The Reality of Virtuality

The Reality of Virtuality

Can Ge Master of Architecture Thesis, Spring 2019 University of California, Berkeley Advised by Kyle Steinfeld and Luisa Caldas

The Reality of Virtuality A Thesis

by Can Ge

Abstract The era of real virtuality has come. Worlds that were once considered wholly virtual increasingly influence our daily life, and hold a significant impact on the real world. Recent innovations in AR/VR technology have blurred the boundary between virtuality and reality, allowing people to navigate compelling virtual spaces while still interacting with the real world.

Ready Player One, Steven Spielberg (left) / Pokemon Go (right)

We can also see this phenomenon expressed in the design of physical buildings. Consider developments in multiplayer competitive gaming, which have combined virtuality and reality: encouraging players to compete online, but also to gather, watch, and celebrate the competition “in real life” (IRL). In Las Vegas, Seattle and Toronto, enormous multi-level arenas to host competitive gaming events such as this have been proposed. In comparison to traditional sports, these arenas and the events they support require an entirely new design approach.

For example, existing esports facilities are designed “generically”, without regard to the nature of the games that they contain or the brand-loyal cultures of gameplay that they support.

This is at odds with the way gaming works, which, as this thesis proposes, instead requires a “total design” approach.

Esports Arena, Las Vegas (left) / Seattle Stadium, DOTA 2014 International (right)

We may see the necessary differences expressed at three scales.

First, at the scale of the body, we require an approach to the design of the physical equipment employed by players; second, at the scale of the facility, we require an approach to the design of the arena and the staged relationship between player and spectator; third, at the scale of the collective culture, we require an approach to the design of the amateur venues that extends beyond the physical proximity of the event.

Robie House, Frank Lloyd Wright, 1910. A Gesamtkunstwerk of designed objects at the scale of the body, the building, and the plains of the American Midwest. (left) ESL tournament at ESports Arena, Oakland CA (right)

If a “total design” approach for electronic sporting events were developed that addresses each of these three scales, then an entirely new typology may emerge, one that hybridizes the real and the virtual, and that addresses the design of physical elements, virtual elements, and the interfaces between them.

To arrive at this “total design”, the project must address various scales simultaneously. In doing so, a number of important differences between how traditional sports are apprehended and how esports are apprehended were identified. In summary, these are: kinesthetic Scale, point of view (P.O.V.), and collective Experience.

Kinesthetic Scale: While in traditional sports important movements of the body are large and easily understood from a distance, in esports even the small twitch of a finger is important.

Xbox Controller (left)/NBA (right)

Point of View: In contrast with the mobile camera on a traditional sports field, in esports, an even larger variety of spatially and temporarily disconnected points of view are possible.

NCAA Tournament Court (left)/CS: GO (right)

Collective Experience: While in traditional sports there is an important emotional engagement in being physically a part of a crowd, in esports, communities must be constructed intentionally.

Working within this matrix on the left, the project developed out a series of small isolated vignettes that explored particular combinations of scale and issue.

2018 FIFA World Cup, Iceland Team & Spectators (left)/ Man Playing Game Alone (right)

The outcome proposes solutions that seek to synthesize all the points found in the matrix described above: a wearable equipment for players and spectators, and develop designs for both an e-sports stadium (for 20,000 people to gather to watch professional players) and a series of small amateur venues (30-50 people to pay to play games). Moreover, the project will address the interaction and communication between the venues, the players, and all the spectators as a community by branding and networking.

Although the purpose is to introduce a new architecture typology

Matrix of the traditional sports & esports

which tends to be applied to multiple locations and contexts all over the world, the outcome only focuses on a series of exemplary prototypes.

Insofar as the bonds between virtual and real spaces continue to be blurred, architects must begin to transcend this distinction and design for both worlds simultaneously. This project lays the groundwork for such a new approach.

Blade Runner 2049, Denis Villeneuve, 2018

The History of Gaming A Timeline

Review of Literature Amid Cero9 Lebbeus Woods Cedric Price teamLab Ivan Sutherland Haus Rucker Co. Steven Spielberg David Cronenberg

Vaticano Gay| LGBT Gated Community, Amid Cero9

Aegean Paradise, Amid Cero9, 2014

Architectue and War, Lebbeus Woods, 1993

Fun Palace, Cedric Price, 1964

Borderless, teamLab, 2013

Head Mounted Display, Ivan Sutherland, 1968

Envirnmental Transformern, Haus Rucker Co, 1968

Ready Player One, Steven Allan Spielberg, 2018

Existenz, David Cronenberg, 1999

Sites Although the purpose is to introduce a new architecture typology which tends to be applied to multiple locations and contexts all over the world, the outcome only focuses on a series of exemplary prototypes. The thesis project will focus on two specific sites: The Strip, Las Vegas and Jack London Square, Oakland

Las Vegas is considered as the paradise of entertainment. Recently, it also becomes the capital of multiplayer competitive gaming. The esports arena is located in the Strip, Las Vegas—on an existing parking lot. This structure could be closed and hidden to make the site a recreational plaza, or risen and expanded freely during the events and tournament to hold all types of gaming activities.

The inflatable amateur venues are sited in the holiday street fair, pop-up open market, and shopping mall. The Jack London Square is a open air shopping street which holds a market fair every weekend.

These pneumatic structures could pop up during the fair to hold from a small group of friends to several families.

The Vignettes The esports vignettes are designed to emphasize the unique characteristics of gaming activities and applied to all the projects to reinforce the collective experience.

Matrix of the traditional sports & esports

The Wearable Equipment Every spectator and player wear equipment powered by mixed reality technology. These pieces of wearable equipment will provide you real-time gaming screens and the latest competition news. Some could even hold 2 or 3 people to let the visitors share their feeling and experience.

Ghost in the Shell, Mamoru Oshii

The Esports Arena Locating in Las Vegas, the Esports gaming arena consists of modular umbrella structural units. Differing from the stable and centralized model of the existing sports stadium, the arena is flexible and decentralized, enabling the spectators to navigate all the events without limit. The structural units could be closed and hidden to make the site a recreational plaza, or risen and expanded freely during the events and tournament to hold all types of gaming activities.

League of Legends Net Cafe, Seoul, Korea

Section 1, Esports Arena

Section 2, Esports Arena

The Esports Arena in Las Vegas

The Venues The inflatable amateur venues are sited in the holiday street fair, popup open market, and shopping mall. These pneumatic structures are flexible enough to hold from a small group of friends to several families, who could use the cutting edge mixed reality facilities and enjoy the latest games together.

Section, the Ametaur Venues