How Can Your Architecture Competition Presentation Level Up?

How Important Are 3D Architectural Visualizations When Taking Part in the Architecture Competitions?

Premium storytelling 3D renders on competition boards are a bit like architectural publications with a catchy title – if you like the content you’re viewing, then you’ll open the article and start reading. The architectural visualizations you watch and the things they show can attract your attention or not. You can either choose to reject or accept it and enhance the quality of the final 3D renderings.

You do not need to measure audience engagement to know that if 3D architectural renderings are bad, your project does not attract attention. The content you’re currently viewing is supposed to keep you browsing and evoke questions: Why did someone create this building? What was the concept behind it and what does it look like inside? None of these questions are evoked if created archvizes for competition boards are poor.

Boost Your Project Presentations Expose: Effectively Communicate The Key Aspects Of Your Work on Competition Boards

Competition boards with 3D architectural visualizations are the visual transition and eye-catchers, which grabs your attention and keeps you browsing. It is the same with the architecture competition jury. When preparing a set of architecture renderings for a key project, all clients expect top-notch level, so their chances of winning the competition are the highest.

Like you probably know – architecture competitions are fierce. A first-class level of delivery is expected, the key standards should be accomplished and design thoughts of a project ought to be presented convincingly, because even though the 3D architectural visualizations do not win competitions alone, they are the golden ticket.

We know that unique and storytelling architectural visualizations are crucial in terms of setting the project apart from the other designs on competition boards and brochures. Visual language plays a very important role.

So how can the result be achieved as a first-class project presentation thanks to archvizes?

Capture Your Vision and Tailor the Experience of Architecture Competitions’ Jury

Artistic 3D architectural renderings at the architecture competition stage are an eye-catcher that makes someone interested in the presented project on competition boards or in contest brochures. They convey to the jury the concept in a concise way. They are the transition between the project idea and top-scoring the tender. So, if a 3D rendering company fails, winning the project is in danger.

It is fruitful for success in achieving to capture the meaning, evoking emotions and stories when moving the design ideas into artistic 3D architectural images. While doing this, it is important to know how to extract the uniqueness of the leading idea of the project on architectural portraits.

In order to make your design stand out in the crowd, we focus on understanding from the get-go: What is significant in your particular design? How do we express it visually on 3D architectural renderings? Who does it serve and how can we showcase it on 3D visualizations?

We work like that on an everyday basis. Below is a good example of such practice: the artistic 3D architectural renderings made for Iconic Mosque Competition in Dubai. Like Nicolas – the co-founder of the office we’ve worked with – told us after our cooperation:

“From the first discussions with Render Art, we felt our project was well understood with a common passion for delivering sense and beauty (…) We deeply feel that our collaboration has been fruitful both at the personal level and for moving our design ideas into very visionary renderings”.

Pending architecture competition / Architectural competition: Iconic Mosque, Dubai, UAE / Architectural project: Sterling Presser Architects + Engineers x EMAAR / Competition 3D architecture visualization services are used, and enhance the presentations of architectural competitions: RNDR

Would you like to know how we achieved that? We focused on the perspective that the Iconic Mosque stretches upwards into the horizontal, and harbors the silhouette and the extreme verticality of the Dubai Creek Tower behind it – together they are united in a dynamic bird-like form, under which the city skyline finds sanctuary.

Adding to this grand composition is the crystalline light giving a shimmering luminosity reminiscent of gold and sand. With the sun disappearing westwards towards Mecca, the cloudless sky is stitched with a reflection on top of the tower. The scene is mirrored in the walk and waterway leading to the mosque, which direction is emphasized by the light beams placed under palm trees, while the scale is set through the presence of people.

But none of these would work if we hadn’t been longing to catch the vision of the architects and having the expertise to achieve it.

Focusing on Look and Feel

Do you wonder if prime architectural 3D visualizations are actually needed in architecture competitions?

From our perspective competition renderings are more than only pretty images due to the effort put into each step of creating design 3D visualizations. If they are good, the competition jury is more likely to feel the desire to interpret what the project is about, and for whom it serves, even by simply choosing the right people and their character, or creating a “look and feel” that is in tune with this singular building’s design.

Below is an example of the architectural visualizations for the pitch, where the 1st prize was taken. From the starting point, we were working closely with architects and designers in order to create the images for extracting unique features of the project.

1st prize pitch / Meerstad Groningen: 28 dwellings in the forest, Netherlands / Architectural project: Bemog Projektontwikkeling x LAP Landscape & Urban Design x MIX architectuur B.V. / Collaboration: Bureau Meerstad / Architecture visualization: RNDR

May we know that still pictures have this peculiar character of stopped time, mesmerizing by itself, opening the space for imagination and inspection, while being infinitely patient. Throughout the whole process of taking care of your project’s presentation images, we focus on showing the attitude toward architecture, not only architecture itself.

Let us ask you one question: How do you show your concepts during competitions to attract attention to your design?

The Feeling of Beauty

When the 3D rendering studio doesn’t have the best feeling of aesthetics, simply the images aren’t pretty. This is subjective of course, but in the end you would like 3D architectural renderings to deliver beauty and full vision to the partners, investors, or clients, so you don’t miss out on competitions, tenders, and construction bids, and you don’t lose contracts. In effect, project presentations expressed by artistic 3D architectural images simply enable getting new projects on board, not blocking them or creating doubts and confusion about the vision shown on renderings.

It’s just like one of our clients said:

“If the visual materials look bad, how bad will the final project look? We even expect the visuals to look way better, and that’s what the market got us used to.”

The model case in point is Azieweg Competition, where 1st prize was taken. A 3D architectural rendering like this one, sculptures with light and plays on circular and spherical notions to touch emotions.

1st prize architecture competition / Azieweg in Haarlem, Netherlands / Architectural project: VORM x Bosch Slabbers x Geurst & Schulze Architecten / Architecture visualization: RNDR

The resulting mood becomes a substantial association of a project and reflects the form and designed function. The depicted laid-back scene has some exquisite poetic qualities. Although it is an interior shot, the outside view balances the importance of immersive minimalism within. Expressive lights and shadows together with the climbing ivy expressed the sustainable beauty of the future design of cylindrical towers overlooking a park.

As it might be seen beyond the mere of a model, its texturing and rendering, lays the question of taste. A dance with conventions, an expression of finesse – it would lack something if put bluntly, wouldn’t it? Is it a fleeting detail, or is it the exact gravity of someone’s focus?

Visual Storytelling

Competition architectural visualizations are not just throwing in cars and people that will be of the right scale and that’s it. They are about the awareness of the design concept, the story created behind it, which is supposed to be told and adding the artistic visual value on top of plastic render which comes from a machine.

When the 3D rendering studio is not capable of telling the story, forming the correct mood and asking critical questions about the design and architectural visualizations’ creation goal, then the competition project might become a risky investment.

Pending architecture competition / Transpole Competition, 908 avenue de la République, Marcq-en-Baroeul, France / Architectural project: O-III Architecten x Inside Outside B.V. / Architectural visualization: RNDR

What matters in the end, is the proximity the top-notch visualizations can establish between the design’s vision and the viewer’s cognition. Be it the atmosphere, the materials, the entourage, or even the subtlest of elements – something should anchor the attention and lead further. An accomplished composition becomes to the viewer a narrative that shows an unbuilt vision, don’t you agree?

Show Your Project in a Larger Context

From a project and design perspective it is substantial to present the overall city context which might be a game changer during architectural competitions. New architectural projects work only in specific locations and surroundings, where two strategies can be used: either contrasting with the existing situation or fitting in within the continuation of the forms used in the proposal. That is why aerial renderings and axonometric views are being used when it is needed to show the jury that the competition idea is not taken out of the blue and that architects are understanding the surroundings of the space which they are designing.

Below you can find the example of the competition visualizations were made for an urban competition and 1st prize was taken. In this project, it was necessary to communicate connections to nearby protected green areas and how new designs deal with them.

1st prize architecture competition / Langeweg Hoek, Residential Complex, Netherlands / Architectural project: Groosman Architecten x LAP Landscape & Urban Design / Architectural render: RNDR

Building on that, aerial views and axonometric views manage to manifest the full scope, from small scale up to bigger projects, as well as their relationship with surroundings and city context.

Architects and Designers Process Understanding by a 3D Rendering Company

How do you know you’re in the right spot? Awareness of the process you’re a part of is essential. With all the luggage – the technical parameters, project specifics and storytelling elements – it is important to interlock effectively into your modus operandi. Who are you? What is your work process? Okay, we’ve got this. With the right questions asked, we’ll pass on the renders you need when and as you need them.

A good illustration of this, how process understanding is indispensable, was the Harderwijk Competition. We worked together with many firms involved in one design process and 1st prize was achieved by the Harderwijk Proposal. All of that shows how the consciousness of the competition process is pivoting, because without it we wouldn’t be able to plan the process, organize files optimization and deliver on time.

On top of that, we are fully aware of how much time, effort and money the architecture or real estate firms invest in 3D architectural visualizations. So, when the final result does not meet the highest quality, we acknowledge how big of a danger that is.

1st prize architecture competition / Waterfront in Harderwijk, Netherlands / Architectural project: Molenaar & Co x LAP Landscape & Urban Design / Collaboration: Trebbe x BPD Gebiedsontwikkeling x Sweco Architects x Peutz B.V. x Witteveenbos x New Horizon Urban Minning x NL Green Label / Architectural competition presentation supported by finishing layers and contrast colors of 3D rendering: RNDR

You might ask yourself: Do I need such high-end renderings creation support to win our competitions, tenders, and pitches? Of course, we cannot answer this question for you, but we know one thing after assisting in plenty of competition processes: the final outcome of 3D architectural renderings is the transition and deciding winning factor, that is why when choosing your 3D partner take a look at his experience in tender participation. It is principal because on average this type of working process is very intensive and the rendering studio which works on it needs to know how important deadlines are, have a smooth and quick workflow optimization with the ability to work under time pressure. Experience, but also flexibility and an agile attitude, are the things you search for and the key factor while choosing the 3D rendering company for such a demanding task.

Let’s Talk About Competition Deadlines

Recognition of the competition process and how much the architecture company invests are the basis. The quality of renders delivered on time is the transition and critical winning factor, that is why when choosing your partner take a look particularly at the experience in competitions. Then you can avoid the following: being stressed by tight competition deadlines. And you will not have to ask yourself: what happens if a rendering studio does not manage with them?

An example of top-notch on-time delivery is the Homerustoren Project. We supported the architects and the developer of the portrayed project in order to win a competition. It won the 1st prize. Afterwards, we helped further by visualizing the development before its construction, expanding marketing and communication potential. About 90 apartments with a diversity of housing types will be located in this area.

1st prize architecture competition / Homerustoren, Netherlands / Architectural project: Loostad  x Klunder Architecten / Architectural 3D portrait: RNDR

Edging upwards against the clear evening the building is anchored with a well-lit ground floor. In this cool setting contrast and saturation is key to capturing the moment. But none of this wouldn’t have happened without keeping the architecture competition deadlines and understanding the process which architects, developers, and constructors are facing.

Do You Have Time and Skills For Making High-End Visualizations?

We support many architectural, construction and real estate offices by giving them the possibility of outsourcing high-end 3D visualizations to us. While working on the architectural renderings we set the processes that are effective with the minimum of necessary touchpoints, in order to not keep you busy and give you extra time for design creation and taking care of your work. We focus on quality of those services, not quantity, so there will be no unnecessary calls or emails. Influenced by things like process management simple tips, we develop and improve new ways of efficient deliveries.

Still renders are the heart-piece of each project’s visual communication materials, because their meticulously curated nature is unsurpassed at translating essential information and the value proposition of a project.

Creating high-level artistic visualizations in order to show the advanced level scale of design with properly detailed images, simply takes time and hours of work. Would you prefer to focus on projects and design not on making archvizes?

If you have any competition or project that needs a project presentation boost through renderings, feel free to get in touch with us to understand how our services work.

Malgo Widaj

Malgo Widaj

founder and owner of RNDR, art director, and head of all operations at RNDR

After 10 years of designing public spaces around Europe in both projects and competitions, a desire was born to start an international atelier with an inclusive and sustainable approach, that focuses on meaningful beauty creation driven by tech. And it happened!

Now RNDR teams are helping product designers, architects, and developers around the globe to increase visual communication through storytelling images, improve media presence, win project competitions or leverage sales through rendering experiences.

DO YOU HAVE THE TIME AND SKILLS
TO CREATE HIGH-QUALITY RENDERS?

DO YOU HAVE THE TIME AND SKILLS
TO CREATE HIGH-QUALITY RENDERS?