Spatial Areas for Networking

Traditional video calls lock everyone into a single conversation—you can't break off into smaller groups, move between discussions, or have those water cooler moments where you bump into someone and strike up a conversation.

Cosmos Spatial Areas recreate the natural flow of conference networking and office interactions. Move your avatar freely through open zones, hearing only the people near you. Walk up to join interesting conversations, step away when you're done, and navigate multiple discussions happening simultaneously—just like moving through a real office floor or conference venue.

What are Spatial Areas?

Open areas in your Cosmos space where proximity determines who you can see and hear. In Spatial Areas, your avatar has a coloured box around it representing your proximity area. When your proximity area overlaps with someone else's, you automatically see and hear each other—just like being close enough to chat in real life.

Multiple groups can talk simultaneously in the same Spatial Area without hearing each other—enabling the parallel discussions that happen naturally in physical spaces.

Why use them?

• Move freely between multiple conversations without joining or leaving calls
• Network naturally at virtual events and conferences where groups form organically
• Enable post-meeting discussions that continue naturally after structured sessions end
• Build relationships through casual interactions that make remote work feel less transactional

How it works

Navigate Spatial Areas by clicking where you want your avatar to move, or use keyboard controls (arrow keys/WASD). Your audio and video connections update instantly as you move, creating seamless transitions between conversations.

There's no "joining" or "leaving" calls—you're always connected to the space, and your position determines what you experience. This removes the friction of traditional video calls and recreates the natural flow of physical spaces.

Walk up to someone working in the Spatial Area, and as your coloured proximity boxes overlap, you automatically start hearing and seeing each other. Walk away, and the connection fades naturally—just like moving through a real office or conference venue.

Use Cases: When Spatial Areas Shine

1. Post-Meeting Discussions

After a presentation or team workshop, participants move together from the Meeting Room to a nearby Spatial Area. Some cluster to debrief, others break off for 1-on-1 follow-ups, a few drift away to return to work. The structured meeting flows naturally into unstructured conversations without friction.

2. Networking Sessions

Groups form naturally around shared interests—some discussing what they just heard, others making new connections, a few reconnecting with familiar faces. Walk between conversations, join interesting discussions, step away when you're done. No forced breakout room assignments, no awkward "networking sessions"—just natural movement and organic interactions like a real conference.

3. Casual Team Building

Spatial Areas recreate "hallway conversations" and office interactions that build relationships. Moving around the office and seeing what open conversations are happening, gives that ambient feeling like you are somewhere lively. Casual encounters lead to stronger teams, better collaboration, and the serendipity that makes work enjoyable.

Why it matters

• Natural networking at virtual events - 67% of professionals find traditional networking awkward and uncomfortable. Virtual conferences with Zoom breakout rooms force people into fixed groups, creating unnatural interactions. Spatial Areas let attendees move freely between conversations, approach interesting discussions, and leave gracefully—recreating the natural flow of conference networking where meaningful connections happen organically.
• Post-meeting discussions happen naturally - Structured meetings end, and conversations continue. In physical offices, people linger in the conference room or walk together down the hall. In Zoom, everyone clicks "Leave" and disperses. Spatial Areas bridge this gap—walk together from the Meeting Room to a Spatial Area, and discussions flow naturally without creating new meeting links or scheduling follow-ups.
• Recreate water cooler moments that reduce isolation - "Missing those moments where you just kind of bump into someone and strike up a conversation." Remote teams feel alone and depressed from lack of social interactions. Spatial Areas solve this by enabling spontaneous encounters throughout the day—quick chats, casual questions, organic relationship-building that makes remote work feel less lonely.

Pro Tips

• Design clear spatial zones - Create designated areas like "Coffee Corner," "Watercooler," "Networking Zone," or "Collaboration Space" so teammates understand the layout and can navigate purposefully
• Label areas for virtual events - At conferences, create zones like "Main Stage Area," "Speaker Q&A Corner," "Topic-Based Networking" to guide attendee movement