Architecture trends keep evolving, leading to new styles and some truly incredible building designs. As new technologies become available, architects implement them into their design process, pushing the industry forward. 3D rendering is the latest addition to architectural visualization, and it’s a practice that introduced massive changes into the industry.

Today, 3D rendering is the go-to solution for most architectural businesses all over the world, and it also keeps improving over time. Most latest industry trends focus on recreating building designs in almost 100% realistic settings. Moreover, with tech such as VR walkthroughs, augmented reality, and advanced 3D rendering, it will soon bring the entire industry to a new level. Stay with us, and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the state of 3D rendering in architecture.

Stories are More Important Than Ever

When an architect designs a building, he has to think about the bigger picture. Designing something is one thing, but selling it to the right clientele is something completely different. That’s why architects have to create their designs around a compelling story. Architectural storytelling plays a huge role in 3D presentation, as they allow potential buyers to experience the design first-hand in a virtual environment.

They can interact with different models and experience the entire design almost as it were real. That way, architects don’t have to explain every design solution and hope that their clients will understand it. They can simply explain their design ideas in real-time while the clients get a better understanding of how it will look by observing a virtual representation  of the project. The practice is beneficial to both sides, and it helps build trust and a better relationship.

In other words, 3D rendering allows better architectural presentations and helps make sure that all ideas are communicated correctly before the construction starts.

Multiple Render Options Depending on the Time of Day

We all know that buildings, interiors, and exteriors look different, depending on the time of day. Some architectural designs can change completely during dusk and dawn, while the sun is very low. 3D rendering software comes with advanced shading options that allow you to recreate different lighting depending on the source and time of day.

Other techniques such as reflections, raytracing, and dynamics, can help you create an incredibly realistic render from scratch. Many architects use their rendered buildings in real photos to get a sense of how the final design will look once completed. It’s a huge technological advancement that changed the way architecture works forever.

With 3D renders, you can easily recreate the different feelings you get while looking at a building or design during different times of the day. The best thing is - you can do it in real-time. Your possibilities are practically endless, and it’s even advised to try out different lighting and approaches, as that will not only help you improve your design, but you will also learn what works and what doesn’t.

Virtual Reality is Coming Strong

VR is quickly becoming one of the most popular modern architectural practices because it allows potential buyers, clients, and everyone else to experience a design first-hand. Virtual reality made its way into architecture, and it’s here to stay for a long time. More and more architectural companies use VR in their presentations as it’s the most powerful tool for attracting buyers.

VR design walkthroughs are excellent for building trust with clients, as they are able to experience the design almost as it was real. In other words, they will be able to see every little detail and design solution way before the construction even starts. If a client isn’t happy with some details, you can use their feedback to make changes practically on the go.

It’s also an excellent tool for conveying your design to the people who will build it. Sometimes construction drawings are not enough to help the builders visualize the entire design. However, with VR, things will become much easier. Once the builders understand the design and all of its features, the final result will be much better. VR is simply a win-win situation for both sides, and it’s definitely one of the most revolutionary architectural practices ever.

Augmented Reality Follows Suit

AR or augmented reality has also found its way into architecture. It offers similar benefits to VR but with a little bit more freedom. AR is used to recreate a real experience, allowing clients to understand better how the final design will look in an authentic setting. AR helps architects connect their designs using multiple tools into one realistic plan that is able to communicate the final idea better than anything else.

Let’s say that a client wants to buy a home or an entire office building that is not yet built. They will want to see how it will look to figure out if they like it. Since the building doesn’t have a single brick in place yet, architects had to explain features and details through drawings. Well, AR allows them to simply turn on their phones and look through the screen. They will see the entire building, interior, exterior, whatever they want as if the building had already been built.

AR simply allows plans and blueprints to come to life, allowing the architect to explain everything during a virtual tour. That has a huge effect on the customer experience, speeds up the entire design phase, and also provides an excellent marketing tool. The application for AR in architecture is surely going to become even more prominent in the near future.

3D Printing as an Extension of Renders

Even though VR and AR yield a ton of power, nothing is more accurate than a real 3D model when it comes to design presentation. However, throughout history, many complex building designs were too hard to scale down and model, but today, things are very different. With advanced 3D printers, architects can create extremely accurate 3D models very quickly. They simply have to upload their 3D designs into printing software and wait for the printer to do its thing.

3D printing is a huge saver of time and effort, but it also creates reusable models. For example, architects can simply add details to an already existing model in their next design, making things even easier. Not only that, but 3D printed models also work as an excellent presentation tool for real estate agents. Printers can easily recreate any material and texture, including brick, steel, glass, and so on. Lastly, 3D printing today has reached a point where it can be used to create real buildings, not just miniature models.

Artistic Approach

When it comes to architectural visualization, architects can choose a few different approaches when creating their designs. Some architects focus on creating 100% realistic 3D renders, while others take the so-called artistic approach. Such an approach yields a lot of power because it’s able to recreate a design in a surreal environment that highlights the most important features perfectly.

Architects can also experiment with different colors, lighting, shading, and everything in between to create a design that leaves the biggest impression. 3D rendering gives the architect or designer an unlimited number of possibilities, and the artistic approach is able to produce some incredible designs that really make an impact. This approach is the best option if you’re looking to impress your audience and get that extra wow factor working to your advantage.

Personalization and Flexibility

Working closely with clients includes a lot of back and forth when it comes to ideas and design. Before, architects had to listen closely to what their clients wanted, draw the plans and design by hand, and present the idea back to the client. If the client isn’t happy with the design, the architect has to redraw everything again. It might take a few tries until the design is accepted, which means weeks of hard work for the architect.

Well, 3D rendering makes things much easier. Architects can now design buildings, interiors, and exteriors in real-time. Once they get the feedback from the clients, they can make the needed changes on the go. It doesn’t take a professional architect more than a few minutes to implement new details and create another version of the same design.

The clients don’t like a design solution? No problem, make quick changes in the software and present a better one. The clients are not sure if a feature should be on this wall or that wall? No problem, just move it to the other wall with a few simple clicks. They don’t like the materials you used in your design? No problem, just switch things up in a matter of minutes. One thing is for sure, 3D rendering is way more flexible and allows for more detailed personalization than any traditional method available.

Minimalism is Back in

Minimalism was a huge thing back in the 70s and 80s, and today, it’s making a huge comeback to architecture. When it comes to buildings, exteriors, and interiors, less is often more, and clients often want their designs to look as clean and simple as possible. Instead of cluttering space with all kinds of details and features, this type of design focuses on simple features and the use of cold colors.

This type of design focuses more on functionality than appeal, and it’s hugely popular in interior design. Minimalism includes features such as an open floor plan, comfortable furniture with simple lines, lots of light, and the use of natural materials such as wood, steel, and stone. The minimalist style has a modern feel to it, and it will stay looking sharp and clean for decades.

With that said, architects have to be very careful during the design phase, as they have to combine multiple materials, features, and lines in the right way. Keeping everything too simple will make the final design look sterile and soulless. That's why designers often highlight accents and certain details with colors outside of the standard palette.

Multi-Functionality

3D architectural rendering is definitely multi-functional, and it has a wide application across multiple industries and design stages. A single high-quality 3D render can help build your reputation, sell the property before it’s built, finding potential issues before the construction starts, and so on. Apart from it being an excellent marketing tool, 3D rendering is also very cost-efficient as it allows architects to make changes on the go without redesigning the entire project.

It’s also a powerful presentation tool that will help you convey your design solutions directly to clients. With the use of the internet, you will be able to introduce your designs to potential clients all over the globe, which should open up more doors than any other available method. When it comes to 3D rendering in architecture, you are limited only by your own creativity. As long as you can imagine a design, you will be able to create it in 3D and get your ideas to the right people without a problem.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that 3D rendering is here, and it’s here to stay. It’s one of the latest methods for creating architectural designs, and it has proven to be a very effective tool for everyone involved. Today, 3D rendering is used by all top-notch architecture companies in their daily projects, as it offers a mix of benefits nothing else can come even close to.

It’s cost-efficient, it’s an excellent option for conveying ideas to clients and generating feedback, and with the use of VR and AR, your company will definitely create a strong foothold on the markets. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box, and your unique designs might be what someone is looking for. Make sure that you implement the best 3D rendering practices, and success will surely follow!