The Farnsworth House may be one of the most iconic pieces of modern architecture, and it also happens to be fairly unsuitable for habitation: what better place for it than the virtual world of Second Life? The Guardian has an interesting look at the architecture of SL and the real-life architects that are creating new communities or recreating old ones. It also happens to be one of the first 'mainstream' media pieces that points out that despite a large registered user base, SL often feels more like a 'ghost town' than a 'boom town' unless you're in a popular area, as well as the trippy nature of virtual environments (why exactly do you need a house for anything at all?).

There's an office, where Bartlett holds real-time business meetings, a home theatre where she can watch movies with friends, outdoor areas for cocktail parties, even a dining room - yes, you can mimic eating in SL. But why would you want to eat? The more I explore, the more I find myself asking similar questions. Why put stairs in a house when you can fly? Why put a roof on it when it never rains? Why mimic a Barcelona chair when you never need to sit down? Why build a house at all?

It's an interesting and different take from the stuff usually presented about Second Life.

Buy! Buy! Buy! [The Guardian]

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