Anna Fischer

Executive Master in Art Market Studies, University of Zurich

Introduction

Try to use ChatGPT putting the words in the title together: Art, Architecture, Metaverse, NFT. This is what I got:

“As an AI language model, I can provide you with some general information on these topics:

Art: Art refers to the creative ability to produce visual, auditory, or performance pieces that convey an emotion or thought. It could be in the form of paintings, sculptures, music, films, literature, and other expressive mediums.

Architecture: Architecture involves designing and constructing buildings and structures that meet certain functional and aesthetic requirements. Architects are trained professionals who combine art and science to create practical, efficient, and visually appealing buildings.

Metaverse: The metaverse is a term that has emerged in recent years to describe a virtual space where users can interact with one another in an immersive 3D environment. It is a concept that has been popularized in science fiction, and it is now being developed by tech companies as a platform for social networking and entertainment.

NFT: NFT stands for non-fungible token, which is a type of cryptocurrency that represents a unique item or asset. It is typically used to represent digital art, collectibles, and other types of virtual assets. NFTs have been gaining popularity in recent years as a way for creators to monetize their digital work and as a new form of investment.

When combined, these concepts can potentially create new ways for artists and designers to showcase their work in immersive digital spaces,

monetize their creations through NFTs, and integrate technology with art and architecture to create exciting new experiences in the metaverse.”

The last paragraph exactly describes the genuine interest in the combination of these fields, or as wisely formulated by AI: these concepts.

The presented thesis starts with the question of architecture being art. Definition of the idea of art and the possible congruence with architecture are researched to then blend into architecture as art that can be brought to the market in the vase of an NFT.

From there the architectural approach transfers into virtual reality and the question arises whether architecture is need in a metaverse surrounding or if game designers’ approach would be more than sufficient.

Creating the metaverse strongly relies on the use of NFTs, so in the last chapter of the thesis an overview on the legal perception of NFTs is given, considering one exemplary NFT with the aim to find the relevant questions more than possible answers.

The work concludes with some thoughts on the correlation of the title concepts but leaves out fact-based conclusions, as there are none, at least not at this stage of this fairly new enterprise of getting architecture as a form of art into metaverse, protected and piled up with NFTs. Only mandatory conclusion upfront: While your read, most of what you perceive is outdated already.