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Zapworks Spaces: app-free wayfinding for real-world environments

Written by Connell Gauld | Apr 8, 2026 11:11:04 AM



Finally, inclusive indoor navigation that’s easy to deploy and easy to maintain 

Indoor navigation sounds like something that should be straightforward. Help people find their way around a building. Job done.

But once you start thinking about real environments, with multiple floors, changing layouts, and visitors who’ve never been there before, it gets a bit more interesting. Add in different accessibility needs, and it becomes clear that one-size-fits-all directions don’t really work.

That’s exactly the challenge we’ve been focused on and why today, we’re announcing Zapworks Spaces.

Spaces is an app-free, visual tool for creating precise indoor navigation that works in the real world, without adding unnecessary complexity along the way.

 

The problem with existing indoor navigation 

On paper, the idea is straightforward: give people clear directions inside buildings.

But the reality is usually more complicated:

  • It requires an app that people won’t download
  • It depends on the hardware that needs to be installed and maintained
  • It’s difficult to keep up to date as spaces change


So what happens? A lot of projects start with good intentions, get trialled in one building… and quietly stall. Spaces is built with that reality in mind. Not the ideal version of how buildings behave, but how they actually work day to day.

 

What we’ve built 



1. Start instantly, without an app

With Spaces, people don’t need to install anything. They can scan a QR code or tap a link and start navigating straight away. It sounds obvious, but it makes a big difference, especially for visitors who just want to get where they’re going.

2. No hardware rollout to worry about

Instead of relying on beacons or sensors, Spaces works with existing 3D scans and mapping providers like Matterport and visual positioning systems like Immersal and  MultiSet.  

That means you’re not planning installation projects or maintaining extra infrastructure alongside your building. It fits around what’s already there. 

3. Built for real, messy environments

Spaces is built for the kind of environments most systems struggle with. Buildings with multiple floors, layouts that change week to week, routes that need to adapt in real time, and areas that aren’t always safe or accessible.

It’s designed for spaces that aren’t static or predictable, because most aren’t.

4. Accessibility from day one

One of the most valuable things we saw early on was how different people experience the same space. For someone who is blind or has low vision, navigating a building often means relying on memory, assistance, or workarounds.

Spaces includes voice guidance and environmental annotations, so people can move through complex real-world locations more confidently and with less reliance on others.

5. You don’t need to be technical to run it

Once a space is set up, the people who manage it day to day can update it themselves. Add a new point of interest. Change a route. Publish an update. It all happens instantly in the browser, either from your laptop or smartphone. 

It’s designed so that the people closest to the space can keep it accurate, rather than handing that responsibility off to a separate team.



How it works

Spaces works with the mapping and visual positioning systems you already use, so you can use your existing infrastructure and workflows. 

  1. Scan the environment – Use an existing 3D scan or capture a new one using solutions like Matterport
  2. Enable positioning – Connect to a visual positioning system like Immersal, MultiSet or Auki to understand where users are
  3. Map and publish – Add points of interest, detailed annotations, or rich media, then publish instantly


From there, visitors and staff can navigate using their phone, with turn-by-turn guidance across the space without having to install an app. Likewise, your team can instantly update your space remotely or on the ground using their smartphone or tablet.

Where this actually matters

We’ve been focusing on environments where getting from A to B isn’t just a convenience:

  • Industrial sites where time lost finding equipment slows everything down
  • Corporate campuses where visitors regularly get lost
  • Public venues where accessibility has a direct impact on experience


In these places, navigation isn’t a “nice to have.” It affects how smoothly things run.

See it in action

You can watch the launch webinar below or book a demo to see how it could work in your space. 

 

What’s coming next

We’re already working on several improvements to Zapworks Spaces as well as rolling out new features, including: 

  • Immersive Frames – Adding interactive content into physical locations using your existing 3D content from Zapworks Designer and Mattercraft
  • Guided Tours – Pre-defined routes for onboarding, events, and visitor journeys


The ambition is that Spaces becomes more than just navigation. It becomes a way to structure how people move through and experience an indoor space.