| Title |
An Analysis of the Characteristics and Methods of Overlap Between the Virtual and the Real in Media Spaces |
| Authors |
임성재(Lim, Sung-Jae) ; 임경란(Lim, Kyung-Lan) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.14774/JKIID.2026.35.2.075 |
| Keywords |
Overlap; Media Space; Virtual; Real; Post Structuralism |
| Abstract |
Media spaces have evolved in both composition and user experience alongside advancements in digital technologies and media. These spaces are characterized by the interplay of two key elements: the virtual, projected through digital media, and the real, shaped by physical spatial design. The objective of this study is to categorize the characteristics of overlap and to propose elements and methods for implementing overlap between virtual and physical space. This study explores the potential of blurring the boundary between the virtual and the real to generate novel forms of spatial experiences and programs. To achieve this objective, the research was conducted through a multi-stage methodology. First, a comprehensive review of extant literature was conducted to examine the functions and value of overlap as a generative method. Based on post-structuralist theories, and the characteristics of overlap were identified and classified. Subsequently, the study investigated the constituent elements of media space, the experiential value of spaces where overlap occurs, and the directional tendencies of overlap in contemporary contexts. Through this process, new characteristics of overlap specific to media spaces were derived.
A case study of six media space projects was then conducted to examine how overlap is implemented and how it influences spatial experience. Each case was analyzed in terms of its methods of expressing overlap and the resulting transformations in user perception and interaction. Based on these findings, the study proposed strategies and relational frameworks for integrating virtual and physical space, aiming to expand spatial experience in media environments. Media spaces are characterized by the dynamic interrelation between the virtual and the real, as well as by the continuous reconfiguration of spatial experience through interacting elements. The phenomenon of overlap within media spaces, and the concomitant emergence of new spatial programs derived from it, has the potential to serve as a foundational principle for future spatial design methodologies that seek to enrich human experience and life. |