Lumion: The Latest Architecture and News

Videos

Visualization and technology have long gone hand in hand. It is, after all, a means of representing architecture that has relied on technological developments to keep up with the demands of a growing audience across multiple industries. But the fact that the two are inseparable does not mean that technology should dictate the way in which visualization is used. As technology advances, so too does its ability to become less obtrusive, allowing technological know-how to take a back seat in favor of the creative process and design exploration.

The new version of Lumion has entered into a visualization landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. The pursuit of photorealism that dominated much of visualization’s technological development has, for the vast majority of its users, been largely accomplished. Effective visualization is now no longer an exception to the norm, but increasingly an expectation. As Remko Jacobs, Lumion Founder and Chief Technical Officer, explains, “photorealism is there, particularly when it comes to imaging the exterior of buildings. It’s much easier to make something that looks good.”

Videos

There is life within every design. In the way that the leaves of a tree move with the wind, the energy of a busy public building with its never-ending flow of interesting and unique people, or the feeling of a cozy evening indoors while heavy rain batters the windows. 

Videos

When it comes to architectural rendering software, Lumion makes the process of rendering an integral part of the architect's craft; it emboldens design and rendering workflows and inspires creativity. With the release of Lumion 11, realizing your design vision has never been easier. Using the new orthographic view feature, you can reduce the effort needed to create visually interesting plan and section views with your own unique twist. With animated phasing, you can show how the parts of your building connect and interact, choreographing a dialogue with the viewer.

Photorealistic renderings today are the standard. They can be done quickly, cheaply, and clients expect them. But are these renderings truly accomplishing what they set out to do? Those on the forefront of new 3D design techniques argue that, as an industry, we’ve gotten stuck on conveying information, when what we should really bring to the table is emotion. Now that the playing field has evened in terms of technological capability and hyper-realism, what’s the next step? By introducing an emotional layer and creating a sense of place, renderings can provide even more value to a project, firm, client, and community.

In 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck the eastern coastline of the United States and caused a level of flooding and destruction that was unprecedented for a major, densely populated city like New York. Storm surges brought a terrifying amount of water to the city streets, tunnels and subways; the National Ocean Service reported a 9.4-foot surge over Battery Park. Essential infrastructure was damaged in many areas, homes were flooded and people were trapped.

Architectural rendering and visualization have become crucial tools in the art of communication. From client presentations to internal design reviews, showing your 3D models in lifelike, beautiful environments can convey both practical information about the project’s development, as well as the feeling and experience of a space.

Videos

Over the past two decades, the role of representation and rendering has changed dramatically in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries. New rendering technologies, techniques, and programs, such as Lumion, have been contributing to this change. By including 3D rendering tools, architects and designers can take advantage of easy-to-use, multifunctional visualization technology that serves to strengthen creativity rather than stifle it.

This video tutorial will teach you how to create detailed, 3-D environments from images taken by drones, using Photogrammetry to better contextualize our architectural projects.

The video covers the entire process, from flying the drone to using the RealityCapture software, including identifying plants and trees through an application for mobile phones and lastly viewing the architecture in 3D using Lumion.

Videos

If you are creating architectural visualizations through Lumion, the following tutorial can be of great use to you. These tutorials will maximize your output and teach you easy-to-master practical and technical tips.

Learn how to add objects, use lights, modify materials, and also create panoramic and 360° images, movies, and more.

We hope you enjoy the following videos.

Lumion has always set out to define what rendering should be: fast and stress-free with exceptional results. Now, with the latest version of its 3D rendering software, Lumion 9, it’s easier than ever to show off your 3D models in a living environment, with beautiful, real-life skies, an endless variety of landscapes, and exceptional lighting and materials. Oh, and rendering takes minutes, not hours.

+ 3

Videos

While working in 3D-visualization software such as Lumion, features such as OpenStreetMap (OSM) and satellite ground planes can provide some context for your design. They are suitable options for quickly building urban or rural environments relevant to your project’s location, but they’re also limited. For instance, OSM only provides rough building shapes, rendered white, and the satellite maps are flat, often outdated, and the resolution is too low for client visualization.

Presenting designs to third parties can be a challenging task. Architects may find it difficult to describe spaces to their clients, therefore more firms are incorporating virtual reality into their workflows and project presentations.

Below are 5 architecture offices using SentioVR to present their designs. To see the content in 360º, click on the image and move the mouse.

Videos

Since 2015, the tribal community of Apetina in the south Suriname jungle have added a women’s center and seven chicken coops to their village, and there are plans underway to realize a high school, elevated treehouses for ecotourism, a visitor center, housing projects, chicken coops, and more.

Paul Spaltman is the one-man operation behind the designs of these structures, but “everything started with these nice renders made in Lumion," he explains. "It wasn’t enough to show 2D drawings or simply tell them what the project was going to be. When they saw the actual 3D renders, it helped them believe the project was possible. They already had the design. They could see the construction and that the entire project was, more or less, thought out. They could see that the project wasn’t just a dream, but one step further.”