Assembling Memories: A Concept of the Architectural Worldmaking of Memories in the Metaverse

Abstract

This thesis explores the relationship between architecture and memory by investigating the use of immersive virtual environments (Metaverse), for recording and sharing memories by transforming personal experiences into collective architectural elements. Utilizing geolocation and augmented reality (AR) technologies, individuals document their memories of urban spaces through TikTok, which are then analyzed to extract significant characteristics to be transformed into architectural components. These digital representations are aggregated into a virtual collective memory world.

Taking Japanese Village Plaza in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles as a testing ground, this thesis proposes a design concept for an architectural memory assembly interface within the Metaverse. Through virtual overlays, users engage with these spaces, creating a more immersive, dynamic, and collaborative memory experience compared to traditional preservation methods. The thesis outlines a framework for utilizing these technologies to develop a shared, evolving memory world, where users co-create spatial experiences that merge personal and collective memories in the Metaverse.