In my real life, I fix up old houses and write about architecture for About.com. But in my second life, the sky's the limit. I can be the world's next Zaha Hadid or Frank Gehry, designing gravity-defying buildings and shaping entire cities.

Second Life is an online virtual community. Much more than a computer game, it lets you create an identity, launch a career, build a home, and interact with other "citizens."

Professional architects, artists, and designers are using Second Life to try out new designs and display their work. A new loft-style Starwood Hotel, constructed in Second Life, is set to open in 2008. Designers will use the feedback they receive on their virtual hotel as they construct a real world version.

Explore Second Life:

• Second Life Screenshots
• Introduction to Second Life (You Tube video)
• Ohio University Second Life Campus (You Tube video)
• Starwood Hotels Explore Second Life First (Business Week)