Thanks to the Internet and advanced technology, working with clients across multiple time zones has become a reality for remote workers. In the previous post, we’ve shared how we communicate with clients who live in different places. Today, we’ll talk about another similar topic, the influence of time difference on our cooperating with clients in foreign countries. More importantly, we’ll show you how AIMIR demonstrates flexibility in making use of this advantage.
Below is a form showing the time difference between AIMIR and our clients locating in different regions.
Location
Time difference
Asia
1-2 hours
Oceania
2-4 hours
Europe
6-8 hours
North American
12-16 hours
South American
11-12 hours
Globalization has made it possible to do business worldwide, but this is also a challenge of dealing with clients who are not in the same time zones.
When the time difference is between 1 and 6 hours, that is half a day away. In such situation, we will make full use of the morning hours of clients’ and the afternoon time of ours. This allows a high frequency of online communication as well as overlapping business hours. In particular, 11-16 hours of time difference could compromise timely exchanges and business opportunities, which clients in related location mostly worry about. And that will be the focus of the subsequent analyses, along with two specific cases.
Case 1
When the schedule is not tight, plus sufficient time for production: We will follow the normal procedures of both sides as usual: first, we will start working on the rendering and send the updated the drafts for checking. There will be several rounds of back and forth on the draft. After receiving the comments, AIMIR will make adjustments accordingly and ask for clients’ confirmation when the draft meets their requirements. Finally, we complete the final delivery.
Case 2
When Delivery is in urgent need: Every now and then AIMIR will receive an urgent task requiring completed drawings in 24 to 48 hours. The time difference made it difficult for timely communication for both sides as bedtime meets worktime. However, it is precisely this type of project that truly reflects the advantages of time difference. Now, let’s see how the project runs efficiently and continuously 24 hours a day inside AIMIR.
Firstly, after receiving the completed documents and comments from clients, AIMIR will sort out the details and start production. The time when clients drown in sweet dreams is exactly the working hours of AIMIR. During this time, AIMIR will finish updating drafts and send them over to clients before they go to work. They can have plenty of time for discussion among their team or with clients and offer feedback in their working hours while AIMIR is in bedtime. When we back to the office the next day morning, we can handle the feedback right away. If there’re any questions, we would inform the clients immediately. But if the question has no major influence on the progress of modification, we usually prioritize further production and try not to disturb the clients too much in their off-work time.
In a word, our goal is to ensure a normal timetable for both sides. We provide 24-hour support for the project by making full use of the alternating “time difference” to work in two-way shifts. Furthermore, we will flexibly arrange the staff to work overtime according to the emergency of the project. This is also to save time as well as to guarantee enough rest for our clients so that they can engage themselves in the design with abundant energy the next day.
We at AIMIR always keep a customer-utmost mindset and are ready to sacrifice for your best comfort and ease to make sure your project is running smoothly. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us for more information.
Believe to architects and designers, project pitching is a real headache. To make investors enthusiastic about the idea and gain their support it’s a tough nut to crack. It is understandable to give careful consideration to the problem of investing their hard-earned money in an unknown project. Therefore, what we should strive for is to set us apart from the competition and win the approval from investors.
Communication is not entirely verbal. It is of importance to make the pitching visually exciting. Whiteboards, presentations, and the 3D physical model are common tools in project pitching. But these are not enough to attract the audience. In this post, I’ll bring you another must-have tool, architectural visualization. Whether you are an architect or designer, it will get your job done and greenlights your project.
Preview the house in the real surroundings
How the exterior of the building will look like is one of the primary worries to investors. More exactly, they care about whether it will fit in the surroundings. Sketches and the 3D physical model may not enough to satisfy them. 3D architectural rendering is a powerful tool that can successfully make it happen. It allows you to put our designs into the realistic environment which has all kinds of structures such as trees, lawns, and so on. Through a virtual walk, the customers can experience the final result in the future to the fullest.
Make the interior design more natural
You may find it hard to show the interior design before because of the limited choices of the showing methods. But now, using architectural visualization can help create a lifelike virtual tour in the building. All the texture, furniture, and decoration can be placed in the right position to enlighten the design. Investors can walk through the house, experiencing all the details in their own eyes. 3D rendering is an incredibly powerful way to show your wonderful interior design from a more natural perspective.
Show the beauty of the details
The details play an important role in the design, which makes a building unique and compelling. They enrich the viewing experience and communicate the ingenuity in the architectural designs. Sketches and models are limited in showcasing the details. When you put details in the 3D mode, it may be overstuffed or messy. If you use sketches, it will take you a lot of time to finish it.
These embarrassments would not happen to 3D architectural visualization. It is both efficient and effective. No matter what elements you want, like lighting, textures, or colors, you can add it to your project easily and quickly. These details let your project do the talking for itself.
Offer an awesome panoramic view
It’s quite often to face the question that clients asked for the preview of the building in the environment. But it is almost impossible to achieve this by using the old school methods. Sometimes it may lead to the failure of selling the project because we fail to show the surrounding context or the detail of the building.
Now, with 3D software in hands, it’s easy to produce realistic panoramic views of the building from whichever angles you want. It is so amazing that it enables the investors to have a look at how their dream house sits adjacent to different landscapes and constructions. Besides, they can view it from different heights.
Prove your efforts in meeting the demands
In many cases, potential developers might attend your project presentation. They want to check whether your design is suitable for their demands or market before it put into practice. In this situation, using 3D rendering service is your best choice. You can offer photorealistic 3D rendering as soon as possible to prove your efforts for this project. Besides, if they want special demands for the project, you can quickly adjust and create second solutions by using this powerful tool.
Make adjustments in time
When you are pitching your project, it rarely receives no changes or questions from your clients. It is simple to answer questions, but making changes requires much more effort. But if you use 3D architectural visualization, this problem can be readily solved. Through the proper software, you can clearly present where the investors want to adjust. Besides, In addition, it is quick to make adjustments and produce new renders by using 3D software, which saves time for both investors and you.
Create a wonderful portfolio
Your works are the best proof of your ability. In addition to winning instant approval, 3D architectural visualization can also bring you more opportunities. Building a portfolio of your projects in the market campaign is be of crucial. You can put them on your website or other social media networks to advertise your company as a trustworthy company and reliable partner. This can help establish a good image and attract more potential clients.
3D architectural visualization has so many advantages in pitching the project today. Using the right tool for the job can produce satisfactory results. If you are looking for architectural visualization, welcome you to contact AIMIR.
Before the maturity of rendering software, architects struggled to use hand-drawing to explain their design. In order to impress investors, they drew 3D models with an age-old approach, a perspective with vanishing points. It takes a lot of time to draw and color, even for a skilled architect. And it could never achieve the same lavish, professional, and realistic result as 3D architectural visualization done on a computer.
Maybe some fields encourage minimalism. But in architecture, only the projects with details which amaze investors could win approval. That is why we need to use rendering software for construction projects, which could offer full details for investors to preview the future building.
From hand-drawing to software
Previously, architects completed the project by hand from start to finish. They gave mature consideration to all aspects of a project, including the first sketches, developing the design on different aspects like object functionality and the construction, as well as the visualization before building. It’s hard to imagine what efforts they make when we see their 2D floor plans which contain various labels and hatches or their solution includes interior and exterior design and urban planning.
Architects could have a rest until the first software for 2D floor plans developed enough. It saves time and is more accurate than before. Later, the appearance of software for 3D modeling makes 3D architectural visualization easier.
However, 3D models do become really lifelike and breathtaking because of its outcome. Programs like 3Ds Max, Mental Ray or V-Ray, allows any operation concerning 3D modeling and rendering. What’s more, they are compatible with many software in the market which can import or export .dwg and .3ds formats and so on. Architectural visualization becomes simpler and more efficient. These programs have their strong points, which can be seen in the earlier blog – 10 Best Architectural Rendering Software for Architects in 2019. And today, let’s explore how rendering software benefits every aspect of the construction project.
Materialization
Architects begin 3D rendering after the process of materialization. At the stage of material adjustment, it is easy to operate owing to the programs that enable us to choose or import different textures with ease.
Once we determine textures, we can adjust various parameters such as a bump, ambient color, diffuse color, specular color, self-illumination, glossiness, opacity, reflection, transparency, and more. Every adjustment enriches the final effect of the rendering.
Lighting
Lighting is important in all types of architectural visualization services. It can highlight the details and increase the realistic effect. Applying lighting in nightscape renders is admirable, while natural or artificial lights also add spice to daytime renders.
Operating steps on various software are a little different. Some like Lumion have already set up natural lighting which can be adjusted based on the needs. However, others like V-ray requires people to create it manually, especially when we deal with interior design. There are many lighting options available in the software and you can choose the best one to highlight the effect.
Environment
It’s very convenient when the rendering software offer built-in environment settings. They bring architects’ inspirations to life and help investors to see the unstarted project in the real environment. Landscapes like rivers, seas, cities, mountains and sky as well as greenery are all available in the material library of Lumion.
But if we use software like V-ray, we need to do this step on PhotoShop or other similar programs. But the simplest way is to use a photo of a preferred location. Lots of architects usually take a photo and import the render into the photo, which it’s another way to put render into the real-life environment.
When architects adopted hand-drawing, color difference used to be their nightmare. But now, with the flexibility of rendering software, we can change materials and textures within a few mouse clicks to meet the investors’ needs. And we can also artificially increase some imperfections in the works.
It’s time to make good use of the benefits of rendering software. If you’re looking for 3D architectural rendering, we are exactly your right choice. We AIMIR are a professional company that produces lifelike visualization services. Welcome to contact us for any questions.
The types of houses people sleep in every night have been changing from wood to concrete as time changes. Whatever the houses are made of, their essence is unchangeable and with deep emotional meaning. They are more than financial assets. Home is where the heart rests.
Hence, we always have high expectations of what they will build, which leads to architectural visualization. It can be drawn on the paper, as it was in the past. Or it can be done on computers today because of technological advances. However, the one and the only basic principle is to present and visualize how the structure will look before construction.
As technology progresses, architects and designers, need to meet higher requirements and offer the works of higher quality. It’s not merely the representation of a certain design – it must be immersive, realistic, and detailed.
In this blog, we’ll talk about 10 Dos and Don’ts in 3D architectural visualization based on years of our work experience. They will help improve our workflow and get better results.
#Things We Should Do#
NO.1 Keep the goal of the project in mind
The first and most important step in any project is setting the goal. What we are supposed to accomplish or create? The basic goal of 3D rendering service is to impress the clients and convey the concept of the project. But sometimes, with plenty of software, techniques, creativity, and artistry to select from, some designers may be bewildered and sweep the basic goal from the mind. In this case, they may pay most of their attention to the aspects that they think important but actually unrelated to the clients. So, it’s significant to learn as much as possible from clients and define the scope of the project before working.
NO.2 Take a break from work
We are so deeply engrossed in the work that we forget to have a rest. However, more doesn’t mean better. The strain of the work stifles our creativity and makes it easy to go wrong. We all need to take a break to stay creative. Taking a break keeps our productivity higher and prevents us from feeling overwhelmed or stressed out. Instead, we will have a lot of stamina to do best later.
NO.3 Pay much attention to details
Attention to detail improves accuracy in the rendering process and makes a good first impression. But many designers ignore the facts once they get the main part of the visualization done. In fact, the beauty of the design lies in the details. Take interior design as an example. In addition to furnishings and accessories, lighting and shadows also need to be taken into consideration. What is the effect of different light sources? How do they behave with the shadows and objects? In short, we need to invest time and energy in fine-tuning the details to make the 3D rendering be more realistic.
NO.4 Practice great ideas in time
We might have many good ideas in the notebook but seldom put them in practice. Brainstorming is the first step to innovation. What matters more are execution and implementation. They won’t finish if we don’t take action to realize them. Only when they are turning into something do they actually produce value.
Knowledge is a treasure, but the practice is the key to it. So do our creative new ideas. Spend as much time as possible executing them and developing new skills, which would be your competitive edge.
NO.5 Be organized
Besides creativity, architectural visualization needs organization and prudence. We couldn’t put off the very problems each time and deal with them tomorrow. Meanwhile, it might take months to get some certain projects done. Both require us to be organized and have better time management. Make sure every step is under control and stick your calendar, which guarantees the project to be complete timely.
#Things We Shouldn’t Do#
NO.1 Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Architectural visualization is such a wide field where we can’t know everything. As well, new techniques and skills appear continuously and it’s hard to catch up with changes in time. Therefore, whether you are working on the project by yourself or outsourcing, it is necessary to ask for help. The people you work with or visualization artists in the community are often the best sources of information. And it’s a part of the learning process in which we could exchange knowledge and share ideas.
NO.2Don’t limitourselves to one style
Individual style can make us distinctive in the market. And it’s significant to perfect ourselves in our own style. But don’t limit ourselves to what we think we can do. We can go as far as our mind lets us. The more versatile we are, the better we get. At the same time, practicing different styles can help us improve general ability and draw inspiration so that we would meet the multiple demands of the clients.
NO.3Don’t always use the same software
Many designers are scared of moving themselves out of their comfort zone. They get used to the software to do their work. But we need to keep challenging ourselves for greater progress. Some software has advantages which others don’t have, so we need to learn them. Some are only suitable for several types of architectural visualization services. Thus, we have to learn different software to produce wonderful output.
NO.4 Don’t be afraid to get creative
Being creative is an essential skill in architecture and design. Although we can follow many pre-established practices we have learned, it doesn’t mean we have to adhere to old habits for everything. Once equipped with much theoretical and practical knowledge, we could break the routine and experiment with something innovative.
NO.5 Don’t compare our career to everyone else’s
Comparing ourselves to others is one of the workplace perils. Why? Because no matter how hard we try, there will always be others better than you. More importantly, we can’t compare ourselves to people who have worked for over 10 years when we are a novice.
Competition in the workplace and being overly concerned about how someone else is performing often leads to anxiety and holds us back. Instead, focusing on ourselves is more conducive to our success. As one poem says, “everyone is running their own race in their own time zone.” We each have our own goals which would be achieved in our own time.
Every project is different, but remember to bear the basic goal in mind and follow your own rules and ways. Keep studying and never be content with your performance at the moment. At last, we are able to grow in the work and get ahead in the career. Those the 10 don’ts and dos in 3D architectural visualization, if you are looking for a CG expert to handle your next project, please feel free to contact AIMIR.
The digital age has opened unlimited possibilities for all creative content. The advent of innovative digital technologies has been changing the playing field in every industry. It has given us fast, effective and convenient workings to solve some chronic problems. In such a fickle and competitive environment, we need an alert mind and a strong work ethic to keep in step with new developments and ever-increasing demands.
In architecture, the foundation of this exquisite craft is always up to the architect’s ability to envision, design, and build. Although this fact will never change, everything else will, including our clients’ expectations, our desire to innovate the field and the tools of this business. And 3D visualization is the biggest changer when the old design tricks could no longer answer for our needs.
The relatively new concept though it is, 3D visualization has gained in popularity among architects all around for good reasons. Now, let’s talk about why a great many architects cannot refuse this novel practice.
#1 3D Visualization is the Present of the Field
When asked for the views about 3D architectural visualization, one LinkedIn-based architect replied 3D visualization won’t be the future of architectural design. He stressed, “It’s not the future, it’s the present.” Yes, nowadays 3D architectural visualization becomes the major need.
Some may say that it is the higher demand that drives more architects to use this new technology. But there is more to it than this. 3D visualization is broadly used in architecture not because clients expect to see it, but because it serves the design itself.
On the technical side, 3D visualization is perfect and splendid. Its vivid details and lifelike accuracy makes the architectural design more impressive and amazing than ever before. No enthusiastic architects would resist its charm of this powerful capacity.
The subtle development of VR and great progress in graphics hardware and software enables 3D and a 360-degree panorama to become an industry standard. It leads to the current situation that lots of designers and architects are start to produce realistic images.
The fully immersive experience that state-of-the-art 3D graphics and VR brings helps speed up the concept of approvals and marketing. This is exactly what excites architects, which closely links with the success rate in the projects. Never ignore the role of the WOW factor in the decision-making process. The finer details of the project in 3D visualization are persuasive enough for clients to have more confidence in buying the design, which makes it easier to get the green light.
#3 3D Rendering Smooths the Communication Process
Poor communication has resulted in many complaints about the artist-client relationship in the past. As is known to us, it’s really hard to deliver the message which is still an idea rather than concrete objects.
Thanks to 3D rendering service, it’s no longer the architects’ monopoly on seeing the space before it is completed. It’s a useful way to convey your inspirations, even though they are still in its infancy. The photorealistic visuals of the dream home allow every client to know exactly how it will look. They have the chance to step into the house without concrete walls and explore its inside view in the future. This kind of space-time travel would help ease minds and thus smooth the communication process. It’s also a powerful tool for project improvement, which can identify problems and offer specific feedback.
#4 3D Visualization Improves the Workflow
Each boom in technology promotes the improvement and innovation of all walks of life. Owing to intuitive software, comprehensive toolkits, and easy-to-use computers, the architects in this era can dream bigger, not limited to the current achievements.
From a more practical perspective, 3D visualization helps avoid being hassled during everyday operations. It builds and maintains a competitive edge. Meanwhile, it adds more value to the products, which is conducive to acquiring, converting and retaining irresolute customers.
Although 3D rendering software cannot automatically deal with the business, we still have to master the manual skills and have a strong sense of creativity. 3D visualization makes the design process expedited and optimized.
#5 3D visualization is the Future of Architectural Design
Linking with 4 benefits below, 3D architectural visualization is the ideal form of architectural design. It will benefit everyone involved.
As for architects, it gives the design-builder more control, ensures high precision in complicated projects and improves communication with clients. In addition, we can make any brave and new changes during the design process at a lower cost, which offers clients the chance to understand and visualize the project before it becomes a reality.
Unfettered by the bounds of status quo, 3D architectural visualization may reshape the world of architecture we know, and then reshape the real world which are in the form of architecture. As a new key to the new world, it conceives immense power to innovate the field of architecture.
If you are looking forward to capturing more clients and staying on top of the industry, welcome to collaborate with AIMIR to include breathtaking lifelike visuals within your design-build process.
