Relativistic Architecture: Reclaiming Agency in Immersive Systems

A systems-theoretical framework for immersive environments that decentralise control, preserve semantic coherence, and centre relational agency in Web 4.0.

Authors: Helmut Kinzler, Daria Zolotareva, Aleksandra Mnich-Spraiter
Published on 9 July 2025

Abstract

Purpose: This paper critiques dominant system-centric models of cybernetics and offers a new architectural framework - relativistic architecture - that centres individual agency and decentralised, adaptive systems in immersive environments.

Approach: Drawing on second-order cybernetics and posthuman systems theory, it critiques the closure and asymmetry of current platforms and outlines a path toward immersive architectures capable of sustaining pluralism, autonomy, and semantic coherence in decentralised systems.

Findings: Current metaverses replicate rigid, centralized systems that limit user agency. By contrast, a relativistic approach enables dynamic, co-created environments where meaning emerges from interaction. This paradigm shift has implications for both design and governance of virtual space.

Value: The paper contributes a cross-disciplinary perspective bridging systems theory, architecture, and emerging technologies to imagine resilient, participatory digital futures.