The Architecture of Virtual Space — by Or Ettlinger — is in fact two studies in one. On one hand, it is a methodical articulation of the elusive idea of virtual space. On the other, it is a historical overview of works of architecture that were made specifically as the content of pictorial works of art. What brings these two seemingly distinct topics together is the realization that they are in fact complementary – that is, that researching one would provide answers for the other, and vice versa. As such, this study is a work of media theory as well as a work of architectural theory.

Media Theory: A theory of virtual space. Presently, the terms ‘virtual’ and ‘virtual space’ are very loosely defined. With all their widespread use in both popular culture and academic discourse, what do these terms actually mean? Computer-generated? Online? Fictitious? Imagined? Metaphysical? In the absence of a consistent definition, confusion reigns supreme and ‘virtual’ ends up being just an empty buzzword – meaning practically nothing at all. Therefore, rather than simply reiterating known technological, psychological, or philosophical concerns, this study approaches the topic as an architectural issue; it seeks to define virtuality in terms of the actual space that is perceived through visual media. It is a theoretical attempt at defining virtual space itself, in a lucid, down-to-earth, and systematic manner. The result is a comprehensive work which restores the connection between older art theories and new media phenomena, proposing a single coherent theory of the pictorial image.

Architectural Theory: Architectural content in the pictorial arts. The history of architecture addresses mainly two forms of architecture: the physically built, and the wished-to-be-built. And yet, in addition to these two, there is a third form of architecture that has received very limited attention as such. This is the architecture that serves as the visible content of paintings, films, video games, and so on – architectural projects that were designed and intended from their outset to reside nowhere else but within a pictorial image. Through an analysis of a carefully-made selection of artworks spanning two millennia, this study is an introduction to the wealth and beauty of a largely overlooked branch of architectural creation. The result is both a valuable reference for the fields of art and architecture in general, and a theoretical foundation for the emerging fields of virtual architecture and virtual worlds.

Through both its methodology and its contents, this study seamlessly combines architecture and media, along with the history and theory of art, film theory, digital imaging, and information design. By fusing them together, the book provides a fresh view on each of these fields and reveals the underlying principles that are common to all of them.