3D ARCHITECTURAL WALKTHROUGH VIDEO: WHY TO CHOOSE IT OVER ANY OTHER TYPE OF PROJECT PRESENTATION

Every architect knows that a project presentation needs visuals to be successful. That’s because no theoretical explanation can be sufficient enough to convince clients and stakeholders. Which is why project authors always prepare some sort of a rendition of their design. It may come in the form of blueprints, sketches, a physical mockup, CG images, or a 3D architectural walkthrough video. The former two are the least effective. Blueprints are hard to understand for people without architectural background and sketches don’t present the buildings realistically enough. 

Mockups, in their turn, can do a great job of showcasing designs. But they are troublesome to make, not to mention the difficulties of transporting them. And what about still photoreal 3D renders? They are more than capable of presenting buildings exactly the way they would look like when they are finished. However, seeing how pretty much every architect uses CG images nowadays, the architecture experts need something truly special to leave a lasting impression on clients. And that key to success is a 3D walkthrough video. Here are 5 reasons why that’s the case!

To get a feel of the design, the clients should be able to picture it in its entirety. A mockup may showcase a scaled-down version of a building as a whole. But the viewers would still feel detached from the presentation. The same can be said about static CGI visuals. Sure, they do showcase projects exactly how they would look like when completed and from multiple POVs. But they still don’t provide complete immersion.

On the other hand, there is hardly anything more immersive than a 3D architectural walkthrough video. It immediately attracts viewers’ attention and keeps them invested with cinematography techniques, such as panning shots, close-ups, bird’s-eye views, etc. With a 3D walkthrough, the clients can feel as if they are really being shown around the future property. Which offers an unparalleled degree of immersion. This, in turn, leaves a deep impression and makes it more likely to get the project approved.

Showcasing a future house or apartment is not enough to sell it. The clients or stakeholders need to see why exactly it stands out. The viewers have to feel that it’s a place they really want to live in. And to achieve that, the presentation must engage them and evoke their emotions. A 3D architectural walkthrough video accomplishes this goal in several ways.

First are the visual storytelling opportunities that 3D animation offers. To tell a story of a future home with no words, the walkthrough video may feature contextual elements. For instance, to create the right atmosphere, 3D artists can add a neatly-trimmed hedge around the house, appetizing food on the table on the outdoor terrace, and so on. In addition to that, the visuals can be enhanced with a voiceover and fitting music. Such elements strengthen the impression the audience gets. They help the viewers feel the vibes of the place and understand that it can become a perfect cozy home for them.

A crucial drawback of regular architectural presentations is that they lack a sense of “time realism”. If the project is showcased in some setting, usually it is an “ideal” one: a sunny day in summer. But the building is made for years of service. The homeowners are going to see it in different weather and lighting conditions. And the visuals should reflect that. 

Seeing a future home in various settings can make clients more confident about signing a deal. For instance, they might find out that a wooden house in the mountains looks so charming on a winter evening. Or that a suburban cottage looks especially homey and inviting on a rainy morning in autumn. 

A 3D architectural walkthrough video can help the audience see all weather and lighting variations in a time-lapse. It can present the exterior at all times of day or year. This will drastically enhance the way a design is perceived. A CG video with a time-lapse effect will impress the viewers and convince them that their home will look beautiful in any time and season.

Oftentimes, the context of the future building is just as important as the design itself. The surroundings are a powerful atmosphere-establishing tool. But they can’t be realistically replicated in mockups or properly demonstrated in sketches. Luckily, a 3D architectural video is a saving grace for the architecture experts.

Companies offering 3D walkthrough services have vast libraries of 3D models and textures to recreate any environment. A forest, a beach, a lake, a bustling city center — anything is possible. Contextual elements, like cars moving by or parking, can be added to make the scene look more natural. And using match moving technique, a 3D artist can even “insert” a 3D model of a future house in real-life footage of its supposed location. Seeing how well the design fits its surroundings can be one of the main factors that convince the stakeholders.

Creating physical mockups of buildings is very time-consuming. Even if all calculations are precise so there is no need to redo some parts of the model and the architect is free from other duties, making a single mockup can take weeks. While with a 3D architectural walkthrough, this precious time can be saved and spent on other important tasks.

That’s because with 3D animation services, architects do not have to make presentation materials on their own. The author of the project has to just fill in a brief and then regularly check in progress reports of a 3D visualization team. This way, the gorgeous 3D architectural walkthrough video will be ready in a few weeks and waiting to impress the audience!

A 3D animation is a true asset for architectural project presentations. It is extremely immersive, utilizes visual storytelling and cinematography techniques to win the viewers’ hearts and minds. A CG video can show properties in time-lapse to help the audience imagine how it would look in different seasons and times of the day. The walkthrough can also draw attention to how well the architectural design fits its surroundings, which is a huge selling point. Finally, a 3D animation saves much time and effort of architects because the main work on its creation is done by skilled 3D artists.

Want to bring your architectural presentations to the next level? Opt for professional architectural animation services to win over clients and investors with high-quality 3D videos!