PHOTOREALISTIC ANIMATION: TYPOLOGY FOR EVERY ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT NEEDS

Photorealistic animation allows Architects to show their clients how the project will look before the construction starts. It takes viewers for a walk through the future building and surroundings so that they could feel like they’re already there and connect emotionally with a property. Moreover, with a 3D movie presenting the future home in photorealistic quality, the audience can imagine the final result crystal clear. Which dispels all doubts about approving the concept of the Architect.  

To make the most of 3D architectural services, it’s essential to get a digital video that’s suitable exactly for the project in question. That’s when an author of the design can get confused. As he discusses the brief with the project manager of a CGI studio, the latter asks which animation type is needed — and the Architect just does not know which types exist. When he tries to search for the relevant information on the Web, he finds scrappy pieces of data from different firms and 3D Artists. However, none of them provide a clear classification of photorealistic videos. 

To remedy this injustice, we have gathered the main 3D architectural animation types. Read up and find out which ones will serve you best!

3D movies can be created for both commercial constructions or residential houses. Depending on which type of project is going to be demonstrated, the content of a 3D movie will be different. The thing is that the accents in photorealistic 3D animation rely on what people’s needs the building is going to meet.

If a 3D video presents a commercial complex, such as a shopping mall, an office, or a hotel, much attention is paid to the infrastructure and comforts of a location. For instance, a 3D animation showcasing an office can highlight that the place has private parking, a large conference hall, a canteen, and a gym. Also, a 3D video can show how spacious and light the office space is. 

Residential property animations mainly focus on the coziness and beauty of the space. For such projects, 3D Artists add special details to the photorealistic footage — household items, decor, food, and drinks. Artistic elements like a woolen blanket on the sofa, red apples on the plate in a kitchen, or burning candles highlight the ambiance of a house.

There are three types of 3D photorealistic animation depending on the parts of the design demonstrated: interior, exterior, and mixed. Each of them highlights diverse aspects of the project and therefore requires different information for the brief. 

Exterior animation service implies showcasing surroundings along with the building’s appearance. So the brief for such kind of photorealistic 3D video would include a description of the landscapes around the future object, time of day and year, and the weather to be shown. 

As for the interior design animation, it shows rooms in the house and passages between them in high detail. This way, it can highlight the benefits of both space planning and design. So the brief for this kind of 3D architectural walkthrough contains the apartment layout as well as the list of materials, furniture, and decor items.

Mixed photorealistic animation presents the building from inside and on the outside as well. An equal amount of attention can be paid to the interior and exterior design, or one of the parts can be in the limelight.

3D movies are divided into two types depending on the number of renders that they consist of. The first one, a static photorealistic renders compilation, looks more like a slideshow. While the dynamic type is the one where every second of the footage consists of tens of still renders, which makes it look like a real video. 

If the Architect’s budget is limited, a compilation of several still renders is a good choice. Such kind of CG animation shows the key views of the project in lifelike quality. This allows the audience to understand how the future dwelling will look, and it is more effective compared to schematic drawings and sketches. 

While a dynamic photorealistic 3D animation demonstrates the design in motion, giving a stronger emotional impact. It looks like a short movie about the future project.

A standard photorealistic animation shows only key features of the project and makes an effective presentation material. But there are even more informative 3D movies that widen the viewer’s understanding of the architectural design — the expanded ones. To create them, 3D Animation Artists add smart details and visual effects to the video using special software. These elements can be HIW, demonstration of different seasons and times of the day, showing additional buildings and people around. Here’s a more precise look at each of these options.

HIW, or How It Works

Apart from the visual appearance of the interior and exterior design, the photorealistic animation shows how the mechanisms and devices in the apartment function — for instance, how the furniture elements transform. 

Daytime and seasons’ change

Expanded 3D animation allows demonstrating how the day turns to night and how the seasons change. This will give the idea of how the building looks like in different lighting and weather conditions. Which provides a clearer overall picture and helps viewers get the feel of the place.

Other buildings and people

Photorealistic animation can demonstrate not only the main object but also additional constructions and even people. Showing the buildings around the main object can show if the latter harmonizes with its future context. To liven the picture up, 3D Artists can also add figures of people who spend time in the house or walk around the commercial property. This way, the scenes of the footage will look more realistic.

Photorealistic animations can be made for different target audiences: private clients, official organizations, or the general public. Each group has its demands, thus for each one, the focus in the footage will be on different aspects of the project.

If the animation is for an individual client, the footage must include a personal touch —  clothes, household items, or decor. The viewer gets more impressed by the presentation if he sees details related specifically to his life in the video.

If the photorealistic animation is made for the local building department for getting construction permits, the accents in the 3D movie will be completely different. That is because the main purpose of such footage is to show the authorities how well the new construction matches the existing architectural ensemble and meets local building codes. 

In the case the video is created for advertising purposes, like for the Developer’s website, social media or offline advertising campaign, or on outdoor screens, the animation will be focused on the things that can attract potential buyers. For instance, an animation promoting a new residential complex can highlight the aspects which are important for the people who want to find a new apartment to move in — infrastructure, shops, kids’ playgrounds, parking, and the overall aesthetic appeal of the place. 

There are multiple classifications of photorealistic animation — depending on the building purpose, target audience, part of the project shown, complexity, and the number of renders used. According to the purpose of real estate, a video can be commercial or residential, to the part of the accommodation it shows — exterior, interior or mixed. It can consist of a few renders and be a short yet capacious slideshow, or of a few tens images in every second and look like a movie. CG demonstration can also be expanded and show additional constructions, people, time of the day and seasons’ change, and even explain how household devices work. On top of that, the content of 3D animation differs depending on who will watch it: building department authorities, individual clients of the Architect, or people looking for a new apartment.

Want to get a top-notch animation to demonstrate your project? Contact our 3D animation company, and we’ll make a 3D movie of any type that will impress your clients and present your ideas in the best way!