Within the framework of fractional calculus with variable order the evolution of space in the adiabatic limit is investigated. Based on the Caputo definition of a fractional derivative using the fractional quantum harmonic oscillator a model is presented, which describes space generation as a dynamic process, where the dimension $d$ of space evolves smoothly with time in the range 0 <= d(t) <=3, where the lower and upper boundaries of dimension are derived from first principles. It is demonstrated, that a minimum threshold for the space dimension is necessary to establish an interaction with external probe particles. A possible application in cosmology is suggested.