Collaborating in a Virtual Architectural Environment: the Las Americas Virtual Design Studio (LAVDS) populates Second Life

The paper describes exploratory work in the design, construction, and habitation of a virtual structure (VS) nested within an Internet-based multi-user environment and serving a geographically distributed collective of architecture students and faculty. In addition to a discourse on the design and implementation parameters that were used, the paper seeks to provide findings that make reference to the quality of teaching/learning experience of users and the effectiveness of the interaction among users while working on a common architectural design project. This experience will further contribute to the knowledge base that will be needed in the design of virtual architecture