The Nature of Non-Physical Space - Or how I learned to love cyberspace wherever it may be

More designers are concerned with the occupation of the virtual world, through immersive techniques, for example, than in using it as a means for conceptualising and theorising architectural space. The paper examines how architects think about space and how our consideration of nonphysical space might assist in spatial theory and in teaching. It also considers cyberspace fiction both in writing and film to see how it might help us think about space in a more liberating way. Architects and architectural teaching tends to focus on space as an element of construction rather than a theoretical proposition. By discussing imaginary spaces in greater depth we could encourage students to think about space and spatial concepts in a less rigid way. In particular the paper addresses the issues of interaction and transactions in these environments and how information is represented and accessed in an apparently threedimensional manner. In his book “Snow Crash”, Neil Stephenson deals with many ideas concerning not only architectural space but also universal space and its organisation in space and time. He uses metaphor in his depiction of the ultimate in information gathering and management. These are compelling ways in which to communicate ideas about threedimensional thinking, and information collection and management to students of architecture as well as helping architects with the theory and visualisation of non-physical space.