Top Architecture Journal Lists Second Life Avatar Among World's Noteworthy Architects

One of the world's most noteworthy architects is known only by the virtual buildings he (or for all we know, she) creates, and the 3D digital image of his avatar. Though few people know who the real person behind Scope Cleaver is, the work he created for Princeton University's island in Second Life is acclaimed throughout the metaverse community. It's quickly gaining attention among people who may have never heard of Second Life, too, because Scope's work was recently featured in a story on SL architecture by New York Times magazine -- and now, in a feature for the latest issue of Architecture Now, a highly regarded series from German publisher Taschen, offering a survey of important architects from around the world. So architecture aficionados reading over, say, Architecture Now's section on Daniel Liebeskind, acclaimed designer of Berlin's Jewish Museum and the architect who'll rebuild New York's World Trade Center, may also find themselves happening upon another architect who, in the strictest sense, doesn't exist.

How did this happen? Scope's terraforming partner  Poid Mahovlich put me in touch with Scope, who in turn put me in touch with Architecture Now's author, Philip Jodidio.  He saw an item about Scope's Second Life work online somewhere, he explained, and figured out how to get in touch with him. 

"I found the idea of this type of virtual architecture intriguing," Jodidio tells me, "and I try to give the broadest variety possible to the contents of the book."  But why list "Scope Cleaver" in the book, rather than the real person behind the avatar? "Scope consistently refused to reveal his identity," he says, "which explains the avatar."

"He was really cool with me not providing any real life information and he listed my SL locations and avatar name," Scope affirms. "Then we had a few email exchanges for layouts and approvals."

From my view, it also sets a precedent which suggests that Second Life avatars with Scope's talent and fame may be able to gain renown (and professional assignments) in the larger culture without ever revealing their first life identity. Presumably the only people who needs to know that are those who sign contracts and checks.  (Unless, of course, the person behind the avatar legally changes their name to it, too.)

Comments

[Poid Mahovlich]

The first serious write up I personally read about Second Life virtual architecture was on the acclaimed 'arcspace' website, some years ago now.

http://www.arcspace.com/sl/08_13_2007/3.html

This was also written about Scope's build on The Princeton University Campus - Gallery of the Arts.

The Second Life avatar KK Jewell is Editor-in-Chief of arcspace.com.

[John Kelton]

Nice article. However, how did Princeton pay Scope (legally) and further more where reputation is based on trust a person who refuses to disclose their RL information for professional contracts I have to wonder on.

Doing business in SL can be in this manner, but the question remains. Why hide when it's professional contacts.

I do hope Princeton validated and has RL contracts. The tax implications could be problematic I suspect otherwise.

[Roslin Petion]

@John At least of three of the Princeton builds were done on contract through NMC. I will go out on a limb and guess that they hired Scope to do the build he did for Princeton as well. In that case, it is very possible that Scope worked out something that where his identity would not be released to the public even though someone at NMC knew what it was for tax purposes, etc. There's a difference between not wanting your rl name published in a book and not disclosing for contract purposes.

[Extropia DaSilva]

As well as the 'he'/ 'she' possibility, Scope could be 'they', a group of people who work to ensure Scope Cleaver is identified an individual with a personal history. Provided new members join the group after older members leave, and nobody in that group claims his identity as their own, Scope Cleaver would have an indefinite lifespan, or at the very least he would persist for as long as his patterns are deemed interesting enough to run by whoever or whatever is capable of doing so.

For a lot more on this idea, check out the essays 'virals and Definitives in SL'; 'Bees And Flowers' and 'Oneness Plus Two Equals Six' at transumanar.com

[Chenin Anabuki]

The theory of using a single avatar to represent a conglomerate of individuals is very interesting. It is almost like a corporation that can live for eternity even if the individual owners die off. I'm not saying Scope Cleaver is more than one person btw. I had a chance meeting with him/her/them one time in-world. Never thought twice then about the person behind the avatar.

BTW, he/she/they deserve to be listed in the journal. His/Her/Their designs are one of the most impressive and inspirational I've seen in SL and RL. That's what me/myself/I think.

[Extropia DaSilva]

"I'm not saying Scope Cleaver is more than one person btw. I had a chance meeting with him/her/them one time in-world. Never thought twice then about the person behind the avatar".

Scope Cleaver definitely is an individual. So is Homer Simpson. The fact that Homer is brought to life by dozens if not hundreds of people does not change the fact that he is an individual, because the production team work to ensure that is how he is perceived. BTW, I do not know for sure if more than one person is behind Scope; I am just pointing out that there are three possible reasons for his individuality:

1. There is one RL person behind that digital self.

2. The digital self is shared by a group of 2 or more RL people, who work to ensure Scope is perceived as an individual by the rest of the SL community.

3. There is one person behind that digital self, but it is not the same person it was before. Again, the roleplaying is convincing enough to allow the digital self to be accepted as the same individual by the community.