The 3D industry offers plenty of opportunities to 3D artists on a global scale. Whether you want to build a career as a 3D designer, 3D printing specialist, 3D architects, or 3D anything for that matter, the lack of opportunities won’t be your number one obstacle. What is it then? The technologies are changing, and the industry has to follow.

The entire 3D industry is built upon hardware and software tech. This is why it is one of the fastest-changing landscapes to work in. But don’t worry. It is easy to catch up once you know where to look for information. Today, we will show you 6 things aspiring 3D architects should know.

The Industry Is Primed To Accept Innovators

You don’t have to worry about the demand for 3D architects. The industry is already primed to welcome innovations. As you know, architecture and construction work hand in hand. Over the last century, a lot has been done in this field in terms of increasing efficiency and reducing the margin of error, and the risk of errors overall.

The job openings for 3D architects are not going to decrease in numbers, at least not any time soon. 3D architects are valuable assets for architecture firms as they help them serve more clients while maintaining consistent quality across projects of various scopes.

As an aspiring 3D architect, you can use this to your advantage. Work on as many projects as you can, build your portfolio and contact list. The good news is that even if you don’t want to be part of a firm, you can make it. There are plenty of job opportunities for freelance architects as well.

Professional Growth and Development are a Must

Working in a field disturbed by emerging tech is always fun. You get to play with the latest tools, break barriers, design innovative solutions, and amaze your managers and clients. But this is only one side of being an aspiring 3D architect. If you really want to succeed, you definitely have to work on your professional growth and development continuously.

Fortunately, we are almost 20 years in the 21st century, and there are plenty of learning materials online. Whether you want to learn about the latest 3D software feature or see the works of your peers, you can do it from the convenience of your home.

Yes, learning from home is a viable option. But if you genuinely want to stay on top of the game and dominate the industry, you need to combine it with workshops, seminars, conferences, and networking events visited by 3D architects.

Get Used To 3D Printers

When they appeared on the market, 3D printers resembled this clunky tech that was ported out of the Sci-Fi movies. Today, the situation is quite different. The industry relies on the 3D printers, and this applies both to architecture and construction.

In architecture, experts have high hopes for 3D printing. First of all, it definitely makes detail work easier. On top of that, it can help you deliver more intricate and artistic building models. Yes, we know that nothing beats 3D architecture visualization when it comes to presenting projects to clients. But, there are still some investors that prefer real-life models.

Being comfortable around 3D printers can help you deliver high-detailed models of your designs in no time. This gives you more time to focus on more pressing matters. Mastering the art of 3D printing is not as easy as it appears. You will have to learn how to debug designs, adjust and format them to meet the specific 3D printer requirements, and achieve the best output.

On a side note, there is a serious movement in the industry exploring the viability of homes completely printed on 3D printers. That’s how big of an impact 3D printers have on the industry.

Virtual Reality Is Here To Stay

While 3D printers can help you showcase your designs in the real world, virtual reality will help you take your clients and managers on a virtual tour through your designs. In fact, VR offers so many benefits that it is logical to assume that it is definitely here to stay. Some of these benefits include reduced costs, precise and accurate renderings, easier marketing, and so on.

As an aspiring 3D architect, you should start learning how to turn your 3D renders into 3D virtual tours. Why not leverage the tech when it is already here? A simple VR headset can do what you never could - take clients on a building tour as you see it. This way, you can orchestrate their experience and showcase what you want them to see exactly.

There are few catches, though. Virtual reality can help you, but as long as you know how to leverage 3D architectural renders to your advantage. There are plenty of best practices, but the most important ones to the success of your presentation include high details, attention to details, carefully placed light sources to resemble natural light, and cameras placed at a viewpoint that resembles the human one.

Augmented Reality is Bound To Revolutionize Industry

The industry has recently welcomed VR’s younger cousin - augmented reality or AR. The use cases of AR in construction and architecture are many, and the same applies to the benefits. But we will stick only to those relevant to 3D architects and designers. The difference between VR and AR is that, instead of creating an entirely new environment as in VR, AR adds virtual elements that interact with what already exists.

AR allows you to use your 3D virtual architectural designs and combine them with elements on the construction site, presentation, conference, and so on. AR can help you take clients on tours without the use of VR headsets. At the same time, your designs can help the engineers understand the technical requirements of the projects, reduce the number of errors, and save money, time, and resources.

The software industry recognized the potential AR has in the world of architecture. There are already some handy tools to help you dive into sketches, walkthrough plans, grow walls, and so on. There are plenty of other AR emerging technologies bound to change this landscape forever.

Few Important Architectural Services Stats

The architectural services industry is rapidly growing, and this trend remained steady. The annual growth rate of the architectural services industry is 2.1%, as tracked from 2014. All of this was followed by a revenue increase of 4.4% in 2018.

The projections place the total revenue in 2019 at $292 billion. With more than 600K businesses providing architectural services, and almost 2 million employees, the industry has never been more active than today. This is great news for everyone in the industry, including aspiring 3D architects.

As an aspiring 3D architect, you should know that the industry is primed to accept innovations and those who know how to use them. This is why it is essential to stay current with the latest technologies, including software and hardware. Getting used to 3D printers, VR and AR will help you land more jobs and stun your clients with your designs.