Building the Metaverse

How will our world be digitally reimagined?

The Metaverse is an emerging digital universe that's full of possibilities for architecture and interior design, as we build a new virtual world and explore the commercial possibilities of NFT and blockchain.

As part of its ongoing commitment to keeping the design industry informed and engaged, surfaces expert Cosentino Middle East is driving discussion on the hottest topic in design at its City Showroom in Dubai Design District (d3).

During the height of the pandemic, Cosentino held regular webinars for design professionals while the industry worked from home. Now the global brand has pivoted back to in-person events after Covid restrictions relaxed in the emirate.

On the panel

Taking part were 4Space co-founder and design director Firas Alsahin; Pallavi Dean, founder and creative director of Roar, and Musfir Khawaja, the co-founder of nftOne and Mohammed Adib, Chief Design Officer at Dewan Architects + Engineers, all moderated by CID editor Jane O'Neill.

Crypto expert Musfir is behind the DIFC-headquartered regional marketplace for buying and selling regionally relevant art and rare collectables in the form of NFTs.

Offering a designer's perspective were CID-awarded creatives Pallavi and Firas Alsahin, along with Mohammed, who is helping to spearhead his firm's journey into the Metaverse.

Pallavi's Roar took its first steps into Metaverse with the purchase of two plots in Decentraland, a 3D world where users use cryptocurrency MANA to purchase virtual land.

The Dubai-based studio plans to develop the 18,600 MANA (US$ 36,000) virtual plots into a multi-functional space, which will include an art gallery selling NFTs, a furniture showroom and store as well as a creative and business event space that will feature an experimental hotel of the future.