Understanding Exterior Rendering Projects
Architectural exterior rendering is an essential aspect of any architectonic project. It involves the creation of 3D visuals that portray the exterior design and its architectural style, from various angles.
This article will explore the most essential viewpoints for exterior renderings with examples of each type. It will be also discuss the benefits of using 3D exterior rendering for showcasing architectural projects.
Whether you’re an architect, a real estate professional, or simply interested in architectural visualization, this text will guide you with the elementary angles and the proven viewpoints for creating quality exterior renderings.
What is an Exterior Rendering Project?
An exterior rendering project involves creating digital representations of designs often used in the architecture and real estate industry. It allows architects and real estate professionals to present to their audience and clients what a project will look like once it’s built. It enables changes or adjustments to improve final results as a user-friendly design tool. It is also very often used during architectural competitions, constructions bids, and tenders for improving submission presentation proposals.
Residential living at Kloos Alblasserdam, Netherlands / Architecture: FSD x Bosch und Slabbers x Van Aken / Architectural exterior visualization: RNDR
The Benefits of 3D Exterior Architectural Renderings
First and foremost, it helps stakeholders better understand the design of a development, including its size, form, light, color, and texture. This allows for more informed decision-making throughout the design and construction process.
Additionally, exterior visualization can help identify potential design flaws or issues before construction begins, saving time and money in the long run.
Finally, exterior rendering projects can be used for marketing and promotional purposes on your building, website and social media, helping to sell properties before they’re even built or winning architectural competitions and getting more contracts onboard.
The Role of Exterior Rendering Services in Project Development
Exterior rendering services play a vital role in the development of residential and commercial projects. They offer to test different design options before construction begins and smoothens the feedback process. This helps architects and builders make conscious decisions about as much data as from technical drawings as possible in terms of: materials, layout, light, and design elements. This can ultimately save time and money.
Exterior rendering services also allow clients to see what the final development project will look like, which can help with marketing and promotional efforts.
Additionally, exterior visualization projects can be used to identify potential issues with a building’s design.
Overall, exterior rendering services are an essential tool in modern architecture and real estate construction, helping to ensure that projects are completed on time, on budget, on cost, and to the satisfaction of all stakeholders involved.
1st prize in architecture competition / Homerustoren – residential towers, Netherlands / Design: Loostad x Klunder Architecten / 3D exterior rendering: RNDR
Types of Exterior Renderings
Photorealistic Rendering vs. Stylized Rendering
Photorealistic rendering is an approach and tool that aims to produce a 3D architectural visualization that is indistinguishable from a photograph of a real-life scene. This type of rendering requires a detailed brief from general information and references to room layout and technical drawings of a building. Attention to detail starts from lighting and textures to the placement of every object in the scene is on all the needed renders. The final result is a single 3D image or set of photorealistic images that looks like a photo.
Photorealistic images are commonly used in 3D architectural visualization to provide an accurate representation of what the finished project will look like. For example, real estate professionals often order photorealistic images, in order to demonstrate the development before it is built for improving sales and cashflow.
Stylized rendering, on the other hand, takes a more artistic approach. In this case the project short brief does not have to be so detailed. The main task of the short brief is focusing on image mood references. Artistic 3D renders focus on presenting the concept, form, and ideas. It involves manipulating the elements of the scene to create 3D visualization that is not a realistic representation. Instead, stylized rendering focuses on creating and conveying a particular mood or atmosphere.
Stylized rendering is often used for first phases of architectural competitions. It also happens that it is sometimes utilized for marketing materials or promotional purposes, where the goal is to create an 3D architectural visualization that elevates the development presentation through a specific feeling. For example, a stylized rendering of a restaurant might focus on creating a warm and inviting atmosphere with vibrant colors and soft lighting.
Ural Forest: 20ha of inner city multifunctional public areas in Ekaterinburg, Russia / Landscape design: S&P Architektura Krajobrazu x ARUP / Bird’s-eye view rendering: RNDR
The Process of Creating Exterior Renderings
The process involves several steps, including modeling, texturing, lighting, and rendering. The first step is to produce a 3D model of the building form and its surrounding environment in a software program like SketchUp, Autodesk Revit or 3ds Max. Once the model is complete, textures and materials are added to show the surfaces of the building, such as the walls, roof, and windows.
Lighting is also a crucial aspect of exterior rendering. It can significantly impact the overall look and feel of the image. Different types of lighting can be used to create different moods, such as soft one for a warm and inviting atmosphere or bright one for a more modern and sleek look.
Finally, the rendering process involves using software such as Corona renderer or V-Ray to translate an unattractive 3D model into the eye-catching 3D image language. This task can take several days or even weeks, depending on the complexity of the scene, feedback turnaround time and the level of detail required in project brief.
Residential housing – Watergeus in Leiden, Netherlands / Design: FSD x Architekten Kombinatie x Delva / Urban renders: RNDR
Types of Exterior Architectural Renderings
Before we dive into the essential angles, let’s take a look at the basic types of exterior renders needed. These include:
Still Image Renderings
This can be a single 3D render or a set of 3D images that showcases project details from a specific angle of the exterior design. It can be used for marketing materials, project development, and project details presentation.
Animations, Walkthroughs and Flyovers
This type of rendering experience present the exterior design through movement. Its development is shown in motion as an animation, virtual tour, walkthrough or flyover, giving clients a comprehensive view of the project.
Interactive Configurators and VR
These solutions allow clients to interact with the design, give feedback instantly and detailed changes, such as colors, textures, and light. When designed as VR experience then client can “go into the project” and immerse themselves in the experience by wearing a VR headset. In both, you feel like you’re in a game or in a movie, while exploring the residential or commercial project.
All of these can be used on project’s website and social media to help architects and real estate professionals present their developments from different camera angles.
Essential Camera Angles for Exterior Visualization Project
Exterior Rendering: Aerial Perspective
Aerial viewpoints are architectural renderings that showcase a buildings’ overall layout complexity and surroundings. They provide a bird’s-eye view of the entire site, which can be helpful in presenting a sense of project scale and its contextual elements. They are often visual introductions to project presentations.
Aerial viewpoints can also be used to highlight specific design features, such as outdoor spaces or unique rooftops solutions.
An example of a bird’s-eye view 3D visualization is shown below where it gives the whole context of the project, including its structure and its relationship with the surroundings. The foggy air perspective in the background adds to the whole mood and realistic touch to the render.
Watergeus in Leiden, Netherlands / Design: FSD x Architekten Kombinatie x Delva / 3D exterior rendering: RNDR
Exterior Rendering: Semi-Aerial View
Semi-aerial, or elevated views, are often used to showcase specific design features, such as a building’s entrance or outdoor space as shown below. These types of renderings are typically taken from a slightly elevated point of viewpoint, which can provide a sense of depth and dimensionality. Semi-aerial views are particularly useful for highlighting unique architectural features, such as a building facade or roofline and showing contextual elements.
Residential living at Mein Boschweg in Roth, Germany / Architecture: 93 Gruppe Immobilien / House rendering: RNDR
Exterior Rendering: Wide–View with Human Perspective
Wide-view or zoomed out renders are ideal for giving clients an overview of the entire project, but from a human perspective. These types of architectural renderings typically showcase the project in its entirety. They give a sense of its place within the surrounding environment and present overall house design coherency.
Wide-view renderings can also be useful in highlighting the building’s relationship with nearby existing city structures or natural features. For instance, in the render below, we can get a clear idea of the project sits within the nature, but as well each house interior. The reflection in the water leaves the viewer immersed in the setting.
1st prize in architectural competition / Lentebloem: Broekgraaf in Leerdam, Netherlands / Design team: Bemog Projektontwikkeling x Weusten Liedenbaum Architecten / Collaboration: Municipality of Vijfheerenlanden x NatureInclusive / House rendering: RNDR
Exterior Rendering: 3D Eye View and Street Perspective
The most common type of view among all types of architectural renderings. 3D eye views show the projects from a human perspective, in order to evoke how future users will feel in and experience the space. It can be an outlook from a garden like on the image below.
Snellerpoort B2 – Huis in ‘t Veld Woerden Tender in the Netherlands with 1st prize / Client: Municipality of Woerden / Design team: Bemog Projektontwikkeling x MIX architectuur x EVA architecten x LAP Landscape & Urban Design / Collaboration, sustainability advisors: Duurzaamheid adviseurs: DWA x Noorderlicht ventures x Buro Bouwfysica / 3D exterior rendering: RNDR
Exterior Rendering: Worm’s–Eye View
Worm’s-eye rendering views are taken from a low angle. Typically from ground level looking up. This type of viewpoint is useful for highlighting vertical elements of a building, such as tall towers, columns or spires. It allows to present the materials and the impressive size of project in vertical direction.
Worm’s-eye view renderings can also be used to present the building’s relationship with light and the sky, which can be particularly impactful in locations with dramatic weather patterns or unique skylines.
1st prize in architectural tender / Azieweg in Haarlem, Netherlands / Design: VORM x Bosch Slabbers x Geurst & Schulze Architecten / Exterior rendering: RNDR
Exterior Rendering: Zoomed-In View
Zoomed-in views are ideal for showcasing specific buildings details or functions. These types of renders are typically taken from close proximity to the building, which can provide a high level of detail and clarity as seen in the render below. Zoomed-in views can be useful in highlighting unique materials or finishes, such as intricate stonework or decorative elements, solutions and functions. They are a nice appendix to each exterior visualization set, because they bring the most close up perspective.
Lloydpier in Rotterdam, Netherlands / Design: Groosman Architecten / 3D exterior rendering: RNDR
Architectural Exterior Viewpoints Digest
In conclusion, selecting the appropriate viewpoints for exterior architectural renderings is an important part in the 3D images creation and rendering process. The right viewpoint can help clients visualize the final product, understand the building’s relationship with its environment, and highlight key design features.
By considering different viewpoints and rendering styles, architects and designers can order a comprehensive visual representation of their projects that accurately reflects their vision.
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