Zaha Hadid Architects and Chicago-based ArchAgenda have launched Metrotopia, dubbed as a unique metaverse venture dedicated to becoming the virtual communication hub for the global design community.

The Metrotopia Metaverse has been launched with a virtual exhibition at this year's Venice Architecture Biennale. 

The exhibition, entitled Knowledge Transfer, showcases current works from some of the world’s leading architecture studios including OMA, Morphosis, Coop Himmelb(l)au, UNStudio, MAD, Sou Fujimoto, Archi-Union, LAVA, CAP, EcoLogic Studio and Zaha Hadid Architects. 

Metrotopia auditorium

Responding to the overarching theme of The Laboratory of the Future curated by Lesley Lokko, Metrotopia is a segment of the Architecture Biennale collateral event that includes CityX, a swarm of virtual pavilions hovering above Venice showing the research work of architecture teachers from around the world, as well as a physical exhibition at Palazzo Ca Zenobio hosted by the New York Institute of Technology and presenting student works from many schools of architecture. 

Metrotopia will also be showcased at the Chicago Architecture Biennial later this year.

Video courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects

"We have invited leading firms to feature their most future-oriented work inside Metrotopia," said ZHA principal Patrik Schumacher. 

"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," Schumacher added.  

Metrotopia masterplan

Metrotopia Metaverse is multi-player virtual environment built with Unreal Engine 5, featuring spatial sound for realistic communicative interaction within a lifelike setting that allows the character and quality of designed objects and spaces to be faithfully visualized. Metrotopia’s technology partner and hosting platform is Mytaverse.

"Aspiring to become a virtual city and creative culture-industry hub for the wider design ecosystem, Metrotopia brings together all design disciplines including urban design, architecture, interiors, furniture design, product design, fashion design, graphic design, plus related schools, galleries, museums, exhibitions, Design weeks, Biennales, awards and conferences, as well as related publishing houses, magazines and web-media," according to ZHA. 

Coop Himmelb(l)au's building at Metrotopia masterplan

Zaha Hadid Architects designed Metrotopia’s first incubator building and an initial urban core with intervisible spaces which are now available. 

Main building at Metrotopia

Main building at Metrotopia

According to the firm, Metrotopia will house more architects and interior designers soon to create a diverse, multi-authored cityscape delivering the kind of co-location synergies people cherish in the most vibrant city districts.

LAVA's building at Metrotopia masterplan

"While we are transferring the technology developed by the gaming industry, Metrotopia leaves all associations with video-gaming behind," Schumacher explained. 

"Our audience are creative professionals looking to expand their cultural communication, global reach and ways of displaying, networking and collaborating."

"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," he added. 

"Metrotopia stands ready to anticipate and embrace this moment," Schumacher continued.

MAD's building at Metrotopia masterplan

Sou Fujimoto's building at Metrotopia masterplan

UNStudio's building at Metrotopia masterplan

ZHA's Leeza Soho building at Metrotopia masterplan

ZHA's Leeza Soho building at Metrotopia masterplan

Patrik Schumacher recently criticized this year's Venice Architecture Biennale for not "showing any architecture" at its exhibitions and pavilions. 

ZHA's new Taikang Financial Centre also broke ground in Wuhan. The firm is also designing Business Stadium Central in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Project facts

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.

All images courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects.

> via Zaha Hadid Architects

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