ARCHITECTURAL WALKTHROUGH ANIMATION: 5 UNEXPECTED ADVANTAGES FOR ARCHITECTS

Architectural walkthrough animation is a powerful tool for creating presentations of architecture designs. It allows the audience to see the expected result of construction before a single brick has been laid. Now, architects don’t have to struggle to present their projects with schematic drawings, which are unreadable for most people. They can explain their vision with a beautiful photoreal 3D architectural walkthrough. With such an asset, clients can “take a walk” through the future properties long before the construction starts.

Without a single doubt, it is the biggest advantage of the architectural walkthrough animation. But CG videos also offer other benefits that optimize the architects’ work in different ways. So, let’s explore the top 5 unexpected advantages of an architectural animation!

Like specialists in other fields, architecture experts need to promote their services on social media. Yes, we are aware that Peter Zumthor doesn’t even have a web-site, not to mention a Facebook page. But though stars like Mr. Zumthor can get by without a strong online presence, most architecture experts cannot do that. So, they need to market their services through all marketing channels, including social media. 

SM platforms are used by over 3 billion people worldwide daily. Which amounts to almost half of the world’s population. Social media is used for entertainment, work, and socialization. It’s people’s favorite shopping center and news network all in one.  Thus, when it comes to the use of social media in business, the benefits can’t be denied. And video content is the best for SM marketing because it is extremely engaging and memorable. So, when deciding on a perfect SMM strategy, quality video content should be a definite priority for an architect. And CG animated videos are just perfect for the task. 

Advertising with engaging 3D animations on SM is sure to attract new leads. Apart from being an asset on its own, an architectural walkthrough animation is a source of catchy marketing visuals in many formats. For instance, an architect can use short parts of the animation in Instagram stories, which have a 15-second limit. Using a CG video, it is also possible to produce beautiful slideshows or attention-grabbing GIFs. A 3D walkthrough can be even used as a source of still visuals. The illusion of motion in a 3D animation takes place because many consecutive still 3D images are shown in a particular order. And any of these pictures can be used separately as a still visual. They might come in handy in any social media, be it Facebook, LinkedIn, Houzz, etc. 

Regrettably, sometimes homeowners dismiss the architect’s services after the design is approved. That happens because they do not understand the necessity of the author’s supervision. So, the construction phase moves forward without much-needed guidance. Usually, the clients rely on the professionalism of the construction team, as they should. But, even if the best builders are involved, it is not a guarantee that a project will be brought to life exactly in a way the author envisioned it. In fact, the architect is the only person that can ensure it. But how to convince clients that it is important? 

This is where 3D architectural walkthrough animation comes in handy! When clients see a professional animation that shows a project in all its splendor, they fall in love with its beauty and functionality. So, they want it to be brought to reality in exactly the same way, down to the last detail. Which makes them vote in favor of the author’s hands-on approach during the construction stage.

Architecture magazines are a great source of knowledge for those working in the architectural field. And potential clients of architects also read these journals. They mainly do it when they are interested in having a new property built and search for inspiration. There are many awesome architecture magazines. The list includes El croquis, Architects’ Journal, Architectural Digest, Dwell, Global Architecture, Dezeen Magazine, and many more. A lot of them have not only digital but also printed versions. 

Oftentimes, people find printed media more appealing, memorable, and more trustworthy than online journals. When a person is reading a magazine, there are no distractions such as pop-up ads. All in all, print outlets are ideal for showcasing architects’ talent, expertise, and reaching a huge number of interested readers, a.k.a. target audiences. So, publishing an interview with beautiful photos or 3D renders is a fantastic opportunity for any architect. But what CG videos have to do with this, one might ask? 

A 3D architectural walkthrough animation consists of many high-res still renders. Which are perfect materials for print media exposure. To get them, architects can just contact the CGI studio that has produced the walkthrough animation and specify that they need static renders from it. If the magazine has special requirements for the pictures’ format, a CGI studio can provide architecture experts with pics in the required size and resolution. An article with stunning photorealistic images of a building that is yet to see the light of day is sure to impress and pique the curiosity of readers.

Winning an architectural competition takes talent, experience, knowledge, and a working strategy. Preparing a tender bid is time-consuming and hard work. Plus, tenders in the construction industry are known to be extremely competitive all over the world. Thus, this is where the role of 3D animation really shines and cannot be underestimated. There is no doubt that a jaw-dropping highly-detailed animated walkthrough animation can secure a win. Project stakeholders are just like any other clients, they have to be wowed and fall in love with the design. Unfortunately, drawings and Excel budget spreadsheets, though essential, aren’t really made to impress.   

The secret to landing big contracts is the same as for landing any client – earning trust and impressing with mind-blowing design. Both are easily achievable with a highly professional 3d architectural walkthrough animation. The high-quality CG video with the portrayal of a future building and its surroundings can help to confidently stand out among other bidders and win the tender.

As the famous Louis Kahn said, a great building must begin with the immeasurable and then go through measurable means to ultimately become unmeasured in the end. Architects always strive to create immeasurable, breathtaking beauty with their projects. They might condense years of knowledge and experience, understanding of materials, and appreciation for the surrounding environment into an extraordinary design.  

Unfortunately, the projects are rarely accepted as initially proposed. There are a lot of reasons for that. Clients change their minds, they can decide on a different piece of land, or maybe there are unforeseen changes in the budget. Whatever it may be, the initial design may be completely transformed by the final stage. And just a short while ago that was the end for the original project and a lot of architectural masterpieces were forever lost. Fortunately for us, now there’s architectural walkthrough animation to save the day! 

3D video allows architects to recreate their beautiful works in photorealistic quality, just as if they were really built. A professional CGI studio would just need the initial drawings of the design to recreate it in a way the author wanted it to be. So, even if the project was completely transformed, the initial design can still see the light of the day. Wrapped in the form of a stunning 3D walkthrough, it will become a valuable contribution to a portfolio.

There are many ways of using architectural animation walkthrough to architect’s advantage. It enhances social media marketing and provides show-stopping visuals for print media publications. It helps win tenders and proves the importance of the author’s supervision of construction. And, finally, it lets architects present the best versions of their designs. All in all, for all these reasons, one can conclude that 3D walkthrough animation is not only here to stay, but just getting started!

Need a stunning 3D video of your architectural design for a presentation, marketing, or any other purpose? Contact our 3D animation company for professional services.