Stairs in architecture are oftentimes a design focal point- the heavyhandedness in creating something that moves us from one level to the next, up and down repeatedly, something so simple and familiar with a twist is what makes the experience of traversing a stair so unique. Our obsession with stairs and the level of illusion that they create in architecture perhaps stems from the way that they’re able to twist the optics and perceptions of space. We understand that they transport us in one direction or another, but can stairs ever be circular? Is it possible to go up and down for eternity?
Years ago, architects made the move from hand-drawn plans to CAD. The time they saved and efficiencies they gained transformed the industry. Today, you’ll be hard-pressed to find an architect that solely works using the traditional pen-and-paper methods. That digital shift has continued to develop.
From Epic Games' Build: Architecture 2021. Image Courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects
Epic Games operates one of the world’s largest games, Fortnite, and also develops Unreal Engine, the most advanced real-time 3D creation tool that powers Fortnite and is used in industries beyond games. Over the last few years, more professionals in architecture and related fields are using Unreal Engine to bring stunning, photorealistic worlds to life.
In an exclusive interview with ArchDaily, David Weir-McCall, Architecture Industry Marketing Manager at Epic Games, shares his insights on the use of digital technology, such as the likes of Unreal Engine, for collaboration and co-design within the field of architecture, engineering, and construction.
Until this Tuesday, May 3rd at 23:59 EST you can submit your work for the second edition of the ArchDaily Architectural Visualization Awards. For us, visualizations have become a powerful tool that has helped us to think without limits about the design of our future cities, buildings, and structures. This is one of the reasons why we decided to launch this competition: to find the best talent from around the world and discover who is setting trends with their work and aesthetics, helping us to visualize the future of architecture.
El poder de la Data - Mirador. Image Cortesía de Online Lab of Architecture (OLA)
The Power of Data is an exhibition created in a virtual building, conceived by three-dimensional geometries based on various artificial intelligence algorithms. The project was created by the OLA (Online Lab of Architecture) team of research architects formed by Jennifer Durand (Peru), Daniel Escobar (Colombia), Claudia Garcia (Spain), Giovanna Pillaca (Peru) and Jose Luis Vintimilla (Ecuador).
Until this Friday, April 29th at 23:59 EST you can submit your work for the second edition of the ArchDaily Architectural Visualization Awards. For us, visualizations have become a powerful tool that has helped us to think without limits about the design of our future cities, buildings, and structures. This is one of the reasons why we decided to launch this competition: to find the best talent from around the world and discover who is setting trends with their work and aesthetics, helping us to visualize the future of architecture.
There’s the iconic Cenotaph for Newton drawing, the evocative monochrome illustration by Etienne-Louis Boullée. There are the experimental drawings of Lebbeus Woods, evocative urban visions of a distant future. There are also the well-known drawings of Le Corbusier’s utopian Ville Radieuse. Drawing, and in turn architectural visualizations, have always been a useful medium with which to contemplate architectural concepts of the future. It is fascinating to look back at the architectural visualizations of the future done in the past.
Architectural visualizations have reached unthinkable levels, being a great source of inspiration and a fundamental part of the design process in architecture. This is why we are proud to announce the second edition of the ArchDaily Architecture Visualization Awards, where we will award the best of the year.
Drawings and visualizations are architecture in their own right. As means to reconsider what we see or what could be, drawing styles are as diverse as the mediums through which they are produced. For transparent drawings, observation and imagination go hand in hand. Not only does this unique style require critical examination, but also an ability to conceptualize new possibilities.
It is nearly impossible nowadays not to present accompanying renders when proposing a new project. No matter the method, software or style that is used, it is a valuable reference that bares more practical weight than one might think. Not only can it be one of the closest possible representations of the architect's vision, if approved, it can also become a promise to clients, investors, and the general public.
When it comes to works from renowned architects, the render becomes a critical reference to the project participants and to the expectant community. A lot of details can be developed and considered when creating the images. In most cases, special attention is brought to the lighting, materials, and context in order to make the most accurate representation possible.
Real-time visualization is used to generate renderings with excellent visual quality from a BIM or CAD model. When integrated into your design workflow, it can also facilitate collaboration and allows all parties within an architectural project to engage throughout the design process.
Here are five ways in which integrating real-time visualization can provide a complete understanding of design at various project stages.
More than 60 years after his death, Frank Lloyd Wright's story remains relevant and arduously studied because of the great legacy he left to architecture. Considered the first truly American architect and the first superstar of his craft, Frank Lloyd Wright lives on through his buildings, his influence and his collective imagination. Surprisingly, more than half of Wright's 1171 architectural works were never erected.
Like any other art form, architectural visualization has the power to move your audience, whether it be the design client, potential customers or future tenants. When they can actually experience the design, they’re more likely to interact, collaborate, and comment long before the final version, giving them a sense of contribution to the whole—all while providing you with confidence that the design is really what they want.
Award-winning imagery from ASAI. Project: Tyndall Air Force Base. Date: 2020. Image Courtesy of SketchUp
Creating a compelling visualization that communicates your design intent and gets stakeholders on board is no easy feat. While designers have plenty of visualization tools to deploy— from powerful rendering engines to the simplicity of pen and paper — there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to visualization. As your design evolves, you may need multiple renderings at various levels of detail.
According to Jim Kessler, Director of the Visual Media Group at Jacobs, "When a design is in flux and conversations with the clients are taking place, a photorealistic rendering signals completion of the project and that design changes are no longer possible. Whereas, a non-photorealistic rendering visual suggests a sense of flux and has a huge artistic element to it, which architects gravitate towards."
UNStudio and Bjarke Ingels Group have partnered up with Squint/Opera to develop SpaceForm, a virtual, cloud-based platform that facilitates design, review and collaboration processes for architects and developers. The new virtual workspace explicitly developed for the architecture and construction industry aims to fill a gap by creating a viable and sustainable way of collaborating and designing remotely across global teams, thus reducing the need for travel.
Martin Pederson interviewed this week Antonis Antoniou and Steven Heller, author of Decoding Manhattan, a new book that compiles over 250 architectural maps, diagrams, and graphics of the island of Manhattan in New York City, talking about the origin story of the book, the process of research, and the collaboration.
Digital literacy is not a topic architects usually consider. For Aliza Leventhal, Head of the Technical Services Section, Prints & Photographs Division at the Library of Congress, the processes of literacy and design go hand-in-hand. Previously the corporate librarian and archivist for Sasaki, Aliza is leading national conversations on everything from born-digital design files and archiving to institutional memory and knowledge sharing. Today, she's working with architects and designers to reimagine digital workflows for future access and ideation.
With increasingly better renderings becoming ubiquitous, students and architects alike feel the pressure of mastering an additional set of skills to get their ideas across. To what extent do renderings make or break a portfolio or a project? How important are they in the design process, and do renderings inform of a particular set of skills besides the software ones? This article explores different perspectives on the role of renderings within the profession.
