http://cozycomforts.net/working-in-virtual-space/
working in virtual space
Virtual space is no longer just a toy for nerds with headsets, but a continent in the making. Anyone who enters it quickly realizes: this isn't about pixels, but about possibilities.
Imagine a marketplace that never closes. Service providers no longer advise their clients amidst filing cabinets and fluorescent lights, but in designed, interactive environments. Workshops take place in spaces tailored to the topic. Education becomes accessible. Collaboration becomes a tangible, spatial experience. Expertise is given a platform – without travel time, without expensive infrastructure, without geographical boundaries.
At the same time, galleries are emerging where art is not just viewed, but experienced. Digital works don't hang on walls; they react, change, and invite immersion. Artists reach an international audience, independent of square footage and rental prices. Visitors move through curated exhibitions, speak directly with the artists, purchase works, and use them immediately. Art becomes global, interactive, and economically independent.
Products are also being reimagined. Virtual shops are not mere display windows, but experiential spaces. Clothing, furniture, scripts, entire design worlds – everything can be viewed, tested, and used immediately. Creatives build their own brand, develop their identity, and tap into a market that transcends national borders. The currency is ingenuity.
And then there are the events: nightclubs without bouncers, concerts without travel, themed parties with guests from five continents. DJs spin records, performers experiment with space, light, and interaction. Community arises not despite distance, but through new forms of connection. Geography loses its power.
Those who delve deeper discover role-playing games and narrative worlds that are more than just entertainment. Quest-based stories, collaborative adventures, spaces that respond to decisions. Here, dramaturgy, design, and technology merge into experiences that truly engage people.
For over fifteen years, I have been designing and photographing such worlds. What sounds like technology is actually a discipline at the intersection of architecture, lighting design, and psychology. A virtual space only works when proportion, atmosphere, and function work together seamlessly. Textures, light sources, and spatial depth are not mere effects, but tools for creating presence. The goal is always the same: the viewer shouldn't just watch, but step inside.
I find collaborating with game designers particularly appealing. The gaming industry is growing rapidly, but growth alone doesn't create an experience. A good gaming environment must be aesthetically pleasing and, at the same time, functional from a gameplay perspective. It must provide orientation, spark curiosity, and evoke emotions. This is precisely where the magic happens: when spatial design becomes a silent storyteller.
Interior designers and decorators also benefit from this way of thinking. Digital 3D models make it possible to precisely visualize visions before the first stone is laid. Clients don't just see plans—they move through their future spaces. Decisions become clearer, processes faster, and misunderstandings less frequent.
For real estate agents, virtual tours open up a new dimension of presentation. Prospective buyers experience a property realistically without having to be physically present. This saves time, expands reach, and significantly increases the appeal of an offering. A space that resonates emotionally doesn't sell through data, but through the impression it makes.
Virtual worlds are not a replacement for reality. They are an extension. An experimental field. A laboratory for ideas. Those who design them work at the intersection of creativity and future technology. The boundaries are not technical, but conceptual.
The question is no longer whether these spaces are relevant. The more compelling question is: Who designs them—and with what ambition?