The final lecture in the Virtual Realisms public series, curated by CSNI PhD researcher Teodora Sinziana Alata in collaboration with Tadej Vindis, will take place on the 12th of June 2025, 18:00-20:00, in the Fabrication Lab, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS.
This lecture traces the long-standing project of trying to make the world computable; how technologies have been used to simulate, reduce, and model social reality. Games are central to this story, not just as entertainment, but as systems that reflect and reinforce computational thinking. Through the convergence of gaming technologies with real-world simulation, from hardware to software, these tools shape our understanding of reality and value. Finally, the lecture explores how critical practices in art and design can expose these entanglements and offer new ways of imagining the future—through play, subversion, and speculative intervention.
Tobias Revell is a London-based artist, designer, and educator exploring futures and technology. As Design Futures Lead at Arup, he guides strategic foresight and sustainability projects. His work uses design to challenge assumptions and deepen engagement. He exhibits, writes, and lectures internationally on design, technology, and imagination. Website: https://tobiasrevell.com/
The event is free and open to all, but registration is required. Please register to attend here.
The Virtual Realisms public lecture series critically investigates the evolving forms of reality created through algorithmic worldbuilding, where advanced digital technologies give rise to new and diverse interpretations of what is considered ‘real.’ Spanning both technical and speculative practices, the lectures will explore how real-time virtual environments, and the technologies that underpin them, are redefining the logics of cultural production, creativity, and power in our increasingly rendered world.
The series is curated by Tadej Vindis, Lecturer in Creative Technologies, and Teodora Sinziana Alata, Lecturer in Creative Computing and Algorithmic Cultures, at the University of Westminster.
For further information about the lecture series and upcoming events, please visit www.virtualrealisms.com