Authors : Michael Olusegun Adamolekun

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 5 - May

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/yc2xxkhp

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/2xz473cv

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26May361

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : The emergence of digital technologies has significantly transformed architectural practice, particularly in design representation and spatial experience. Traditionally, architecture has been understood as the design and construction of physical structures that shape human environments over time. However, the development of digital modeling tools, virtual environments, and immersive technologies has introduced new forms of architectural space that exist independently of physical materiality. This transformation raises important philosophical questions regarding the ontology—that is, the nature of existence—of architecture within digital and virtual contexts. This study explores the ontological status of digital and virtual architecture and examines how technological advancements are redefining the concept of architectural space. Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study investigates the characteristics and implications of digital architectural environments through a review of relevant literature and case studies of virtual platforms such as Second Life and Minecraft. These platforms demonstrate that virtual environments can replicate many spatial qualities traditionally associated with physical architecture, including enclosure, circulation, and social interaction. The findings suggest that architectural development can be realized through computational constructs rather than solely through physical structures. Digital architecture thus represents an evolving domain within architectural theory and practice, requiring new conceptual frameworks that acknowledge both physical and virtual forms of architectural space.

Keywords : Curvilinear Design, Cybrid Space, Digital Avatars, Digital Architecture, Metaverse, Modeling, Data, Augmented Reality.

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