Wanted ...

Building has bought a slice of virtual real estate in Second Life and is holding a design competition for a new online office. The land is in a desirable beachfront location on an island called Fox Dale. If you’re registered on Second Life, you can take a look at the lie of the land by teleporting to Fox Dale 111, 222, 21.

Building’s land is a 1,000m2 site, of which about 350m2 can be built on. To design the office you’ll need to buy your own piece of land in Second Life. We’ll move the winning design on to Building’s site – in Second Life there’s no such thing as build costs. Once you’ve designed your building you can set up shop and sell replicas to anybody you please.

If all this sounds nonsensical, take a look at Building’s feature on Second Life (16 February, page 46, or at www.building.co.uk/archive). Our virtual reporter Katarina Rockett, aka features editor Katie Puckett, spent several weeks exploring the virtual world and met architects who are actually making money there. Details on getting started are all in Miss Rockett’s feature.

The office should be no higher than three storeys and feature a seminar room and reception area. An exhibition area for the Building Hall of Fame should also be included in the design. Feel free to let your imagination roam – you may not be able to build underwater meeting rooms full of tropical fish in the real world, but you can in Second Life.

Send your designs and experiences of Second Life to asmith@cmpi.biz and we’ll post them on the Second Life section of the Building website. The winning office design will feature in a two-page Building feature later in the year.

Good luck and see you in Fox Dale.