ZHA principal Patrik Schumacher explains: “We have invited leading firms to feature their most future-oriented work inside Metrotopia. 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.

”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. Metrotopia’s first incubator building and an initial urban core has been designed by ZHA with intervisible spaces now available. More architects and interior designers will soon come together to create a diverse, multi-authored cityscape delivering the kind of co-location synergies we cherish in the most vibrant city districts.

Schumacher elaborates, “While we are transferring the technology developed by the gaming industry, Metrotopia leaves all associations with video-gaming behind. 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. Metrotopia stands ready to anticipate and embrace this moment.”

Virtual launch event within Metrotopia Metaverse
18 May

17:00 – 18:00 CEST: Press Preview with contributors
18:00 – 19:00 CEST: Vernissage
19:00 – 21:00 CEST: Panel Discussion with editors and authors of ‘Five Critical Essays on the Crit’. Penny Lewis, Patrik Schumacher, Alex Cameron. Moderated by Austin Williams 

RSVP to [email protected] with your name and email address to register your attendance and receive your personal access link (required) to the 18 May virtual Press Preview within Metrotopia



Conversation at Palazzo Ca Zenobio, Venice
19 May 

14.00 – 15.00 CEST: Reinier de Graaf discusses his new book ‘architect, verb’ with Patrik Schumacher (this public event will be live-streamed to Metrotopia)