3D Property Research from a Legal Perspective

This article investigates and discusses 3D property research, as evidenced by conference papers and other publications written in English, to analyze the distribution of interest areas and the occurrence of legal aspects and trends within 3D property research occurring between 2001 and 2011. A total of 156 publications on 3D property were examined. The publications were classified in four different categories, which represent different aspects of 3D property: legal, technical, registration and organizational. More 3D property research has been conducted on technical aspects and registration than legal aspects. In the legal category, most studies addressed national legislation and the practical use of (national) legislation. The authors believe that further fundamental legal research on 3D property is needed. The quantity of research could be increased, for example, by promoting international discussion and increasing the number of comparative legal studies on 3D property rights. Additional and more focused attention should be given to international matters, such as comparative studies on the use of 3D property concepts, the development of (international) 3D property terminology and cooperation between 3D property unit owners.