Brands are entering a new era of marketing and architectural branding in the metaverse. While the new world is very lucrative, there are many questions that brands have to find answers to. For instance, how are they going to modify their branding in the metaverse? How will they use its features to maximize their influence and customer base?
As the virtual world has no limits in terms of creativity, imagination, and physicality, possibilities are limitless. Our studio, VSLB is a 3D artistic studio that has been assisting world-class brands in their transition. One such aspect that brands and buyers love alike is architectural branding.
While the term sounds novel, it’s extremely familiar to our artistic director, Giacomo Mason. He’s a multi-expert who specialized in architecture, art, and museology, converging his skills in the curation of branded virtual worlds. His mission is to help brands communicate with impactful design in the new digital era. On a quest, we sat together with him unraveling what architectural branding means.
In this blog, learn about architectural branding as follows:
- Giacomo Mason- The Architect behind stunning Virtual Spaces
- How are architecture and branding related?
- What is Architectural branding according to you?
- Why is it relevant in today’s context?
- The process of architectural branding?
Giacomo Mason- The Architect behind stunning Virtual Spaces
Born in a small town in Italy, our creative director grew up in an artistic household. Surrounded and influenced by creative art, he has developed his passion for creating things and spaces that give immense pleasure to the viewer. After majoring in architecture and museology, he went on to master the art of blending architecture and branding through virtual spaces.
Through a lifetime of experimenting and experiences, Giacomo is today on his way to becoming the pioneer behind virtual spaces. Here is the exclusive interview with him on the topic of architectural branding.
How are Architecture and Branding related?
“Unknown to many, Architecture and Space Design connect deeply to branding. Whether interior or exterior, the space we experience has a fundamental role in how we perceive a product, a brand, or an art piece. In other words, I like to think of Space Design as the mother of all arts.”
“Think about an opera performance without an opera hose that provides the right acoustic and aesthetic. Or a fashion show without a venue with the proper lighting, or even an outdoor sculpture without the right surrounding that could be either in contrast or in harmony with it. How will the audience perceive them? Exactly, without the right SPACE, there is no existence of anything else.”
Inspirations behind the beautiful spaces
“Most of the time, I’m personally touched, inspired, and influenced by the space surrounding me. Also, the wise game between negative space (the empty area) and positive space (the filled area), the light entering the space, and the shapes composing it that can influence our feelings and emotions.”
I’m sure somebody will say, “some brands and products are completely digital”. What that can mean is that a website is a space on the web and digital products need a space to be sold. In conclusion, brands need customized spaces or the ones that speak them and attract the right audience.
“With the approaching Web 3.0 and the continuously more immersive experiences out there, brands need more than ever architects with a deep sensibility and ability to design spaces capable of transmitting the brand voice and philosophy.”
“That’s why I specialize in virtual space adding more skills to myself and advanced technology to my studio. Currently, I’m working with my cofounder on an artistic and visionary project we will launch next year called V- Space.”
What is Architectural Branding according to you?
“During my years at University and the first years of my career, I developed a unique architectural design method to approach my project. It starts from a far-reaching perspective, considering every single aspect that could influence and justify each decision in curating a Space. This method ends on the most intimate and trim details to curate a most creative and architectonically relevant space for the brand.
“Architects find it much easier to start designing a project that comes with multiple problems and limitations than one that is a blank page and gives us unlimited choices.”
Therefore an architect needs to be an expert in many professions. We need to consider the space, its proportions, light, sound, structure, materials, colors, textures, and scents. Or how they all act harmoniously. Most of all, we need to be humanists with the need to think about the people who will experience space, what they need, what they feel, and how they interact in space.
The same goes for branding in the metaverse. For me, architectural branding comes in handy when designing a space for a brand project that must resonate with the brand’s voice and philosophy to truly curate an immersive experience. It includes the space design, lighting, meaning behind the shapes of elements in it, and so on.
The space I create always embodies the brand’s soul, transcending to the audience. Which when put in other words is mainly due to the effort I put in the architectural branding of the space.”
Why do you think it’s essential in today’s context?
“When you look around today, everything is related to virtuality in some way. Especially now, we have an entire virtual world of metaverse before us.
“Right now, the only limit is our imagination, and technology is so advanced allowing us to realize everything we imagine. As a result, brands can get easily lost in this myriad of opportunities and possibilities.”
To make it easier for brands, our artistic creations start right from the basics of the brand. Because they are the defining elements of the brand and transforming them into architectural concepts will maintain the coherence between the two worlds.
Therefore, we must deeply understand a brand’s past, history, and heritage before drawing a line on the paper or screen. After familiarizing ourselves with the brand philosophy, we must find creative, innovative, and attractive concepts that solid brand foundations always justify.”
Can you explain your process of architectural branding?
“My approach to a project always starts with understanding the brief. Moreover, to get a feeling for the brand, I usually spend days understanding the brand’s history, its journey, and where they want to go. In conclusion, I spend a greater amount of time thinking about recreating the feelings and emotions the brand can emulate through my concepts.
After getting to know the brand and when I have enough information that could help me justify my concept and design choices, I go back to the brief. I find the best balance between the client requests, the brand philosophy, my taste and expertise, the trends of the moment, and the target persona.
Everything needs to be connected by a silver line before I present my concept. So that no one can question or disprove it, and if it happens to be strongly justified, it’s more likely to have a great response from clients and end users.
Blend of Architecture and Art with Virtual Product Merchandising in the Virtual Space
A new era begets new technology, creativity, and skills. By putting together our resources in all forms, VSLB has now become the first studio to bring forward disruptive virtual spaces. We now stand at an acme where we help brands with their easy transition in line with the evolving metaverse trends.
Architectural branding is the sure way to success in the metaverse despite the skepticism. In order to make it easy for brands to understand and utilize it, we’re on our way to launching V-space. Built with an architectural concept in mind, these easy-to-use spaces are instant-ready visuals for your marketing campaigns.
These innovative virtual spaces are the basis for diverse solutions. That includes marketing content, digital and gaming experiences, metaverse, and augmented reality. In short, our V Space is a one-stop solution to allure the customers your brand’s way.
Contact us today and unlock your digital experiences in our Virtual Spaces.
