Usonian Build-Off Winners Exhibit Their Virtual Ability

I predict that the Usonian Build-Off’s novice winners, Kasimir Deimatov and Jadyn Firehawk, will be a formidable duo in the SL architecture and design scene should they keep working together.  I was fortunate enough to spend a relaxing afternoon with them after the competition ended, as they were excitedly awaiting the awards ceremony.  What I learned was that not only are these two people very talented (they gave me a tour of some of their other builds), but also quite extraordinary.

Jadyn and Kasimir became friends through Virtual Ability, a group that helps bring people with a wide range of disabilities into Second Life, and provides them with a supporting environment once here. Futhermore,  Jadyn is the founder of the Pixel To Pixel Foundation (P2P), a charity which provides Linden dollar stipends to people with disabilities who are supporting themselves on disability assistance program benefits.  She was also the novice winner of the last Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Museum Build-Off, which was focused on the Craftsman Style.  So when these two heard there was still a space open in this year’s build-off Kasimir thought he might give it a go with Jadyn’s assistance.  Because while he is a fantastic builder on his own, the time constraints of the competition may have proved something of a challenge as, in RL, Kasimir is paralysed from the neck down.

“I had a stupid diving accident,” he told me in a straight-forward tone, “dived from the side in [shallow] water and broke my neck.”  This was 10 years ago, when he was a 25-year-old student of Interior Architecture in Belgium.  His accident has made pursuing his talent very difficult, but he says SL has given this aspect of his life back to him.  He was introduced to it by his nephew, Melchizedek Blauvelt, or Mel, a lively chap I met briefly, who is also a builder.

But SL wasn’t easy for him at first.  “I couldn’t figure out how to move my avatar, but then [Mel] told me about Virtual Ability.” So, how does he interface with SL then?  Jadyn explained it to me:  “He uses an eyeglass-mounted laser pointed at a control board just above his computer screen.  He types that way, moves around that way, and builds that way.  It’s so fascinating to me, all with head-movements!  And he types faster than a lot of people I know!”

His dedication and talent are clear in his very first complete build, his home ‘Red Hole House’, a very contemporary and creative build of mostly glass that calls to mind Phillip Johnson’s ‘Glass House’, with a bit of Michael Graves thrown in the mix.

But even with Kasimir’s skill, the Build-Off deadline would have proven a challenge, so he brought in Jadyn, who assisted him with his own home as well.  “We’ve worked together on these builds,” she told me, smiling and showing me a small model of the prize-winning Usonian home that Kasimir made. “We toured Fallingwater [in SL] and looked at the other FLW houses before starting… [then] he made the little model for the Usonian contest, and communicated his concept to me that way.”

“During the contest we were on Skype; I built the pieces, and he edited them or told me how to change them or place them or adjust them… I was his “hands” for the build.”  And quite a pair too, as her own homes (she specialises in historic American styles) are gorgeous, and I was stunned to learn she has only been building since last October.  She explained to me that her disability, Bi-polar Disorder, can actually aid her in her building. “Bipolar disorder has a symptom described as ‘excessive focus on goal-directed activities’.  The build-off is perfect for this…  I can build for many hours straight… and it’s almost meditative, getting lost in ‘the zone’.”

Understandably, not everyone chooses to be as open as Kasimir and Jadyn about their disabilities, and SL can also offer freedom and discretion for those who desire it.  In fact, I was surprised and amused at Kasimir’s answer when I asked him if his disability affected the design of his build.  “I got a second floor with stairs so it’s not that accessible… no I don’t feel the need in SL to take that in consideration.”  Jadyn chimed in, “but that’s the thing about the house… SL seems to remove a lot of barriers for the physically disabled… but movement controls are an issue, right Kasi?”

Kasimir agreed, “I do need space to be comfortable here; it’s too small to navigate easily for me… my movement control gets out of hand in small places because I can’t see where I’m going.  Also, it’s frustrating when you can’t cam smooth… it takes a lot of time and I like things to go fluid.”

But on seeing the sleek, glass-clad modernist result of their Usonian collaboration, many would never dream it was so expertly built under such challenging conditions.  In fact, these two were not the only builders at the competition – or in SL at large – with disabilities.  But that is one of the wonders of SL, giving people an opportunity to pursue dreams which for one reason or another RL has made limited or impossible.

I truly hope to see these two in the next FLWVM Build-off, which rumour has it is already in the works for Spring.  They’ll have to enter the Professional category next time, however, but I’m sure they are up to the challenge!

To find out more about Virtual Ability, please visit http://www.VirtualAbility.org.  To learn more about Pixel To Pixel Foundation or to make a donation, contact Pixel Falconer or Jadyn Firehawk in SL.