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Virtual vs Physical Spaces

SpaceOS separates the booking domain (virtual) from the device domain (physical). This separation allows flexible mapping and independent management.

Virtual Spaces (ZenCore)​

A Meeting Space in ZenCore is a bookable unit with:

  • Name, description, capacity, amenities
  • Pricing rules and dynamic pricing
  • Business hours and unavailability periods
  • Booking history and analytics

Virtual spaces are what users see and book. They exist independently of physical hardware.

Physical Spaces (ZenEdge)​

A Physical Space in ZenEdge is a real-world location with:

  • Adapters for IoT devices (locks, Wi-Fi, fans, lights)
  • Device health monitoring
  • Magic link generation for booking access
  • Display pairing for meeting room screens

Physical spaces manage the hardware and device automation.

The Mapping​

A Physical Space Mapping links one virtual meeting space to one physical space:

Why Separate?​

  • Flexibility — A virtual space can exist without physical hardware (e.g., a hot desk that's just a booking slot)
  • Reuse — Physical spaces can be remapped to different virtual spaces (e.g., during renovations)
  • Independent lifecycle — Device issues don't block bookings; booking changes don't require device reconfiguration
  • Multi-system — Virtual spaces can integrate with calendar systems while physical spaces integrate with IoT

Mapping Rules​

  • A mapping has a time window (start_at, end_at) — useful for temporary setups
  • Unmapping is blocked if active bookings exist in the mapped time range (unless overridden)
  • When a booking starts, ZenCore resolves the mapping to determine which physical space and devices to activate

Next Steps​