Current virtual workspaces such as window managers and virtual environments impose unnecessary constraints on both users and developers. This research focusses on the development of a flexible 3D workspace environment that runs on commodity hardware but scales to more sophisticated systems. The workspace enables a user to interact with multiple 3D applications simultaneously in the same virtual space. Existing 2D and 3D applications may also be run in the environment without recompilation. Developers of new applications may take advantage of a higher-level programming interface that simplifies coding and encourages the development of modular, reusable components that communicate with one another. This in turn provides a consistent and more flexible workspace for application end users.