Natalia Savettchenko

Digital and virtual design in architecture is approximately two decade old; it has become a significant field. Theoreticians and architects are more and more interested in the potential of digital tools for innovation and change external look and functional purpose of architectural creation. Development of digital and virtual tools - technologies caused to origin and evolution of virtual and digital architectures. Shared origin of those two architectural movements produced using identical terminology.

Ubiquitous expansion of term “virtuality” in different areas of our every day life causes to its usage in architecture as well.  This reason and shared origin of those two architectural branches produced terminological tangle in architecture. In addition, interinfluence of those two movements enhances this problem. From this cause difference between terminology of virtual and digital architectures is not exist. The principal goal of this work is to determine the development of interconnection and interinfluence terms and concepts of two architectural movements, namely digital and virtual architecture. Also, we will determine the process of the terminal flow between the described architectural movements and the ability of expressing virtuality in these both areas. 

The research develops a format for categorization of several shared concepts of those two architectural branches that is fashionables and constantly used among architects. The framework of this research is intended to analyze the basic ideas and concepts of digital and virtual architectures. As part of this organization of the theoretical material, the researchers have identified seven constituents: topologic design, folding, hyperspace\hypersurface, presence involving immersion, involvement, interaction. By means of analysis of those concepts we may to organize and systematize shared characteristics.