The paper discusses research and research applications regarding the exceptional child and the physical environment, and presents ways in which space can have an impact on learning and development. An argument is made for the creation of research based design principles based on knowledge of the relations between the physical environment and the development of the exceptional child, and for testing these theoretical concepts in field situations. To illustrate the argument and to show what can be done to make better play/learning environments, two examples of empirically based design principles are discussed and examples are given of the application of these concepts to the design of an outdoor play/learning environment for exceptional children. A number of working hypotheses about the relation between the physical environment and development are advanced, and research is called for to test these hypotheses in the context of field situations. It is argued that in this way research and design can best contribute to each other and to applied research and research applications regarding space and the exceptional child. (Author/SBH)