The Architecture of Silence: Designing "Ma" in the Kobe Metaverse
kodiad2024
More Than Just Small: Redefining Scale
When people hear the word "diorama," they often think of tiny, intricate replicas.
But for my Kobe art project, KOBE Diorama Adventure (kodiad), the scale is not just about making things small.
It is about creating a digital stage where the "quiet rhythm" of Kobe can truly breathe.
By using the voxel medium in The Sandbox, we have translated the city’s physical presence into an emotional experience.
Finding "Ma" (The Space Between)
In a full-scale digital world, there is a tendency to fill every corner with objects.
However, to recreate the "quietness even when people are around" that I feel in Kobe, I focus on "Ma"—the intentional space between buildings and nature.
In areas like Suma or Harborland, I purposefully leave open vistas.
This allows the player to feel the vastness of the sea and the weight of the mountains, even within a limited voxel space.
It is this intentional "emptiness" that invites the calm atmosphere I want to preserve in this Kobe metaverse.
Sculpting the Silence from Memory
As I've shared in my philosophy, I build from memory, not just blueprints.
When I recall the view from Mt. Rokko or a walk through Meriken Park, what stays with me isn't the number of windows on a building, but the sense of scale compared to the horizon.
By adjusting the height of the trees and the width of the streets in kodiad, I am not just building a map; I am sculpting the "silence" I remember.
This project serves as a unique Kobe guide, leading you through the invisible pulse of the city.
Conclusion
The world of kodiad is still evolving, each update bringing us closer to that elusive, quiet pulse of the city.
I hope that as you walk through this diorama, you feel the "Ma" and find your own moment of peace.
