Architectural visualization: Why Investing in Quality Always Pays Off

Who Needs Architectural Visualization?

Shopping habits have changed over time. People want the freedom to make the choice for themselves. 

Hyper realistic presentations of a living complex with impressive 3D rendering sway decision makers more than if the visualization were to be presented on a blueprint. After all, it is crucial that the sales or decision making process is present throughout all project stages.

At its core, archviz (as it’s often abbreviated to) is a mighty tool for communication. In a visual field like architecture, a common practice is that the client’s vision (and an architect’s skill) would be presented in a more creative light than any 2D sketch or technical blueprint.

For Architects, visualization is a translation of their design into emotion, an art form that can be explained without words. It allows architects and designers to collaborate and communicate more efficiently compared to when they use a 2D design that can sometimes be very hard to read and understand, and usually requires further explanation. Architectural visualization helps spot design flaws early on by incorporating real life specifications like photos, and what’s more, data from surveyors helps architects make more accurate and informed design decisions.

Property developers need architectural visualization to have a good idea of project prospects and make it easier for them to envision their future developments, and of course, sell the objects.

Investors make use of architectural visualization to make informed decisions about what they want to put their assets into. They get a good understanding of the appearance of their chosen commercial or residential property including all the details that they would not otherwise be able to obtain by looking at a sketch or image.

Clients need to see architectural visualization to not only make purchasing decisions but also envision their future property. Visualizations have a much deeper purpose than to just show a 3D image on a screen - and that purpose is to evoke positive emotion and a sense of belonging even before they purchase the property.

What are the Main Criteria for Quality Building Visualization?

Visualization criteria depend on what the client wants to achieve with the image

But we believe that the following guidelines should be the cornerstone of all architectural visualization, as they are what makes up the quality and the appearance of the building or apartment.

• Image positioning & Photorealism

This is important for smoother image transitions. Virtual tours and 360-degree building spinners are composed of images blended together perfectly to give an effect of realistic movements. This criteria is vital for providing a positive and realistic experience, so that they feel like they are really there as opposed to just looking at a sketch. Photorealism is a strong indicator of good rendering for the same reason, triggering an emotional attachment to a property. The beauty of these interactive data points is that it is possible to create any type of setting to make people feel a certain way. Selling your product through emotion is favorable for both your business and your customer, as anyone who takes part in your digital journey has a chance to experience something spectacular and feel completely immersed in the visualization.

• Light & Color

Lighting is very important for good image composition as it enhances building and environment details. Looking for an architectural visualization of a building lit up by a realistic sunset will make a better impression than a computer graphic with no natural lightning. When it comes to colors, the other pivotal part of the composition, the advice is that if you are using less colors, then you can make a more convincing presentation for the clients.

Using too many colors in your composition can be detrimental to your visualization. A balance of color and light will make for an aesthetically pleasing visualization, but if you use overpowering colors, the presentation can become cluttered and unappealing - you will not be able to show the true beauty of the building as said colors will serve as nothing but distraction. Therefore, using 3-4 colors maximum for your artistic creation will give your composition a classy and minimalistic tone. When thinking about composition design, remember that less on the screen can say a lot more than extra colors and clutter.

• Storytelling

Your architectural visualization is much more than a computer generated design, it is a masterpiece that longs to make consumers feel something, which is why it is integral to merge the technicalities of creating your composition with a human-like feel. This can be achieved by adding lifestyle images into the visualization; people walking their dogs in the park, your future neighbor carrying around a takeaway meal or kids playing in the sandbox - you are telling a story of what someone's life can look like in this property. On the other hand, you can always translate a story with both the presence or the absence of components, absence of elements should also be considered, so people can have space to fill in the blanks with their own imagination.

The Benefit of Quality Architectural Visualization

Quality Architectural visualization can have a positive impact on the consumer’s psyche through storytelling, this helps them to experience positive emotions when viewing properties or making investment decisions by adding a sentimental touch to their search.

The overall goal of creating quality architectural visualizations is to make the consumer, investor or developer purchase the property, or if it is an architect, to convince the jury, city hall and developers and avoid mistakes or errors. The process of creating actionable compositions shortens the sales cycle, saves a substantial amount of time for all parties and makes the property search an enjoyable process in contrast to looking through piles of blueprints and lifeless images. It presents architects with a detailed blueprint that leaves miniscule room for error throughout the development process, which as mentioned above, cuts down time spent on the project.

How Quality Visualization Pays off

Quality visualization pays off by attracting customers and real estate investors to view and purchase properties that they have already had a chance to see, even before they have been built.

Attracting Customers with Architectural Visualization

Apart from the feel-good aspects of the compositions, there is also a technical aspect present, one that is no less important than psychological triggers. If a project shows solid research and innovation, then clients become a lot more interested in the development.

Getting good images that suit your development, integrated with highly complex technical visuals, can be merged to create interactive solutions, such as 360-spinners, which enable the user to explore in a moving way around the building from all angles, even from the birds-eye view. These features are enabled on mobile devices, so having an impressive viewing experience can be done on a mobile phone as well.

Depending on the type of mobile phone a user has, it can even let the user choose the time of day to view the building online, and show pre-rendered images according to that time of day. How better to get connected with a property then having a digital interactive maquette projected on your board room or kitchen table.

How to Attract Real Estate Investors with Architectural Visualization

Real Estate investors are always looking to find impressive properties to invest in, now relying on architectural visualization. When thinking about what to invest in, they are often faced with the issue of investigating simple 2D blueprints, thus having to take massive risks when investing in a property they know nothing about.

Architectural building visualization brings them as close to reality as possible, providing them with both the technical peculiarities and the real feel of the development. Building visualization enables investors to choose their properties remotely, and implement any filters and conditions that they prefer, giving them a crystal clear vision of their future investment.