Beyond the rectangle: Designing the future of the web in AR/VR

Immersive content isn’t science fiction — it’s already here. You’ve probably experienced it without even realizing it.

Remember when Pokémon Go had people chasing Charmanders across city parks? That was AR introducing millions to digital overlays on the physical world — a pixelated preview of what’s possible.

Or consider Wikipedia’s quietly revolutionary 3D features: Some articles now include interactive models — like a lunar rover or an astronaut’s suit — that you can rotate, scale, and even “place” in your living room. Sure, it’s still through a rectangular phone or tablet screen, but it hints at a future where knowledge breaks free from the screen and inhabits your environment.

Now imagine:

• Walking through a scale model of a coral reef projected into your classroom — no goggles required.
• Hosting a virtual art gallery in your living room, with famous works from global museums hovering on your actual walls.
• Visualizing policy impact in real-time, with a digital overlay showing the changing landscape of your neighborhood.
• Trying on an outfit using a life-size holographic avatar before deciding whether to buy it.

These aren’t just flashy tricks. They’re new ways to learn, connect, and act. When AR and VR meet the web, the possibilities aren’t just visual — they’re emotional, cultural, and behavioral.

The rectangle is dissolving. And the web is stepping into the room with us.

Once the web escapes the rectangle, everything changes — including how we move through it.
Will content float in the air around us? Will links be activated by glances or gestures? What happens when “scrolling” becomes “moving”?

Science fiction has toyed with these ideas for decades. In films like Minority Report or Iron Man, characters swipe, grab, and drag floating data. But the real question is: how do we apply those interactions to everyday websites?

Do we push content away? Pull it closer? Will menus hover in space, or stick to real-world surfaces like coffee tables and desktops? What does “forward” or “backward” even mean in a spatial environment?

These aren’t just design puzzles — they represent fundamental shifts in how people interact with information.

Immersive experiences have the potential to redefine how we tell stories, teach ideas, and connect across distances.

Learning by doing — and moving around

Three-dimensional objects and environments offer powerful educational opportunities. Systems and processes become easier to understand when you can walk around them, look inside them, and interact with them directly.

Imagine learning about architecture by standing inside a building as it’s being constructed around you. The web becomes not just a source of information, but a space for visual understanding.

Empathy through immersion

AR/VR web experiences can transport users into new perspectives — someone else’s environment, their lived experience, even their point of view. This ability to foster connection makes immersive tech a powerful tool for building empathy and driving social impact.

Museums without walls

What happens when exhibitions aren’t confined to buildings?

Cultural institutions could make their collections accessible anywhere — on kitchen tables, in classrooms, on city streets. Museum artifacts could travel digitally, appearing in homes around the world.

It also raises new questions about access and ownership. Will we pay licensing fees to display digital Picassos in our homes? Will museums offer virtual exhibitions through subscriptions — or as part of their mission to democratize culture?

The answers may reshape how we think about art, education, and public access.

As web designers and developers, we’re at the start of a profound shift in how people interact with information.

• How do 2D design systems translate into 3D environments?
• What new patterns, layouts, or UX conventions will emerge?
• Can immersive tech foster connection — rather than isolation?

These aren’t just technical challenges. They’re cultural, emotional, and ethical ones. And the answers will shape how people learn, collaborate, and engage in the years ahead.

Whether you’re shaping young minds, preserving cultural heritage, or advancing an important cause — immersive web content can help.

The web’s next dimension isn’t just about screens or headsets. It’s about designing experiences that live with us, around us, and for us.

We’d love to explore those possibilities with you.