methods and principles to implement real-world experiences. In parallel with massive growth in the internet from the 1990s until now, various innovative technologies have been created to bring users breathtaking experiences with more virtual interactions (Huynh-The et al., 2022). Exchange of lands, formation of public spaces, collaboration environments, and construction of virtual offices started. This virtual environment is to be called Metaverse, which was first used in the novel 'Snow Crash' by Stephenson in 1992. To be related to the real world, digital copies of existing buildings and public areas were transferred into the virtual environment, and some examples of newly designed spaces and buildings took part. The industry and researchers have essential activities to develop principles for ownership and existence of these artifacts by some technologies, for example, NFT (non-fungible token).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Non-Fungible Token (NFT): A unique digital asset that uses blockchain technology to verify ownership and authenticity, often used to represent digital art or collectibles
Metaverse: virtual reality space where users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users in real time.
Virtual Reality: A computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional environment that can be interacted with using specialized equipment such as a headset or gloves, giving the user a sense of immersion and presence.
Building Design: Process of planning and creating the layout, appearance, and functionality of a structure or building
Design Principles: Fundamental guidelines that inform the creation of buildings and spaces, considering aspects such as aesthetics, function, sustainability, and context.
3D Modeling: Using specialized software to create a three-dimensional representation of an object or scene.
Virtual Environment: A computer-generated simulation of a physical or imagined space that allows users to interact with and manipulate the environment.
Metaverse Platform: Software application or network that enables users to access and interact with the diverse Metaverse.