By definition, architectural visualization, also known as architectural illustration or architectural rendering, is: "the art of creating two-dimensional images or animations showing the attributes of a proposed architectural design." In truth, modern architects have turned architectural visualization into a new and very specific kind of 3D art.

The main goal of the best architectural visualization studios is to create an incredible user experience that highlights all the strengths of their architectural design. Using the power of modern technology and the most advanced rendering software, these studios can literally take their clients through that experience by pointing out the best things about their visualization.

That way, their clients can see with their own eyes what their project will look like way before it's even realized. This gives them some space to make the necessary changes and adjustments, which, in turn, guarantees successful cooperation between the studio and the clients.

With that in mind, we can safely say that architectural visualization is the lifeblood of every architecture studio. They rely on it to bolster the communication between the clients and the designers.

Hyper-Realistic Architectural Visualization – The Future of Architecture

Typically, architectural visualizations take the form of 2D and 3D renderings and include very realistic lighting and textures. Such visualizations are meant to allow the clients to experience a real-world example of what their project will look like when its complete.

It's a way to present a product to a client to justify the price of the work involved. The more convincing the architectural visualization, the better the results.

Without these visualizations, architectural studios would have a lot of difficulty explaining the intricacies of the design to their clients. This might lead to clients being unsure of their choice of studio, which eventually might result in distrust, and that’s a bad thing for both parties involved.

In a way, architectural visualization allows both the studio and the client to cooperate more efficiently. With it, they are able to better understand each other regarding requirements, demands, needs, timetables, and pretty much any other detail that has something to do with the ongoing project.

In the past, architects had to draw plans by hand and be prepared to make the necessary changes if their clients asked them to.

Today, thanks to modern technology, architectural studios can do their work and then invite their clients to see that work in progress and express their thoughts, recommendations, and suggestions before the project moves to the final stage.

This way of doing things has greatly increased the success rate of architectural studios.

Advanced Computer Technology Made All This Possible

According to the best architectural visualization studios of today, visualization and 3D rendering are the future of architectural design. We live in a modern technology-driven world and this digital age is like a blessing to 3D artists, designers, and architects.

They use the power of technology to build more visually stunning, efficient, and simply better buildings that greatly exceed the expectations of their clients. 3D visualization has been the most effective way to maintain communication between architectural visualization studios and their clients for years now.

How the Process Works

Architects First Start with a Basic Idea and Build On It

3D rendering and 3D modeling technology are rapidly advancing, affecting the way we build structures. So, basically, architectural studios are using the art of architectural visualization or rendering to create 2D and 3D images and emphasize the attributes of an architectural design proposed by their clients.

Using architectural visualization and 3D rendering software, designers and architects are able to evaluate the scales and proportions of the given projects. The intuitive 3D modeling allows them to further stimulate the effects of acoustics, ventilation, lighting and so on, in any internal environment.

Once the studio takes the requirements, they start producing their first realistic 3D renderings with the main goal to provide their clients with accurate and precise 3D visualization of their desired design. These visualizations can include anything that clients want from the interior furnishings and textures to scales etc.

What's even better, 3D studios can represent these visualizations together with architectural scenes planned upfront, which is meant to simulate everyday actions.

The Studios Need to Be on the Same Page With Their Clients

Both studios and their clients have their own visions of a project, different approaches, and view the entire process from very different perspectives. Their wants, needs, and objectives also differ, which involves constant changes during the process itself.

Therefore, to come to an agreement and successfully finish a project, studios and clients need a shared understanding of things. This is where architectural visualizations can be extremely helpful. Through the use of extremely powerful 3D visualization and rendering software, 3D artists, designers, and studio architects can perform certain manipulations in the design.

These manipulations take place in real time, which allows them to make quick transitions between the wanted concept and the real product, leaving enough place to explore different approaches and options.

This eventually gives them the ability to make refinements and most importantly, create multiple versions of the wanted design.

It’s All About Tickling People’s Imagination

Put simply, studios use the most advanced technology to work more collaboratively with their clients while maintaining the most effective communication regarding the ideas to make the project successful.

The clients will be more willing to pay for the certain project if they can see it with their own eyes before it's actually built. Seeing is believing, indeed.

The Most Common Services

Architectural visualization studios offer their services depending on the needs of their clients. With that in mind, some of the most common architectural visualization services are:

● 3D exterior visualization – studios use real 3D objects such as rocks, flowers, grass, and trees to create a greater level of detail in their images.

● 3D interior visualization – to better understand the arrangement in of the space, studios use 3D visualization to change around colors and everything else in the interior.

● 3D animation – thanks to the latest visualization technology, studios can create 3D animations to better present their work according to the requirements of their clients.

● 3D interactive walkthroughs – a direct walk inside your project in order to feel each texture and detail in real time, and definitely the best way for clients to understand the atmosphere within their desired space.

● 360-degree panoramic views – 360-degree panoramic views are the hottest trend these days so naturally, they found their way into the architecture industry. Studios use it to provide their clients with better insight into their projects.

● Augmented and virtual reality – it allows the clients to examine their projects from all sides in real time and on their preferred mobile devices.

How Studios Do It

Whether you need interior design, animation, 3D rendering or any of the other architectural visualization services, you first need to make sure that you find the right visualization studio for the job.

Then, since architectural projects greatly differ, you need to clearly state your needs to determine the right price.

The First Step is Getting an Accurate Quote

There's no fixed price here, as each project has its own pricing. Details and specific goals are of the greatest importance here as that's how you'll make sure that your chosen visualization studio really understands your intentions. Projects are affected by their cultural and physical environment, as well as the intended use.

So, naturally, your studio will need the necessary documentation that will allow them to assess all the factors and come up with an accurate quote. One of the basic requests made by these studios is that their clients provide a set of plans or drawings which they can use to create their first 3D visualizations. Preparing such files in advance and in the preferred format would be ideal.

Clients Need to Provide Extensive Information on What They Need

The more documentation you make available, the better the outcome. Requesting a non-disclosure agreement and including a deadline would be a smart way to go and you should think about your project as the work unfolds.

Both 3D animations and images create a much stronger effect if they have a quality story to back it up. That's how you add the emotional aspect to your project. Once you receive a proposal from your 3D visualization studio, do the following:

● Check all the technical details to make sure they clearly specify a resolution for video and images.

● Include a revision schedule and delivery date into your production timeline.

● Check out the payment terms.

● Check all other relevant business certifications for tax purposes, as these are extremely important documents.

Still, finding the right studio for the job is of the most important thing. It's probably the most critical step to receiving exactly what you wanted for your money. It's better to pay more for the highest-quality work than to end up with an unusable low-quality visualization.