19: Appropriations and Extensions of Cultural Spaces in VR and the Metaverse
Original title: Appropriations and Extensions of Cultural Spaces in VR and the Metaverse

Research in ENGLISH

Digital virtual reality (VR) and the metaverse provide opportunities for the creation of cultural extensions that define our contemporary society. This has been the practice for millennia – using different technologies and media; humans have always attempted to convey experience through representational forms. The paper puts forward an initial theoretical examination of metaverse using theories on perception and subjectivity in psychology and philosophy and the implications of these in architecture and space creation, both physical and digital. It considers historical VR spaces to better understand the influence of culture and applies this to the contemporary social VR spheres. Though they offer novel opportunities, digital virtual realities and immersive spaces of today are no different than the lineage of spaces and representations that strove to do this throughout history (Grau, 2003). Using different mediums, they each provide an extension of culture that reflects society and becomes a record of their times and ideals.
Virtual Reality, Metaverse, Digital Heritage, Mixed Realities, Identity and Subjectivity