Zaha Hadid Architects are building a city in the metaverse

British architecture and design studio Zaha Hadid Architects is working on creating a new virtual city titled the Liberland Metaverse. The metaverse will offer their users an opportunity to buy land, set up businesses, and travel through the virtual city as an avatar.

According to the project website, Liberland “is designed as a virtual industry synergy and networking hub for Crypto projects, crypto companies, and crypto events." The name of the city is based on a real-life micronation, Free Republic of Liberland, located on the 2.7-mile territory between Croatia and Serbia. 

Since its founding in 2015, no one has moved to Liberland, CNN reports. However, as of now, the micronation has 7,000 approved residents and 700,000 applications. Liberland has its own constitution, flag, and cryptocurrency. But it is not recognized by any other state. 

Now, the micronation collaborated with Zaha Hadid Architects, Mytaverse, and ArchAgenda a.o to extend its physical presence into digital. Buildings in the Liberland Metaverse feature the well-known design style of Zaha Hadid Architects that includes curving facades and rounded corners. Some of the structures in the metaverse will be able to float.

"While the Liberland Metaverse is meant to spearhead the development of Liberland as a libertarian micronation it will also function as free-standing virtual reality realm in its own right," Zaha Hadid Architects principal Patrik Schumacher told Dezeen. 

The virtual city will serve as an extension of the physical world and have the same borders as the Free Republic of Liberland. The project aims to combine physical and digital ownership and create a space for new architectural solutions. Users who buy a piece of digital land in the Libarland Metaverse will also own a part of a physical land in the self-proclaimed state. 

Image credit:

Mytaverse and Zaha Hadid Architects

Resources:

“Ambitious plans unveiled for a libertarian city in the metaverse,” by Jacqui Palumbo (CNN Style, 2022)

“Zaha Hadid Architects designs virtual Liberland Metaverse city,” by Alice Finney (Dezeen, 2022)

“Zaha Hadid Architects Designs Liberland Metaverse City,” by Aaron Chow (Hypebeast, 2022) 

“Zaha Hadid Architects Designs "Cyber-Urban" Metaverse City,” by Dima Stouhi (Arch Daily, 2022)