Generative Architecture
Overview
Challenge: Create randomised virtual properties within pre-defined rarities for an NFT metaverse
Proof of Concept: Built technology demonstrator in Unity 3D that generated a new landscape-aligned randomised set of properties and props based on the set rarities
Technologies: Unity 3D, C#
"What Wall Colour?"
As Metaverses proliferate, the demand for beautifully designed, unique virtual properties skyrocketed. But to make this an attractive proposition, the landscape and the properties have to fit seamlessly, indeed as they would in "a real world".
When a collection of NFT properties is designed, there are several different main structures, which I call skeletons, and features like walls, roofs, doors, windows are added to them. Each feature may also have one or more randomisable parameter, e.g., wall or roof colour, window style etc. There are also props, which could be imagined as what goes in the garden around the house: flowers, trees, benches, fountains etc.
The challenge is that in a generated landscape, the position of the main structure and surrounding props need to be matched to where the landscape can properly accommodate them.
Unique Each Time
So the challenge is to:
- generate a landscape that can actually accommodate the desired number of properties
- randomise the parameters of the properties against the rarity requirements
- slot in the properties in the right place on the landscape
- map the features and props in the skeleton to the landscape
The proof of concept I have developed generated a new set of houses with trees as props on a landscape each time it was run. It was used to assess and refine the technical requirements as well as Unity as a platform. Based on the assessment, Unreal Engine was eventually chosen, due to certain visual capabilities required in the project, for the render pipeline, with Blender as the design platform for the creative team.
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