I Want a Holodeck

As stated elsewhere on this blog, I have been very curious and fascinated in watching how ground-breaking technology is changing the established paradigm of how studio design is taught at institutions of higher learning. The technology behind immersive virtual spaces (as in 2nd Life) is as groundbreaking as it gets AND I cannot think of a better place than a virtual space for aspiring architects, engineers, and artists to explore and test their designs. It is better than building a scale model or prototype and avatars can experience the design in a more phenomenal way.
VLearn3d.org’s website has a list of colleges and universities who are actively involved in using virtual spaces as learning environments. While all of the virtual learning spaces listed are very interesting, those that really grab my attention are based at;
• University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning where “Daap is the virtual world of the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning at the University of Cincinnati. Daap has been used as an environment to test models of sculpture and other three dimensional projects by faculty, students, and guests of the college. Fine Art Media Fundamentals, Modeling for 3 Dimensional Networking, and Computer Sculpture, are courses which have been taught using Daap as a venue for the presentation of student work.”
• Art Center College of Design Pasadena, California where “ACCD world began in the AW and now continues development in the AWEDU Education Universe. Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, offered its first accredited course in online virtual worlds design in 1998. Each term (three trimesters / year) since 1998, the virtual worlds design class, led by Dr. Michael Heim, has focused on designing and building in ActiveWorlds. The class began with small enrollments (sometimes as few as 2 students) and has grown (currently 8 students). Heim's goal is for the new ACCD world "to build an environment that continues our AW "accd" world design but that pitches the world's tonality in a brighter key. This sibling world will provide a double look at our design strategy." ACCD world currently offers a location for hosting the series "CyberForum@ArtCenter" developed by students in the Virtual Worlds Theory class (a companion course to the Virtual Worlds Design class which enrolls different students who come from the Theory and Critical Writing Program at Art Center).
There is a strong reason to believe that many opportunities for those who can design in virtual spaces will increase in the future. Ocean D is a collaborative, international, and multi-diciplinary design practice of a new type. I invite you to take a look at what they are doing.