Can video game tech transform archviz?

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[["images-card",{"images":[{"url":"http:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dpcbzfiye\/image\/upload\/v1651558315\/fvxfaledv1xrlak14yi3.jpg","id":"6501537"}],"caption":"With Twinmotion Cloud, presentations and panoramas can be shared with clients on any desktop or laptop computer\u2014or, now,\u00a0iOS or Android tablet or smartphone\u2014via a simple web URL."}],["images-card",{"images":[{"url":"http:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dpcbzfiye\/image\/upload\/v1651558401\/nwyalkjlu2duqtoeli4y.jpg","id":"6501538"}],"caption":"Sharing presentations with clients using Twinmotion Cloud eliminates the need for them to have powerful workstations or download large executables."}],["images-card",{"images":[{"url":"http:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dpcbzfiye\/image\/upload\/v1651558477\/eghwmzdoqwwgi6jddu8p.jpg","id":"6501539"}],"caption":"With the addition of the Path Tracer rendering mode in Twinmotion 2022.1, it is now possible to create final-pixel imagery comparable to offline renderings in minutes. "}]],"markups":[["a",["href","http:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/michael-graves\/","target","_new"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2012\/09\/02\/opinion\/sunday\/architecture-and-the-lost-art-of-drawing.html?_r=0\u0026utm_medium=website\u0026utm_source=archdaily.com","target","_new"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/patrik-schumacher","target","_new"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/twitter.com\/Twinmotion\/status\/1445036271202705415","target","_new"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.cgarchitect.com\/features\/articles\/712bd906-2021-architectural-visualization-rendering-engine-survey-results","target","_new"]],["b"],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NNDaiR6JSHY","target","_new"]],["i"],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.twinmotion.com\/en-US\/updates\/twinmotion-2022-1?utm_source=AIA\u0026utm_campaign=an*Internal_pr*Twinmotion_ct*Awareness_pl*Article_co*_cr*Evergreen","target","_new"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.twinmotion.com\/en-US\/license?utm_source=AIA\u0026utm_campaign=an*Internal_pr*Twinmotion_ct*Awareness_pl*Article_co*_cr*Evergreen","target","_new"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.twinmotion.com\/learning-resources","target","_new"]],["em"]],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"AIA partner Epic Games explores how real-time rendering and game engine technology is allowing architects to quickly create high-quality stills and videos on the fly, with final-pixel imagery comparable to offline renderings in minutes."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"For many years, a debate that persistently reared its head in the architecture industry was the face-off between hand-drawing and CAD. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Traditionally, using pen and paper to both sketch out initial ideas and map out precise technical plans has been fundamental to the architecture profession. With the modern world undergoing a huge digital shift, however, using software is increasingly seen as a more practical, time-efficient option."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Both camps have had their advocates: "],[0,[0],1,"Michael Graves"],[0,[],0," famously "],[0,[1],1,"came out to bat"],[0,[],0," for the pencil-and-paper approach, while "],[0,[2],1,"Patrik Schumacher"],[0,[],0," evangelized the advantages of the computer."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Speak to a cross-section of architects today, and it feels like the debate has reached something of an amicable resolution. The general view is that both sketching and CAD have their place\u2014the former is a perfect medium for exploring ideas in the initial phases, the latter ideal for the precision and clarity required in the later stages of the project."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"But because computer technology has the ability to advance and evolve (in a way that the pencil cannot), the conversation around the tools available to architects is starting to develop in interesting ways. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"We\u2019re seeing an evolution toward greater interaction and immersion\u2014architects can now explore and review designs using the same technology with which video games are built. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The ability to take your CAD or BIM file, load it into a visualization tool, and then walk around the building in real time\u2014like you would in a video game\u2014makes it much easier to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a design, as well as review proposals with stakeholders and clients."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"That this is an attractive prospect for architecture firms is borne out by some intriguing statistics: "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"One of the leading real-time visualization tools recently hit over "],[0,[3],1,"1 million downloads"],[0,[],0,", and research into the platform "],[0,[4],1,"grew by 184%"],[0,[],0," over the past two years."]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[5],1,"Cloud-powered design reviews "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Interactive 3D tools, of the sort that power video games, are just one of a number of modern technological avenues that are changing the way architects work. Another is cloud technology. Combining these technologies has resulted in some impressively powerful new workflows.\n\nFor example, it is now possible to bring a design into an interactive, game-engine-powered environment, then share that project with stakeholders "],[0,[6],1,"via the cloud"],[0,[],0,". "]]],[1,"p",[]],[10,0],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"With this ability, architects can now perform design reviews with anyone, no matter where they are in the world or what device they are using. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Architects in London can seamlessly share designs for review with clients in Hong Kong, who simply click on a hyperlink to view and interact with presentations in a web browser from a workstation, laptop, tablet, or smartphone."]]],[1,"p",[]],[10,1],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"For the architect, this means less risk of miscommunicated designs\u2014and even better, more time back. Previously, review meetings would require architects to render out images with post-production tweaks, produce walkthrough animations, take screenshots of the model, and more. Now, changes made to the design can be instantly represented in the images and animations using quick and easy push-to-cloud functionality. "]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[5],1,"The power of offline rendering in a real-time tool"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"As well as producing immersive and interactive experiences based on CAD and BIM designs, real-time rendering also enables architects to quickly create high-quality stills and videos on the fly. "]]],[1,"p",[]],[10,2],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Because of this, practitioners across the industry have started to look into using game engine technology for archviz. Everyone from sole practitioners working from a home office all the way to Zaha Hadid Architects and HOK are exploring the tech."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Until recently, however, if an architect wanted to create the highest-quality architectural visualizations, they would be unlikely to pick a real-time tool as their renderer of choice. To achieve these levels of visual fidelity, you\u2019d need to use a separate offline renderer. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The real-time technology providers in this fast-moving space have been quick to identify this gap, and we\u2019re now seeing real-time rendering tools that enable architects to flip a switch and achieve final-pixel imagery comparable to offline renderings in minutes."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"With this capability, architects can get closer to photorealistic visuals much earlier in the conversation with clients. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The important point is that it\u0027s no longer an either\/or choice\u2014when visual fidelity is a greater priority than speed and interactivity, it\u2019s now possible to flip from real-time rendering and achieve visuals that are far more precise, all from the same tool. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[7],0,"You can experience the next-gen functionality discussed in this article when you download "],[0,[8],1,"Twinmotion 2022.1"],[0,[],0,". If you\u2019re interested in trying the software out, there is a time-unlimited "],[0,[9],1,"free trial"],[0,[],0," available, as well as a free version of the tool for "],[0,[9],1,"education uses"],[0,[],0,". And with a vast library of free "],[0,[10],1,"learning resources"],[0,[],1," at your fingertips, you\u2019ll get to grips with the tool in no time. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[11],1,"AIA does not sponsor or endorse any enterprise, whether \npublic or private, operated for profit. Further, no AIA officer, \ndirector, committee member, or employee, or any of its component \norganizations in his or her official capacity, is permitted to approve, \nsponsor, endorse, or do anything that may be deemed or construed to be \nan approval, sponsorship, or endorsement of any material of construction\n or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in\n any material or product."]]]]}