Realistic rendering is universally acclaimed to be a very powerful problem solver in many industries, and we’re not talking about movies, videogames or art. Photorealistic CGI has almost supplanted 2D visuals in marketing, medicine, manufacturing, as well as interior and exterior design. Today any successful architect is outsourcing visualization of their work to a 3D rendering company, and you’ll see exactly why.

Realistic Rendering: 5 Benefits For Architects

#1. 3D Rendering Gives A Better Idea Of How Projects Will Look And Feel

3D Visualization for a Hotel Lobby Interior

One of the harder tasks for architects is showing what exactly their designs will look like when they’re brought to reality. Different light temperatures or colors, materials and clever visual tricks can be made irrelevant when they are conveyed by words. High-quality realistic 3D rendering gets rid of that problem entirely by perfectly representing things that don’t exist yet. However, it’s not that easy. If architects want to visualize their concepts perfectly, they either hire in-house 3D artists or outsource to 3D rendering studios. Outsourcing is more preferable, since hired specialists are on their paycheck and have to work at several projects at once, lowering quality and increasing production time. 3D studios are just contractors that need to be paid once, and they also have higher standards and strict quality control.

#2. CGI Elicits Better Emotional Response From Viewers

Realistic Rendering for a Courtyard of a Mansion in Georgia

A drawing or a painting is always designed to make the viewer feel something: joy, sadness, fear, anger, elation and so on – and emotions are what makes people buy the art pieces. Architects are artists as well, so naturally they tend to elicit an emotional response from viewers of their creations. A high-rise building has to be sleek and stylish, taking breath away with how monumental it looks, while a suburban house should give a feeling of warmth and comfort, etc. Interiors can also serve different purposes, depending on the type of venue and the idea in mind: a bar or restaurant can be made inviting or exotic, a museum can capitalise on the progress or antiquity – the list goes on. But how to capture a feeling in a drawing? The task seems almost impossible – words can’t describe feelings! With realistic rendering it’s a whole different story.Remember – interior rendering and exterior rendering visualizes designs that are yet to be built, and do it exactly the way the architect wants them to look like. As such, it will now be much easier to convey a feeling to anyone looking at a promotional image, since what is depicted is real – in a way, at least.

Make sure your exterior design project takes your clients’ breath away

#3. 3D Renders Are Perfect Portfolio Fillers

Photorealistic 3D Visualization for a Large-scale Development Project

Not too long ago architects had to wait for buildings to be constructed before taking photos for the portfolios, and time is money. Now, the situation is different. Architects can order CGI visuals from 3D rendering studios during the early project stages, giving themselves better odds in the market and filling their portfolios. Even if a project isn’t approved, a designer still has the pictures – nothing should go to waste. A productive architect can get a thick folder of gorgeous designs and creative ideas in just a few years, if not less, steadily increasing profit. Besides, when comparing the most realistic 3D render and a photograph, only an expert can tell a difference – and that is likely to be the person who created said 3D render.

#4. Realistic Rendering Is The Best Visual Storytelling Medium

Visual storytelling is a vital component of project marketing. In a nutshell, it involves adding context to an image, making a viewer feel like it’s a real thing. It applies to architecture as well, allowing potential customers to imagine how great it would be to visit a venue or live in a house at the picture. Realistic lighting and mood work just fine, but a great addition is showing people in the depicted locations. This is a very effective trick, only achievable with realistic rendering. For example, take a look at this realistic vray render. It accomplishes two goals: it shows the gorgeous project and subtly hints that it would be a great idea to settle in there. Visual storytelling at its finest.

#5. CGI Presentations Are Investor Magnets

It’s one thing to sell a project to the people, but selling it to investors is a different story. A reputation is definitely helpful, but in most cases the presentation is the key to convincing businesses to work with an architect. No amount of words or hand-drawn sketches can get the job done. And here realistic rendering is a game changer. A photoreal depiction of a location or a scene, featuring every nook and cranny – the accuracy, level of detail and dedication will give you a huge advantage at a presentation. It is possible to step it up and add realistic 3D tour or 3D animation – a walkthrough or a fly-through is the way to go. This kind of presentation is guaranteed to attract contractors. Don’t forget about portfolio too – after a successful marketing campaign it alone will be an investor magnet for sure!

Present your architectural project like a work of art with AI-powered CGI

Realistic rendering is a huge enhancer of any architectural project’s potential. It helps attract investors, fill up portfolios and perfectly depict even your most complex designs. Now that you know how it can benefit you, it’s time to get to action. Sell your projects successfully with our professional photorealistic rendering services!


Irma Prus
Content Writer, Copywriter

Irma writes articles and marketing copy for ArchiCGI. Her dream is that more people discover the power of CGI for architecture. Irma is into neuromarketing, ruby chocolate and Doctor Who series.