This project seeks to collapse configurations of time to access the spatial memory and rich cultural legacy of NYC's historic Chelsea Hotel in a networked virtual afterlife.
Douglas Goldstein
Description
Check into the Hotel Chelsea for a social VR experience that expands the legacy of NYC's historic landmark into a virtual venue & maker-space, where users are invited to take up residence in its haunted rooms to explore its storied past and craft legends anew within its hallowed halls.
This project will animate the poetry, art, and music scarred into the Chelsea's walls and renew the bohemian dream of a space that cultivates and nurtures creativity, birthing a new virtual afterlife for the physical space that has been silenced by the city's merchant greed.
My approach will pick up the torch from the Chelsea Hotel community in Second Life's digital twin of the building, both architecturally and ideologically, where its authentic spirit still glows with occasional events and exhibitions. Upon that framework, the VR Chelsea will enable creative practices in visual and performing arts, and deepen dimensions of presence for remote users. This platform can also be used to explore solo standalone storytelling experiences that dive into the lives, times, and secrets with immersive embodied narratives that tap into spatial memory.