Loops on an Island

Loops on an island“Loops on an Island '' is a collaborative project between studio Anettai and Comony, a virtual reality technology company. As an architecture studio, Anettai wants to offer a different approach to the ongoing movement of virtual reality and meta-verse. The project seeks to explore the fine boundary and tension between the immersive realness of virtual space and surrealistic environment, between the image of a utopian tropical island and towering structures. The CirculationWe wanted the virtual island to be a space for activity and interaction that would evoke a sense of freedom within an intertwining circulation, which also serves as a catalyst to provoke encounters between people and people, event and event etc. A big opportunity we saw in such a virtual project is the movement within the digital space. The project circulation is split into 3 interconnected loops, each takes you to a different space and programs on the island. The first loop circulates the ground level, taking you to different gatherings and event space. The second loop connects the ground level to a medium height, where the visitors pass through corridors serving as galleries. The last loop is located on the highest level, an observatory where visitors can observe and have a grasp of the totality of the entire project. These 3 routes of circulation are interconnected at intersections and also by the ‘ladders’.Real vs SurrealThe project seeks to explore the boundary between the immersive experience of the VR space and a fantasy surrealistic realm through the architectural language and vastness of the environment in some scenarios.  The ambiguous mixture between nature and the roman bridge inspired structures serves as a backdrop for different zones of events to take place. Visitors are able to meander between this surreal landscape and engage in different virtual activities that they encounter.Isolated Island vs Urban scaleThe project, despite being located on an isolated island, was purposefully designed with an overwhelming scale of height, seemingly unrelated to the human scale, with the 3 loops circulate on 3 different levels. In a way, it represents how humans feel within a larger urban setting, where you are surrounded by tall buildings and crowds of people. This was made possible only because of the freedom we had in creating the virtual space. It grants the architect the power to rewrite the context and explore new opportunities that would otherwise be compromised in a real site.Why do we create this space (as an architect)? - What do we expect for this space / visitor?The project is designed to encourage aspiring young creatives to become more aware of today’s growing connection between the digital and real world. We believe that it not only revolutionizes the way we interact within the near future but also provides a new set of tools and technology that we as architects can experiment with.