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The winners of the debut edition of the Metaverse Architecture and Design Awards (MAD) 2023 have been unveiled after careful assessment by a cross-disciplinary jury of new-media experts, designers and web3 specialists. The awards ceremony took place in the Spatialo.io metaverse ‒ the community platform sponsoring the event ‒ and celebrated the people, projects and brands that have developed revolutionary concepts for the virtual world.
Launched through the partnering-up between the digital consultancy company Digby and Sandow Design Group, the MAD Awards stand now and in the coming years as an excellent opportunity for designers and creatives wanting to showcase pioneer and unconventional ideas. Bold projects and visions that push beyond the limits of the real world, which is governed by gravity and physical restraints.
A unique opportunity offered by the MAD Awards is that of being able to view all the winning projects by entering the metaverse and going to the gallery at the Morfaverse Auditorium, winner of an award category. Once immersed in the digital world, the space ‒ also visitable by booking a private tour ‒ offers a variety of sections. These include, on the first floor, the Auditorium's innovative spaces and, on the second, third and fourth levels, the jury's gallery and the long succession of MAD 2023 winners.
Awards have gone not only to several emerging talents but also to sector brands and leading firms, such as Mohawk Group, CBRE, HWKN, Journey, Waldorf Astoria, Perkins & Will and NASDAQ. The various award categories saw the success of AI-generated projects, outstanding use of blockchain-based tokens (NFT), as well as the digital extension of a furniture collection in the real world (Embrace Materiality by Nathan Anthony Furniture), a villa playing with the virtual dimension without the restraints of gravity (Villa MetaEstates by Luisfern5, Creative Design Agency), sustainable zero-impact cities in the heart of the jungle (Foresting Architecture by Lab for Environmental Design Strategies) and the re-branding of over 20 iconic products (Fantastical Ads by Haworth).
One of the most interesting projects is Foresting Architecture by Lab for Environmental Design Strategies: generated by AI, it won in the 'Innovation - Design' category. Before getting down to work, these designers ask themselves questions involving extremely topical issues: Can we build our cities like forests, as self-sufficient living organisms? With technology advancing at an unprecedented pace, how close are we to designing synthetic materials and structures with the same look and feel as in the vegetal realm? Foresting Architecture aims to create such a world, a sustainable urban environment right from its birth, where inhabitants can live in harmony and in contact with nature.
Another AI-generated project winning in the 'Innovation - Design' category is Desert City by Morsztyn Design. This city is optimized for specific environmental conditions, such as those we expect to have to tackle in many parts of the planet: extreme temperatures, limited water resources, strong winds and storms. The project explores the scope to create highly efficient and sustainable solutions capable of withstanding extreme conditions that can vary over time.
Taking first prize in the category 'Innovation - Best Use of Augmented Reality' was the temporary-store concept by ZERO10 and Crosby Studios. One of a kind, it artfully combines the physical experience of retail sales with the comfort of online purchases: this temporary store allows visitors to try on a five-piece virtual collection, also designed by Crosby Studios ‒ an experience never before offered.
All images courtesy of Interior Design Magazine
