House 44 Bridges the Physical World with Virtual Realms with The Ark
- Written by Media Outreach
The pioneering members club brings together a community of like-minded individuals and entrepreneurs through a new, shared reality
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 13 July 2022 -With geek-cool tech terms such as ‘the metaverse’, ‘web 3.0’ and ‘blockchain’ dominating the discourse in today’s tech-driven digital age, there is no question that the way in which we work, play and interact is going to look vastly different in the not-too-distant future. For some, this unfamiliar new-age territory can be rather daunting. Breaking down these barriers for those who wish to immerse themselves in this ground-breaking ‘new reality’ is Hong Kong-based community organisation, House 44. First established in 2020 as a referral-only membership club — connecting like-minded individuals while leveraging individual members’ assets and expertise — House 44 is now expanding to a parallel virtual space by establishing its own digital frontier at the cutting edge of technology with its newest initiative, The Ark.
“The way our society is built and the way it functions today tends to favour those who come from a privileged background, and it can be difficult for others to find adequate resources and guidance. House 44 was created to eradicate these inequalities by giving people the resources they need, and in turn a fair chance to achieve success,” said Roland Li, Co-founder of House 44.‘The Ark’: The House 44 MetaverseWith the onset of the pandemic and its lasting effects on society, there is no denying that nearly every aspect of our daily life is changing dramatically. Now, more than ever, people need a second space outside of the real world. Leveraging the power of the digital space, House 44 is determined to bring this alternate reality to its members, as the first members community with its own functional metaverse in Hong Kong. Named ‘The Ark’, a fitting title to denote a genesis or new beginnings, the House 44 metaverse allows members and friends to meet in the virtual world, connect, socialise and play games, and even attend masterclasses covering a wide range of subjects from crypto trading and NFT investments, to more leisurely pursuits such as wine appreciation and cooking classes.In this virtual world, members can also learn more about House 44’s history and roots, its various services and how they can be leveraged to grow real-world businesses. What’s more, this embrace of the digital realm is the first step in House 44’s ambitions to expand globally. With active members already in the UK and Singapore, House 44 and ‘The Ark’ aim to bring everyone together under one umbrella, bridging continents, connecting mind-sets and facilitating innovation and creation.“Innovation is the catalyst for rapid expansion,” said Roland. “Our metaverse is something that we envision as a space to facilitate growth, and as a company that is constantly on the lookout for the next frontier, we are beyond excited to dive into this realm and its infinite possibilities.”Where Digital Assets FlourishIn a world where the term ‘metaverse’ is still often met with raised eyebrows and question marks, it is common to hear: “Why is the metaverse important, and what does it actually mean?” As one of the companies in Asia leading the exploration of the metaverse, House 44 envisions a world where this still-niche concept has flourished into a common one, where people are able to effortlessly move between physical and virtual realms, while leveraging the advantages of both. From digital ownership to non-fungible tokens (NFTs), virtual experiences are the future, and the applications are endless. Whether it’s setting up a virtual productivity platform for your company or exploiting virtual avenues to drive marketing and recognition for your product, successful business owners need to have fluency with this new landscape.With non-fungible tokens garnering increasingly more interest in recent years, House 44 is not only equipping its community with a deeper understanding of the value of digital assets and how to invest in these projects, but also has plans to introduce its very own NFT collection. Involving several members in the process of production, these stakeholders, including many new members of ‘The Ark’, will be able to collect, trade and buy into the art. Not only that, holders of House 44’s NFTs will have access to exclusive content and unique experiences, making this a highly anticipated project for the web 3.0 space.From Work to Play: The Next FrontierInviting its members to dip their toes in this wild and limitless universe, ‘The Ark’ epitomises a trailblazing space where work meets pleasure. Modelled after retro role-playing games (RPGs) from the 90s with nods to cult classic games such as Final Fantasy, members are welcomed...Read more: House 44 Bridges the Physical World with Virtual Realms with The Ark