the virtual world as a parallel world

Like we mentioned at the end of our last presentation, we try to understand platforms like ‘Second Life’, generally speaking such virtual worlds. What kind of satisfaction the Second Life users get?  The virtual platforms are directly linked to the reality. One link, for example, is the possibility to change real money in Linden Dollars, the currency in the world of Second Life. Talking in general the links to the reality are often connected with the obtaining of a personal advantage.

Gottfried Helnwein museum in Second Life

virtual  museum from MOMA exhibition Andreas Gursky

But what advantage has Adobe with it’s virtual/digital museum?

Is it just a marketing gadget for the company itself?

Why does it have to look as realistic as it is?

The description sounds like the one of a real building.
Should it just hit us emotionally, or is there another aim?

We think we found the answer in one thesis of Appadurai, which is also mentioned in the source text.

He differenciate in terms of “place” and “locality”. A place is a real point. But Berlin, for example, is not only one place, it consists of thousand different places. 

Locality is a social constructed site, which is a result of everyone’s own experience.

We think, the design was made so realistic because of the locality of each person.

Adobe designers wanted to built a museum which people could identify as museum, even if its just virtual.


Also the Stoffwechseltheorie of Gottfried Semper could be an explanation for the realistic design of the Adobe Museum.
In his thesis he describes that although the media changes, the techniques remain the same. (greek temple; wood techniques applied to stone architecture)


An example for the change of media would could be found in the first cars, which looked like carriage drawn by horses.