In January, Liberland unveiled its most dazzling and arguably most convincing proposal yet. Working with Patrik Schumacher of Zaha Hadid Architects, Jedlička portrayed his country as a futuristic crypto paradise through a fully realized city in the metaverse. Picture a national assembly hall, a buzzy NFT bazaar, office towers—all done in Hadid’s trademark swooping, swoon-worthy architectural style. — Quartz
ZHA principal Patrik Schumacher has been personally spearheading the metaverse version of a disputed quasi Freestate called the Free Republic of Liberland since shortly after it was founded in 2015 by the self-styled libertarian Czech politician Vít Jedlička.
Jedlička and Schumacher’s joint ambit has grown over the preceding years and now seeks to (virtually) cement its place in the popular imagination through the establishment of institutional infrastructure and the push for eventual recognition of statehood from the United Nations.
“It was time to turn ideas into something more concrete,” the 38-year-old politician told Quartz. “It’s important to show to the world that we are serious about starting development in Liberland.”
An avowed libertarian himself, Schumacher says the program of parametrically designed institutional buildings will have a digital presence hosted on the platform Mytaverse that should be a degree or two easier to construct than physical buildings in considering its lack of safety codes and similarly delimited dimensions. “The track record of managing big construction sites isn’t required here,” he said. “It’s more focused on the core competency of design.”
According to Schumacher, Liberland Metaverse is still a work in progress and a collaborative effort between Liberland, ZHA, Mytaverse, and ArchAgenda.
14 Comments
I, too, prefer the honorific Mr. President. Please call me that hereforth.
"Mr. President" is threatening to sue us for saying that's his preferred title, even though all of Liberland's own press refers to him as that. I guess Liberland isn't a fan of free press.
I love that. Thank you for the update.
(Soup Nazi voice) “No Liber for you!”
For all the freedom a metaverse could theoretically afford, it's funny how most visions tabled so far just seem like extended versions of real life.
The metaverse is already selling limited plots of imaginary land, creating unrequired artificial scarcity where there need be none to manufacture value. It's a scam. It's all smoke and mirrors to sell services, data-mining hardware, and crypto.
can't we send him to the front?
The only thing this has in common with the profession of architecture is that Schumacher runs a real life studio. This is fairy-fantasy-playtime-land which exists only to funnel more rubes into the crypto scam.
THIS IS NOT ARCHITECTURE.
One more thing: “The track record of managing big construction sites isn’t required here,” he said. “It’s more focused on the core competency of design.”
What do you think design is, wanking swirls into a 3d model program? I know you have an account here, come play, I'd love to hear your musings on what the metaverse will do for humankind besides generate wealth for the wealthy.
“Wanking swirls into a 3D model program” that’s good, Sneaky!
I saw that header image and thought that Food Central had been promoted.
I love creamed spinach!
yum!
Ideally, a free-for-all without any gravity, budget, waterproofing, material performance would mean anyone could pitch in - including students and novices with freeware. Why not? It's not like professional services are needed. Even in game design, there are considerations in gameplay, graphic performance and budget when designing open worlds. Here, there's none of that but artificial scarcity. Why even hire ZHA.
Luxury outposts are too cool....
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