Virtual Atmospheres: A Comparative Study Between The Philosophical Lexicon And A-Frame

This article examines the intersection of atmospherology and virtual reality through a case study developed as part of a doctoral research project on the digital enhancement of cultural heritage. Drawing on the aesthetic and phenomenological theories of Gernot Böhme, Tonino Griffero, and James Gibson, the study explores how virtual reality technologies – particularly the A-Frame framework – can be understood not only as technical tools, but as expressive media capable of creating affective and immersive spatial experiences. Central to the investigation is the development of a prototype for the virtual exhibition Da Guttuso a Matta, held at Castel Nuovo in Naples, which serves as a testing ground for applying atmospheric theory to virtual environment design. The paper analyzes how aesthetic concepts such as mood, resonance, and affordance can inform immersive design strategies, and argues that these affective categories have meaningful counterparts within the syntactic and interactive structures of digital code. By offering a comparative reading of philosophical language and computational scripting, the research outlines the contours of a possible metalinguistic bridge between technical design and phenomenological experience. Ultimately, the paper advocates an atmospheric approach to virtual reality, proposing that digital environments should be understood not merely as containers of visual information, but as affective spaces of felt presence that invite embodied engagement.