Designing Immersive Virtual Environments: Learning Process and Characteristics of Space

Abstract

The paper examines how the spatial properties of virtual environments can be designed to facilitate the learning of abstract concepts. As part of a doctoral research in progress, the project seeks to identify parameters and criteria for constructing immersive learning spaces, drawing on fields such as architecture, information design, cognitive psychology, and interaction design. The study frames virtual space not only as a technological interface but also as a design problem that integrates educational methodologies, user perception, and spatial grammar. A review of design patterns from literature identifies spatial features with potential impact on cognition and learning, such as symmetry, curvature, proportion, openness, biophilic elements, color, scale, familiarity, customization, proximity, and metaphors. These characteristics influence emotional responses, cognitive performance, and user engagement. The article concludes that, although research remains fragmented, these findings suggest pathways for developing flexible design grammars for immersive learning environments, thereby enabling adaptable, user-centered, and pedagogically meaningful virtual spaces.