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Virtual Worlds have not been deployed widely in collaborative design, and their respective value is largely unknown. In this paper we make a combined use of established principles in design and computer-mediated communication studies to provide an account of their value for collaborative design by presenting three case studies concerned with: (a) review sessions of the architectural design of a cottage; (b) collaborative design of the interior space of an academic laboratory; (c) collaboration of design teams for the user interface design of a multimedia kiosk. We have found that collaborative design in VWs is a very engaging experience for remote participants and can add value to the activities of conceptual design and/or design review in the domains of design examined.