Synthetic University: Blown up and rebirthed in under ten minutes

Yesterday morning, I attended the destruction and rebirth of the Synthetic University (teleport directly from here) in Second Life®, an event produced by MosMax Hax, the Austrian professor who leads the University, and a damn fine content creator himself. It's lamentable that I haven't managed to find the time to blog about his highly abstract and scripted Die Angewandte sim, and sensational installations - such as WhiteNoise - but I hope to someday soon. I suppose I do take some consolation in that I was able to share his Chris Marker project for the Museum für Gestaltung with you last month.


MosMax Hax, as photographed by Hardwarehacker Hoch

For the past five weeks, MosMax has supervised five of his students through the process of building and scripting the total demolition of the building that has served as the virtual sister to the Real Zurich University of the Arts (ZHDK). The "destruction" phase of yesterday's staged event was accomplished with striking similarity to a super dramatic and meticulously planned demolition in Real Life, except that - and this will come as no surprise to any seasoned Second Lifer - the finale of that phase culminated with a full-sim crash.


The original Synthetic University, as photographed by MosMax Hax


On the eve of destruction, Mosmax and his students ran several tests, as photographed by MosMax himself

What followed would definitely not be possible in Real Life... the creation of an entirely new University, in 4:10 minutes. Sim neighbor (she is creating the elegant Syncretia) and friend Alpha Auer commented, "I liked the old building with its overlaid textures a great deal, so it did sort of twist my heart to see it go."

"What ultimately emerged was something of swan like grace," continued Alpha. "Huge black and white bubble-like shapes create a dramatic contrast against the black and white square tiling. Transparent floors and ceiling merge indoors and outdoors. Color is provided by some elegantly designed red typographic waterfalls that pour out of the black and white bubble shaped containers."


Inside the Synthetic University, as photographed by Alpha Auer

It seems that the Real university is actually being relocated and will not be completed until sometime in 2009.

Kudos to MosMax and his students Rudebwoy Handayani, Chiaki Jie, Klabauterklaus Maximus, Nyaa Myoo and Akolyto Perfferle. That was nothing short of spectacular.

I am still learning how to make videos in-world, and awaiting my mail-ordered SpaceNavigator with increasing impatience, but here is what I managed to produce.