Editorial: Metaverse in co-virtual city design

The Metaverse is a concept that has gained significant popularity in recent years, particularly in the field of technology and design. It is not just a mere Research Topic of virtual environments but a shared space where individuals can engage in various activities, such as socialising, gaming, and commerce. The rise of improved Virtual- and Augmented Reality technologies has reopened research avenues in the broader digital co-design realm. One of the critical areas of research in this field is the design of co-virtual cities, where users can interact with each other in a virtual environment.

We have been researching this area for quite some time. Hence this Research Topic of ‘Frontiers in Virtual Reality’ brings together colleagues who share the same research interests. We now present a carefully selected set of undertakings that delve into the various aspects of co-virtual city design and how this realm can be leveraged to create new and innovative experiences.

Co-design refers to designing a product or service with the active participation of the users who will ultimately use it. Akin to our own research approaches, co-design has been widely adopted in urban planning, architecture, and product design. However, we realised that Research Topic of ‘co-design of virtual cities in the Metaverse’ is still in its infancy.