‘Meta-Morph’ aims to design a flexible and adaptable system within the retail industry for addressing problems such as the inefficient current architecture of retail, underutilization of customer needs, the evolving product life cycle, increment of vacancy rates in high streets, and constraints in revitalisation. A participatory design system is used by embedding a Virtual Reality (VR) platform for utilising the collaboration of different stakeholders. By leveraging VR technology, stakeholders can actively participate in the design process, providing feedback and suggestions on the spatial layout. This iterative approach ensures that the architectural system meets the evolving needs and preferences of all stakeholders, resulting in a more engaging and user-centric retail environment. Throughout the thesis, a novel retail typology emerges, transcending the traditional concept of retail as a mere shopping destination. Instead, it envisions retail spaces as cultural hubs, offering opportunities for diverse social and cultural activities.

To revitalise the high street and increase space efficiency, the project reclaims night-time usage by extending the use from daytime to a 24-hour living environment. The functions are transformed from day to night to host different events. According to the data that is collected from visitors and climatic conditions the whole architectural system is reconfigured in monthly and seasonal changes. The thesis also discusses the space definition in today’s world and provides an extension of physical space to digital. Additionally, Meta-Morph explores the application of digital fabrication methods in the architectural realm. By utilizing advanced manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing, customizable and sustainable components can be created, allowing for greater design flexibility and efficient implementation of on-site fabrication. The combination of VR and digital fabrication methods in this research contributes to the advancement of design methodologies within the retail industry, fostering adaptive and dynamic spaces that enhance user experiences, flexibility of adaptiveness, and operational performance by providing efficiency in time and economics.