One of our precious clients from the Republic of Maldives, Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas keeps in bringing the world exciting seaside resorts and clubs. They never stop pursuing the natural power of building places for people to escape, revel or play. This time, they brought us another wonder world in Veligandu Huraa, Republic of Maldives, a beach resort to embrace the extraordinary.
For the past two years, we’ve been helping Anantara to build the unbuilt with our powerful 3D renderings for their marketing. Today, we’d like to share the 3D rendering process of this project. Check it out!
Anantara Veli Maldives Resort
Situated on a beautiful island fringed by a turquoise lagoon, the Anantara Veli Maldives Resort is a luxury destination. It features 67 villas, 2 restaurants, a bar, a SPA and other entertainment facilities.
The Boduhuraa Island.
To illustrate this wonderland, Giles from Anantara Group planned to have 17 images, namely:
Three images per villa, one looking in, one looking out, and one bathroom. There are three villa types: Deluxe Overwater Villa, Deluxe Overwater Pool Villa, and Beach Pool Villa. That’s nine images in total;
Two images for the SPA;
Two images per restaurant: Origami and 73 Degrees, and that’s four images altogether;
Two images for the Dhoni Bar.
Having this super clear scope in mind, let’s get started!
There is an extreme lovely cooperation pattern between Giles and us. Since we’ve been working together for nearly two years, we are able to understand each other easily and always on track. On the first day we started the project, Giles had sent us a bunch of files regarding this resort.
To help us understand the project more, Gile’s references are detailed and well-organized. As a result, we’ve got:
The 3D model and the camera angles needed;
Material board;
The exterior material instruction for one of the villas.
Floor plans and elevations;
Floor plan for Dhoni Bar.
Site photos for a better picture of the place.
The goal of our 3D renderings are crystal clear: to market this travel destination. As a key tool of marketing in hospitality, we’re confident with our 3D visuals winning the battle. What is the 3D rendering process then? How long does it usually take? How should it get started? If you’re looking for working with an ArchViz team for the first time, we believe this blog is a help for getting know the details during production.
3D Rendering Process
The very first thing our 3D artists did was sorting models and setting camera angles. Gile provided 3ds Max models with their custom-tailored furniture. What we did was to fine-tune them and selected some camera angles based on their request and our professional experience. In particular, we provided more views than they asked. This is a good way because our client will have more choices and have more perspectives to see what the project will be presented.
For one of the restaurants, we carefully selected four views for them to choose two out of.
Finally, Gile’s team decided to add more views. When they received our suggested views, they believed that adding the views would be a better way to demonstrate the resort, which in turn would boost the marketing. As a consequence, five more views were added which totaled up to 21 views.
The next stage is to apply textures and materials, and set the lighting. Because we’ve worked with Anantara’s and created seaside resort projects for the past two years, we know clearly their preference for 3D images. Thus, we directly created the rendered and post-produced final drafts.
Gile’s team absolutely loved these renderings, as some of them were set as final images on the spot! There were only a couple of additional comments on parts of the drafts:
Change the landscape and vegetation for the two restaurants based on the site photos he just sent. This is for accuracy.
Make the color of wood material darker in all interior images.
Our 3D artists made all the requested corrections immediately in 24 hours, and the final images were all set!
The 3D Rendering Results
Here are the final images for Anantara Veli Maldives Resort which delivered in 4K resolution.
Beach Villa-C02 (4)
Beach Villa-C01 (3)
Beach Villa-C03 (3)
CR-73º Restaurant-c1
CR-73º Restaurant-c2
CR-73º Restaurant-c3
Dhoni Bar-C3
Dhoni Bar-C2
Dhoni Bar-C1
Deluxe Over Water Villa-Bath (3)
Deluxe Over Water Villa-C1 (2)
Deluxe Over Water Villa-C2 (2)
Deluxe Over Water Villa-shower area
Deluxe Overwater Pool Villa-C01 (3)
Deluxe Overwater Pool Villa-C02 (4)
Deluxe Overwater Pool Villa-C03 (3)
origami-01
origami-03 (1)
origami-02 (1)
SPA-1 (2)
SPA-2 (2)
Change of Plan
Right after the final delivery, Anantara team came up with a request. They’re hoping to change the design of the bathroom in the Deluxe Overwater Villa. In the new plan, they want to:
Replace the glass panels on the left with shower spaces;
At the same time, remove the bathtub;
Move the towel rack to the rear of the room.
The change was not involved with much workload, so we created the new bathroom view for free within a day.
Previous design vs. new design.
This is not the only project we provide free modification services, although there will occur fees under certain circumstances. When we will charge for modifications? Please refer to our blogs about changing design and fees: Four Typical Scenarios Concerning Extra Charge during the Rendering Process.
Marketing with 3D Renderings
Now these 3D visuals are posted on their website to introduce this wonderful resort. We believe our 3D renders will be an elevation of their work. It is always a smart choice to use photorealistic 3D works when market your product or service!
There is no doubt that 3D rendering can be a powerful tool for travel agencies. By using 3D rendering services, you can not only achieve the “seeing is believing” effect, but also spark your clients’ interest for the trip.
Our client Leo from O-Lifestyle brought us this new exciting project on Aegina Island, Greece. It is a luxury club and hotel providing the opportunity to escape the normality of reality. At the same time, it is a redevelopment of an area where the hills underwent a forest fire a couple of years ago.
The old site.
This time, we built a 3D model from the scratch and created 3D renderings, and the result turned to be satisfying. In this case study, we described the whole process step by step, so that you can have a clear perspective of an architectural visualization project. Let’s check it out!
The Scope
Leo was looking at different types of 3D visuals: 3D rendering and 3D floor plan. To specify:
An aerial view of the harbor, demonstrating the masterplan of this resort;
An interior view of the room, which gives a clear view of the hotel accommodation;
An exterior view of the hotel, which is a close-up view showing the details of the hotel environment;
A 3D floor plan to showcase the layout of the room.
Building the 3D Model
Leo summarized the references for the buildings and shared the masterplan, and we needed to build the 3D model based on these information.
According to the masterplan details, we knew the following:
There are two rows of suits, and they are identical;
The recreation area sits behind one of the suits, including brasserie, sky lounge, lobby, SPA & wellness, and linear pools;
There is a lagoon with sand beach and waterfall;
Facing the sea, there is a beach all-day restaurant club;
Along the beach, there is a yacht floating docks and a yacht owners decked pathway & seating area.
After studying the above references, our 3D specialists built the model using 3ds Max, and it looked like this:
The aerial view & close-up view of the model.
Exterior & Interior 3D Renderings
First, let’s get clear of what we were looking at. The exteriors of the project consists of two views: an aerial and a close-up view. As to the workload, aka the time needed for each view, the aerial view took longer than the other one.
The Aerial View
To demonstrate 100% of the original site, Leo sent us some drone photos for photo-composition for the aerial view.
Part of the site photos.
The landscape plan.
After discussion, we decided to go with the camera angle facing the sea. In the rendering draft, we particularly:
Embellish and add greenery to make a natural look of the barren hill because of fire;
Adjust the lighting according to the original photo;
Added materials and textures and make sure they are consistent with the tone of the original photo.
It didn’t take too long when we received Leo’s comment on the first round draft. As you can see, Leo gave us some comments on the placement of yachts and other minor adjustments.
Comments from Leo’s team.
Our 3D artists revised each details as in the comments. Here is the final result.
Leo loved the way we processed the hills behind. This aerial view is done.
The Hotel – Interior & Exterior View
Using the 3D model we’ve built, Leo pointed out two views he wanted: an interior view and an exterior close-up view.
Now, let’s have a look at the references Leo shared. In the references, our 3D artists were able to have a clear idea of the furniture plan and material board. This greatly helped the production process.
The process strictly followed the 3D rendering process: 3D modeling – material, texture & lighting – rendering & postproduction. After a couple of rounds of minor adjustments, the final images were complete.
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3D Floor Plan
Floor plans are an essential part of real estate, and 3D ones give the viewers a true feel for the look and layout of a space. This time, Leo was looking for a 3D floor plan.
According to the floor plan of the units, our 3D artists built the 3D floor plan and fit the proper furniture in different spaces.
The floor plan.
By adding realistic material and texture, also recreating the beach and sea, the 3D specialists created the first round draft:
Leo’s team came back with their comments rapidly. This time, the comments particularly focused on the bathroom:
Change the glass around the shower to a more vivid color;
Add a shower head inside the shower;
Swap the positions between the shower & the sinks-counter set, and adjust the size of each correspondingly.
As a result, we’ve fixed these issues in one day and delivered the final 3D floor plan!
The Final Results
Let’s show you the final renderings together. We’ve delivered them in 4K resolution as we promised. We believe once this resort is complete, it will be a memorable place for its visitors to enjoy unique holidays.
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This resort & beach club is planning to open to public on 2023. Our renders are now on their website for marketing. We are honored to create 3D works for this project. Leo and his team is very nice and well-organized, and we’re more than glad to hear that they’re satisfied with our service. Our team hope to work with them in the near future.
What do you think about this project? Looking for a reliable architectural visualizer to work with? Feel free to contact our professional architectural visualization studio, and we’ll bring your exciting project to life in a short turnaround time!
Besides the embodiment of the creative design, both the 3D rendering and actual photographs hope to achieve is that the aesthetics of the graphs will resonate with all viewers. No one can deny that camera angle plays a vital role in this. When deciding the camera angle, we should not only pay attention to the main elements of the design, the spotlight should be turned on the tones of different spaces as well. An overall symmetry will be used to present solemnity, while the asymmetrical and lively design is a wise choice for flexibility. A complete symmetrical graph is a must-not, and more attention needs to be drawn to the intensity of the graph. In all, a clear goal is a must for setting up a project: what does this 3D rendering hope to achieve?
For exterior projects, is the spotlight the building itself? The overall plan? Structure of buildings? Or the landscape?
For interior projects, which particular area is the spotlight for the design and layout?
In fact, it doesn’t matter whether it’s interior or exterior projects, designers need to provide supporting materials, such as CAD files or SketchUp models, explicating the design details and articulating the desirable result that you want to achieve. Here are some camera angle suggestions for reference:
For tabletop still object, 50-130 mm focal distance is commonly used. It’s better to turn on depth-of-field effect, with 10 to 30-degree high angle shot, 5-20 times subject distance.
For interior renderings, 40-80 mm focal distance is commonly used, with +5 to -15 degree shot. The subject distance depends.
For exterior renderings, 30-50 mm focal distance is commonly used, with 5 to 40-degree low angle shot or 20 to 35-degree high angle shot. Moving camera to capture the space when the subject distance is set at 10-50 times.
Camera Angles for Exterior Design
The first step is to confirm the camera angle of the 3D rendering, including eye-level view, semi-aerial view, and aerial view. Next, it’s to identify the design highlight: the building itself, landscape, or other details? As for the exterior human eye, it is a fairly neutral shot angle, stimulating a standard human vision and thus present visual information through a familiar viewpoint, which refers to 160-180 cm height but not over 200cm. This angle shows the most important part of the building that we expect to see in real life or what the client cares most about. When the model built by CG artists are finished, the building can be viewed from various viewpoints by the camera, which is as same as the cameras we use in our daily life. To place the camera’s center point at the building, you can move or rotate the center point to create the perfect angle for your design.
Regarding the semi or aerial view, they follow the same rule of human eye when it comes to angle creation. Semi-aerial view shots at 200-1500 cm camera height. If there’s a lake in front of the building, the angle will set above from the lake surface, so that the reflection with ripples and the building itself create a vivid and dynamic view. Aerial view, is a completely different point of view, which has a camera height of more than 1500 cm. In this view, it is shown from directly above with a clear view of the buildings and the surrounding context.
Camera Angles for Interior Design
First, it’s to decide the space where should be spotlighted in the 3D rendering and confirm the camera’s direction inside the room. Based on the requirements of the clients and the built model, AIMIR will provide several options for checking the angles. The major concern of the interior rendering is to make the room look more spacious than it actually is. Following are a few tips about creating an interior angle.
Enlarge the space by lifting the object. In this way, reducing the ground space in the rendering so the whole space looks wider.
Elevate the camera angle, just like viewing the space at the higher space. This has the effect of diminishing the subject, making the space wider.
In some cases, clients offer a relatively confined space, but they would like to show the spaciousness. AIMIR will adjust flexibly with a camera outside the room. The camera behind the wall will show the room from a more complete point of view.
The focal distance of human eyes is 43 mm. Unfortunately, this focal distance cannot be used in 3D renderings because the back of human eyes is curved, the perception of the 3D rendering will be quite restricted. To be more specific, the view is fixed because the camera in 3D MAX is static, thus, the space seems to be narrower. Therefore, the focal distance should be set among 28 mm to 35 mm. This range is very close to human eyes’ so that there won’t be any distortion. In general, when setting the camera angle for interior 3D renderings, height, focal distance, angle and spatial atmosphere need to be taken into account. The camera height will be 1.5 meters in most cases, with variations in commodious spaces.
Other Camera Angle Deciding Tips for Interior Design
Do not become obsessive with the wide-angle camera. Distortion is the only thing wide-angle does for interior designs. Unless there are close subjects. Wide-angle works amazingly in confined spaces and close subjects.
Small aperture (f/14, 15, … even 32) is recommended if the whole room needs to be presented clearly. On the contrary, a large aperture of f/2.8 or f/1.4 is much desirable for photos where subjects are isolated. It results in a large amount of both foreground and background blur.
In summary, the camera angle is a contributing factor in making a marvelous 3D rendering. On top of that, the critical part still starts from a good design and timely communication between two parties. There are many tips you should keep in mind when creating the angle. If you have any questions about picking the right angle, why not contact AIMIR for more inspiration.
There were many provocative stories and creative designs emerged in the past year. In AIMIR’s yearly review, we have selected the top 10 stunning and eye-pleasing 3D renderings of 2019. What greatness we achieved in the past and the likes we received from our clients greatly inspired us to embrace the opportunities of self -improvement. We will stay true to what we believe and endeavor to offer realistic and attractive renderings for our clients.
Now, let’s enjoy this reviewing tour of all these amazing projects in 2019.
AM1 Mosque
Project name: AM1 Mosque
Location: KSA Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Project: June 12th, 2019
Architects: ** Consultants
The cubic mosque is designed to encourage “peaceful co-existence and openness”. It is the perfect combination of traditional culture and modern architectural style. The layout of this dome-less mosque is a glass box with a large open prayer hall. The mosque encompasses Main Prayer Hall (Men), Ladies Prayer Hall, Services Area, and Circulation and multi-purpose rooms. The aerial view showed the overall building and the surrounding context and in the two human eye level renderings, they depicted the glass box and its unique outer exterior construction. A minaret rose from the open-air space. More importantly, the dusk moon is the icing on the cake. It enshrined the image and make it more appealing.
Reizen Residence
Project name: Reizen Residence
Project Location: Bay Harbor Islands, Florida
Project: June 2019
Architects: *** ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN
This two-storey house, rose above a Florida street, enabling the homeowners to enjoy ample natural light. It was a renovation project with new ambitions. This new home took advantage of the siting to maximize the experience of changing daylight. Encompassed rush vegetation, a swimming pool and wood-made awning in the back yard, it’s a good place to relax and gathering. The interior was full of simplifying style. The marble dining table, white furnishing, and soft lighting intensified the theme of being elegant. All the details were carefully selected and placed. It created a serenity not often found in the center of this busy city.
His & Her Master Suite
Project name: His & Her Master Suite
Location: America
Project: March 2019
Architects: * * of Chicago
Those renderings are made by the new technology- Corona Renderer. Corona Renderer is a modern high-performance (un)biased photorealistic renderer, available for Autodesk 3ds Max, MAXON Cinema 4D, and as a standalone application. This project follows the design philosophy of luxury and premium lifestyle. The charcoal-colored wood cabinet, golden mental, crystal chandelier, and finest textures created an entirely new impression and reflect the very soul of modern. The interior details elevate the standard to an unprecedented level. These dramatic and eye-catching renderings have dazzled lots of people because it’s hard to tell if they are photos or renderings.
Collins Avenue Hotel
Project name: Collins Avenue Hotel
Location: Miami Beach, Florida
Project: Jan. 2019
Architects: * 3
The full-height glazed hotel fills transparency that sets it apart from the surrounding buildings. The guest rooms are wrapped by glass panels, which are cast in the Y shapes concrete boards to reference the “creative output of the locals”. With an open balcony and terrace, it offers visitors uninterrupted city views and exposure to sunlight. Besides, the carefully selected dusk mood and lighting blend into the context, nature and landscape unite and thrive.
The Walker Residence
Project name: The Walker Residence
Location: California
Project: June 2019
Architects: **Design
This low-rise residence merged with the local landscape in California aimed to offer a comfortable living space for the residents. It’s necessary to establish a dialogue between the natural scenery and the architecture. The good images reveal the interiors inside the building as well as additional facade details. And the eye-pleasing vegetation throughout the building created a feeling of calm and serene atmosphere.
The Matt House
Project name:The Matt House
Location: America
Project: June 2019
Architects: * URBAN
The client’s brief was to create a bright and fresh environment. The exterior covered with black steel panels and grey brick contrast the bright interior. This two-storey house accommodated with a rooftop deck and pool made the most of the space. The refinement of the project is found in the details, all of which create a perfect balance both inside and outside.
218 4th Avenue
Project name:218 4th Avenue
Location: Nashville, America
Project: September 2019
Architects: No**
This 24-storey mixed-use development contained luxurious penthouses and common units rose toward the skyline. It features a reflective exterior comprising a mixture of materials including glass panels, satin-finished stainless steel, broad louvers and open balconies that make it further stand out from its brickwork neighbors. What’s more, this high-rise building gave access to the expansive view of the city.
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Albany Building
Project name:Albany Building
Location: New York
Project: June 2019
Architects: ** Architects, PLLC
It’s important to combine the building with the surrounding when making a photorealistic rendering. The designer used red and white brick, featuring plenty of windows and open balconies, to transform it into a light-filled home. AIMIR has made two different scenes for this project. The snowy background blends with the building, adding holiday decorations to create joyfulness. Isn’t it warm and happy when you picture the Christmas day?
Commercial Building
Project name:Commercial Building
Location: Ash Shati, Saudi Arabia
Project: Jan. 2019
Architects: * Harasani Architects
The most attractive part of this project is the unique glass construction – Fritted Glass, which is a popular building element. It not only helps reduce glare and heat, protecting guest’s privacy but also gives the facade a distinctive look with patterns from simple shapes to intricate designs.
5 Star hotel
Project name:5 star hotel
Location: Greece
Project: April 2019
Architects: **opos
Occupied on a sloping site in the resort of Greece island, this stone-wall hotel features rooms that open onto a communal deck overlooking the ocean. There are a private pool and leisure area in front of each guest room. It seeks to make optimal use of its setting without disrupting the untouched natural landscape.
AIMIR‘s principal ambition is to seek amazing ways to represent the power of ideas and help our clients to tell their stories via the most stunning and breathtaking 3D renderings. We offer the best-tailored service to meet customer individual needs. Let us know if you’re interested in working together!
The application of 3D rendering plays a crucial role in achieving full coordination and rationalization of the intricate geometric designs. It is growing to be a very useful tool for a wide range of current industries. It can provide a marvelous description of buildings. A digital image allows the observer to appreciate the composition of the finishes, elements and the bounce of light before constructed.
For architects and designers, it’s very common to use 3d architectural visualization to present design to their clients. We’ve done a few renderings for the Sails Strip project, located in Ash Shati, Saudi Arabia. The most attracting part is its unique glass construction – Fritted Glass. In the architectural industry, glass is always a popular building element. But except for its natural light and views, there are drawbacks, such as heat and lack of privacy. And the fritted glass exactly solves these problems. It not only helps reduce glare, cut cooling costs but also gives the facade a distinctive look with patterns from simple shapes to intricate designs.
Now, let’s take a look at its unique design with our 3D renderings:
Project Location:
Ash Shati, Saudi Arabia.
location
It’s vital to thoroughly understand the project information before render. The background details help us to grab the key elements and render them based on the actual situation. We normally ask for google maps, coordination, landscape, climate etc…those would greatly assist us to map out the accurate picture of how we’re going to process the backdrop.
Following is the process of our routine work. The first round is the model and angle stage. This is a basic step because it can avoid repeatedly change and revised once the angle and model confirmed.
Angle and Model:
Once the angle and model are confirmed, we move forward to the post-work stage. In this stage, the people, vehicle, furniture, etc…will be added to enhance the effect and showcase the realness of the 3d renderings. There will be several back-and-forths to continuously update and modify the render until it’s perfect. And then after we received clients’ approval and confirmation, this will lead to the final stage, which is the final delivery.
Final delivery:
This is a rough 3D rendering process of how these two exceptional 3d renderings are made. Want to know more about how to make your design more stand out amid competitors? Contact Aimir to bring your vision to life！
