Saturday, November 8, 2008

Architectural Rendering" Takes on a Whole New, Updated Image

By Lorenzo Dixon

Architectural design catapults into the twenty-first century with digital-visualization software designed to permit creation of realistic 3D renderings at a fraction of the cost of traditional images.

In the first century B.C., Marcus Vitruvius wrote the definitive tome, De Architectura (it's still in use today, known as The Ten Books on Architecture). The ancient Romans and Greeks were known for their architectural prowess. So, is it any wonder the word "architect" is derived from two ancient Greek words meaning "master" and "builder"?

Well toss that idea right out of your consciousness. Architectural rendering has a whole new image for the twenty-first century. Think digital. Think digital visualization.

Architecture incorporates more than just a building's exterior; it encompasses the interior environment and its overall flow, as well. You should use your space to its best possible advantage; and, like professional developers, realtors and architects, you should consult a professional design firm to handle your updating or renovation design work.

And lest you believe you need to rely on a firm that just shows you pictures on paper, you should realize the age-old art of architectural design has taken a monumental leap into the technological age with the advent of 3D architectural conceptualization and rendering. A modern design firm should be able to provide photorealistic architectural renderings - the finest renderings today's state-of-the-art technology can provide.

A modern design firm will evaluate your space and work with you to create the interior that reflects your style and taste, while maintaining the existing overall architectural style.

You need someone who will undertake your project efficiently and with the flexibility to try new ideas, someone with a vision and capacity for spatial design. But all the ideas in the world don't do a bit of good if you can't see what the designer is envisioning for your space. You also need a design professional who can convert ideas to actual renderings - ideally, a professional who can provide animations and 3D visualizations and renderings.

And if your project involves an exterior rendering, you'll want to use a firm whose staff possess the skills to make the fullest use of cutting-edge technology - especially when it comes to adding in the types of real-life environmental variables you'd expect to see in a valid representation of your exterior space - things like landscaping details, sidewalks, vegetation and people in motion.

But you don't want to blow your entire renovation budget on design work; the company you choose shouldn't have designs on the contents of your wallet! Hiring a design firm versed in using cutting-edge architectural-design technology can end up costing less than a company that works strictly by hand - or with outdated architectural-design software.

Oh, and lest you pooh-pooh the notion of his relevance today, Vitruvius was a man of real vision, a man ahead of his time. Centuries before the invention of the lawn mower and decorative lawn gazebos, he was on top of these things. The first of his Ten Books encompasses subjects that now come under the purview of landscape architecture. - 15252

About the Author: