3D Rendering in Action: Real Projects and Results

This is the final chapter of our architectural rendering guide. By now, you know what 3D architectural rendering is, how it’s made, what determines its cost, and how a CGI project runs from start to finish. Now it’s time to see all of that in action. Below are real projects that ArchiCGI delivered for clients — from the initial brief to the finished visuals. They show what a well-organized process and clear communication actually add up to.

A real estate broker marketing a waterfront residence in Fort Lauderdale, Florida — a two-story luxury property on Sea Island with a private dock, pool, and landscape design by Randall Stofft.

The home was still under construction — no exterior finishes, incomplete garage, pool, and landscaping. But the broker needed listing imagery immediately to market the $5M property on platforms like Zillow and Trulia. Photography was not an option because there was nothing finished to photograph.

Our team produced 4 photorealistic exterior renders in 4K resolution based on architectural drawings, a landscape plan, and 22 drone photos of the site. Two images showed the front and rear of the property at eye level. The other two were aerial views created using photo-matching — seamlessly compositing the 3D model into real drone photographs of the neighborhood.

The broker used the renders to list the property on major real estate platforms and created a promo slideshow combining CGI with site photos. The home went under contract — sold before construction was even finished.

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Renowned interior architect Tristan du Plessis, designing “Clay” — a Nikkei cuisine restaurant in Manama, Bahrain, blending Peruvian and Japanese aesthetics.

The architect needed to present the concept to investors in Dubai and secure their approval to move forward with construction. He required visuals that could convey not just the layout but also the atmosphere — luxury, warmth, and cultural identity — of a restaurant that did not yet exist.

We created 11 interior renders covering the main hall, terrace, bar, close-up table settings, and custom furniture. The workload was split between two 3D artists to meet the tight deadline. We went through two review rounds, adjusting materials, lighting fixtures, and camera angles based on the architect’s detailed feedback. After investor approval, we also produced furniture-on-white renders for manufacturers.

The investors approved the concept based on the presentation. The restaurant owners then used the renders in their pre-opening social media campaign. Clay opened its doors in January 2020 — and the finished interiors matched the 3D renders almost exactly.

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Supercharged Entertainment, planning a 50,000-sq-ft family entertainment center in Edison Township, New Jersey — featuring luxury mini-golf, bowling, a restaurant, and a bar. Concept by Aria Group Architecture and Design.

The client needed both static imagery and a dynamic 3D flythrough to get the design approved and generate pre-opening buzz. The venue’s complex multi-layered lighting design — all artificial, all at night — made accurate visualization particularly difficult.

We delivered 9 interior renders covering the bar, bowling, and golf zones, 1 exterior night render, and a 46-second architectural flythrough in Full HD. The animation was designed to feel like a fast-paced advertisement rather than a standard walkthrough. Camera angles and the animation path were finalized during video calls with the client.

The visuals were used in a design approval presentation and then repurposed for press releases about the venue’s opening. The renders appeared in media coverage on New Jersey Stage and InterGame, as well as on the client’s social media channels. The venue — now called Albatross — opened and is already drawing large visitor numbers.

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London-based architects Susanna Hänninen and Blanca Alegría, entering an international design competition for Finland’s new Museum of Architecture and Design on Helsinki’s South Harbour.

The competition required a set of polished visuals that would communicate the project’s spatial character, materiality, and urban context to the jury — all within strict technical guidelines set by the organizers.

We produced 4 high-quality renderings: an aerial view showing the museum within the city grid, a ground-level perspective from Market Square emphasizing materials and human scale, a sea perspective highlighting the building’s silhouette against the waterfront, and an interior view of the main public space. Lighting was set in a cool northern tone to reflect Helsinki’s natural conditions, and interim results were shared at every stage for collaborative refinement.

The architects submitted a complete, competition-ready visual package that met all organizer requirements. The renderings placed the concept clearly within its real urban surroundings and strengthened the entry in front of the jury.

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Want to explore more projects? See more case studies or browse our portfolio.

You’ve now seen the full picture — what 3D architectural rendering is, how it’s made, what it costs, how a project runs, and what real results look like. The key takeaway: you don’t need to learn the software, build a pipeline, or hire an in-house team. The entire process can be outsourced to a CGI studio that handles everything from brief to final delivery.

Starting is simpler than you might expect. If you’ve read the chapter on how to fill out a brief, you already know what it takes to kick things off. From there, our team handles the rest.