The future of archviz—how does software like Lumion fit into the picture?

[kehlje]

Hi all,

What are you more experienced folks' thoughts about realtime rendering software like Lumion, or services like this company 'http://www.floored.com/3d-services/'? Do you think that this sort of representation will eclipse traditional arch viz still images in the next 10 years? Will it only become more powerful and effective? Will it be more widely used in high-quality cultural and institutional projects (as opposed to more generic commercial work)?

As young architect interested in visualization I am just trying to think strategically about what skills I invest in. Frankly I much prefer the idea of still images being the dominant visualization format as I think there is more intentionality and capacity for artistry behind them. This debate between 3d realtime stuff and traditional still images may be mirrored in the architecture industry in which the dominance of BIM technology is growing over and above traditional CAD technology. The results undeniably facilitate faster construction and more efficient projects, but many argue it does so at the cost of the design's specificity and the quality of the drawings generated from the BIM model.

Anyways, what are your guys' thoughts? My wife is urging me to think about the changing archviz landscape but I confess I feel inclined to continue focusing on my skills in still imagery.

J

[kehlje]

It just occurred to me that perhaps software like Lumion will have an increasingly larger place in more advanced project phases - when the design of the building and its interior is being solidified. Hopefully, at the very least, the domains of conceptual and schematic design will still be ruled through still imagery?

[Ondra]

I'm not an expert on the field, but I think that if you learn to do good post-pro, you will never be replaced by someone using real-time stuff

[Juraj]

All the proper skills developed in any creative field, but particularly still-image archviz since it's topic, are extremely well transferable across multitude of mediums, fields let alone for matter of fact.

In 4 years of doing CGI, I barely improved my modelling much but I sure as hell know so much more about light and working with space. I've even improved upon my fundamental understanding of architecture I developed in college since I now work with it from other angles.

Thus, I am not scared of any new technology or revolution coming up, even if all the reports are so heavily skewed it's laughable (even so called "BIM revolution" is 10 years old concept. Neither is real-time going to be printed into book, or Virtual reality fitting for every vomit-sensitive client :- D ). I'll simply get another toolset to play with and execution certain vision. Computer had replaced largely Lego for me yet I haven't lost anything I learned from using it before.

Also, one doesn't get replaced because he knows post-production, but because he's smart and flexible. Just keep eyes open and don't loose head about newly approaching trends. They might just come and go, end up being niche, or if not, then you will simply jump train like rest of us.

Little bit of beer-induced 2 cents from me :- )

[Juraj]

It just occurred to me that perhaps software like Lumion will have an increasingly larger place in more advanced project phases - when the design of the building and its interior is being solidified. Hopefully, at the very least, the domains of conceptual and schematic design will still be ruled through still imagery?

You might be surprised it will be the very exact opposite. Toolset that allows for quick but rough lookdev is ideal exactly at early stages from concept to prototypisation up to solidifying design before it gets out from drawing boards.

Which is super good for us, because those very same architects won't use you for design development when they paid you to create marketing image for public, competition or retail. You'll get finished design, because they have already seen how it looks and made amendments.

It really is another win-win situation.

[kehlje]

Hey Juraj and Ondra, thanks so much for your thoughts! These points make a lot of sense to me and are reassuring.

[vansan]

Tools like UE4 are hard to master, but every year complex things get simplier and friendly to artist.
Did my tests for realtime, and I'm pretty sure I'll get more clients when all my required tools will be written in blueprints.
I packaged a simple test scene https://yadi.sk/d/BkL5Jl-QkhndR, supplied by HAL Architects with their great plugin for UE4 and tweaked it a bit.
Still not a piece of art, but it encourage me to learn and perfect my skills with it.

[lacilaci]

Tools like UE4 are hard to master, but every year complex things get simplier and friendly to artist.
Did my tests for realtime, and I'm pretty sure I'll get more clients when all my required tools will be written in blueprints.
I packaged a simple test scene https://yadi.sk/d/BkL5Jl-QkhndR, supplied by HAL Architects with their great plugin for UE4 and tweaked it a bit.
Still not a piece of art, but it encourage me to learn and perfect my skills with it.

Unreal, since it's a game engine, provides great level of flexibility. Rendering quality is insane in UE4 but there are still things like reflections/refractions, hair... And who knows what more that can't be compared to offline renderer...

However for archviz/interactive tour, purposes it' easy to use and fun to play with.

One day, you'll have a "corona renderer" rendering 60FPS in an "unreal engine editor". People will always ask for as realistic as possible and as fast as possible so...

[denisgo22]

still I do not see a good enough degree of visualization and maximum realism in these things/
always virtual tour's is close-up's...
and what beautiful is what you see furniture consisting of two polygons and unreal interior lighting and low res textures///

Many customers refuse such an option
and want to get as complete quality renderings as in presentations and printing booklets

basically it is good for planning and architect and not a final sale and advertising////

[philippelamoureux]

Dunno about lumion but look at the kind of lighting and texturing unreal can achieve : It doesn't look low-res or low poly to me!

Forget stuff like floored and similar soft, they never look good. Want interactive go Unreal/unity, want static highest quality go Corona :-)
In the end it's all down to the artist, not the software :-)

[vansan]

still I do not see a good enough degree of visualization and maximum realism in these things/
always virtual tour's is close-up's...
and what beautiful is what you see furniture consisting of two polygons and unreal interior lighting and low res textures///

Many customers refuse such an option
and want to get as complete quality renderings as in presentations and printing booklets

basically it is good for planning and architect and not a final sale and advertising////

When did you buy your last book, printed on paper?
Corona is awesome for still images, as stills hide imperfections on many aspects of 3d content creation.
And you can't be lazy or unprofessional with interactive stuff, all content must be perfectly textured, mapped and modelled.
How long will clients be satisfied with still images, even if they are made by one of best artist?
Who knows, maybe in two or three years later, when Nvidia technologies became mature everyone will laugh at your face saying "you are late for dinner, honey!" with your portfolio renders made by Corona.

[denisgo22]

When did you buy your last book, printed on paper?
Corona is awesome for still images, as stills hide imperfections on many aspects of 3d content creation.
And you can't be lazy or unprofessional with interactive stuff, all content must be perfectly textured, mapped and modelled.
How long will clients be satisfied with still images, even if they are made by one of best artist?
Who knows, maybe in two or three years later, when Nvidia technologies became mature everyone will laugh at your face saying "you are late for dinner, honey!" with your portfolio renders made by Corona.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I did not mean Unreal Engine, it only works on advanced Graphic cards and GPU,
I mean application for WebGl, for all devices, as ipad, smartphone and different internet browser's////
And situation with this for today///
and believe me, I've done enough for projects also for WebGl----/if you know what is this/, also for Desktop Graphic card computers, to know about this////

[Ricky Johnson]

How long will clients be satisfied with still images, even if they are made by one of best artist?

I'm sure that some will always prefer a still image. You can't control a composition in an interactive product. I can't imagine a time when particular clients will forfeit the need to project an exact image of whatever it is they're trying to market.
Books printed on paper or available digitally in some manner isn't really a close analogy. Both of those things are essentially the same product with a different means of distribution.
I think that still images and an interactive 3d experience are different enough for both to exist together happily.

I'm not disregarding real-time stuff. I think it's really an exciting opportunity for arch-viz artists. I just see it as additional potential work for everyone as opposed to an eclipse of any one form.

[philippelamoureux]

Still rendering will not disappear...
Directed movies won't disappear...

but new things are going to appear (or become more common) :

Real-time explorable scenes
Virtual reality scenes

I just see more job for us!!! Now you can choose to stick with Still/movies and be perfectly fine or you can add new techniques to expand your offering.

[Ondra]

When did you buy your last book, printed on paper?

monday ;)

[Christa Noel]

One day, you'll have a "corona renderer" rendering 60FPS in an "unreal engine editor". People will always ask for as realistic as possible and as fast as possible so...

yes, that's kind of nice dreams :D and dreams grows technologies.

[spadestick]

Just saw a Lumion demonstration on Razor House, after a minute I went to the bathroom and almost threw up with a headache. I still can't handle 3D that I watch others move through... I am ok if I control it.

[Malor]

This is just silly. Why would Mercedes people render cars, if they can simply take photos. To augment reality. Same goes here. Most of 3d stuff needs a little something that pushes it beyond "real". And that little something usually requires inspiration. i mean look at MIR portfolio. Do you think they worry about real time tech? Ok, even if hypothetically all the real time things suddenly become "must have" for the client, how does it really chane things? I mean i'm pretty sure that PBR will stay BPR no matter what. so we all just quickly requalify from sort of "photographers" to sort of "directors".

[philippelamoureux]

One day, you'll have a "corona renderer" rendering 60FPS in an "unreal engine editor". People will always ask for as realistic as possible and as fast as possible so...

yes, that's kind of nice dreams :D and dreams grows technologies.

Well Octane render may have something close to that for us soon (SOOOOON lol). They are supposed to have a ue4 plugin that will allow us to bake the lighting in Octane and export the scene to ue4!
That would mean superb and precise G.I with Ue4's realtime capabilities. It's still baked stuff but it will probably speed up the workflow a lot. Getting a preview of the lighting in ue4 is impossible, you gotta wait for the whole build to finish!

Small preview posted a while ago. Now they've just confirmed the baking for ue4 on their official forums.