Photorealistic architectural rendering: definition, benefits and how to do it

A useful communication, marketing, and design preview tool that reduces the risk of aesthetic or dimensional errors, also becoming a moment of verification: this is, in summary, the advantages of photorealistic rendering.

The high level of realism achieved with photorealistic architectural rendering makes this tool powerful and efficient in more than one application, even more so when associated with virtual reality, augmented reality, or even artificial intelligence!

Thanks to the development of computer graphics, unimaginable progress has been made in the preparation of architectural projects as well as in their graphic representation. With the use of BIM software for building design, it is now possible to obtain a series of advantages, such as millimeter precision in both the calculation of surfaces and volumes as well as in the cost estimating, or even the production of three-dimensional views with realistic images that are immediately understandable and true to reality.

Let’s then see together what photorealistic renderings are and how to create them, what their main applications are, and what advantages they offer to architects, designers, and clients!

Photorealistic Rendering

What is photorealistic architectural rendering?

Photorealistic architectural rendering represents an evolution, a refinement of the more “classic” architectural rendering.

The technique of Architectural Rendering is thus implemented with the new attribute of photorealistic, which suggests its definition and leads us to identify photorealistic rendering as the process of creating a digital image that replicates an object or a 3D external or internal environment in a way that is entirely faithful to reality.

Therefore, while a photograph illustrates something that already exists, a rendering aims to illustrate an idea, a project, a model that does not yet exist, but as if it were real!

Thus, photorealistic rendering becomes fundamental in the architectural design process, and not only.

The extremely high level of realism that we can achieve in photorealistic renderings is guaranteed by the use of building design software with advanced rendering capabilities that allow the designer/modeler to replicate not only the geometries of objects and environments but also the materials and lights, both natural and artificial, to generate an image almost identical to a photograph.

In fact, if the rendering parameters are set in such a way as to correspond to those existing in reality, then the quality of the textures and the different perspectives of the final rendering can be considered ‘photorealistic’.

photorealistic rendering – Edificius

How to implement photorealistic architectural rendering in your projects

The creation and implementation of photorealistic rendering in your design workflow will be quite simple if you make use of the right architectural rendering software and learn how to set it up. Nevertheless, to achieve professional photorealistic renders, there are some tools that designers must use and some simple steps to follow, including:

• modeling: the first step to creating a photorealistic rendering is the 3D modeling of all the objects present in the scene. The modeling should be done with as much precision as possible, both dimensionally and aesthetically;
• texturing: after generating the 3D model, the next step is to add textures to the surfaces, which will allow us to faithfully reproduce real-world materials;
• lighting: this significant step involves the strategic placement of lights within the scene, adjusting their intensity, color, and direction to achieve the desired lighting effect. With advanced photorealistic rendering software, the behavior of light in the physical world, including reflections, refractions, and shadows, can be accurately replicated;
• rendering: after modeling the volumes, implementing the textures and lights, the next step is to generate the final image through the rendering process. This involves using specialized software to calculate the color, intensity, and position of each pixel in the image based on the 3D model, textures, and lighting;
• post-processing: this phase, which is entirely optional, allows for further enhancement of the obtained rendering by modifying some parameters of color, lighting, etc.

Realistic rendering: applications and benefits

Photorealistic rendering finds application in a wide range of sectors from video games to the broader field of architecture.

Within the world of architectural design, the main applications of photorealistic rendering concern:

• outdoor commercial spaces;
• indoor commercial spaces;
• outdoor residential environments;
• indoor residential environments;
• hotel structures.

The advantages offered by the use of photorealistic rendering in architecture are closely related to the presentation methods of projects, which is commonly referred to as Architectural Visualization.

This practice has significantly changed over time due to technological and computing developments. Today, advanced building design software available to us allows for detailed representations of the design proposal, thus providing a better perception of spaces, details, and aesthetic choices.

With rendering, even a less experienced client can enjoy the benefits of understanding the project at different stages:

• they can be immersed in a virtual reality with volumes, functional spaces, furnishings, and accessories, ensuring a completely immersive experience that bridges the gap between reality and the client’s imagination;
• they are included in the design process, as they can have a realistic preview of the project, identify any changes to propose, and observe the results.

To summarize the main advantages offered by photorealistic rendering, we have:

• advanced visualization: photorealistic rendering provides a clear and precise visualization of the final project. Clients can thus have awareness and perception of the distribution of spaces, volumes, the arrangement of furnishings and systems, down to the smallest detail. This reduces ambiguity and ensures a common understanding of the project among all stakeholders involved;
• better communication: for architects and designers, conveying their ideas can be a challenge, especially when it comes to complex design proposals. Photorealistic representations serve as an effective communication tool, bridging the gap between technical instrumentation and the client’s vision. This leads to better collaboration and fewer misunderstandings;
• cost and time efficiency: making changes to a digital model is much less expensive and takes less time compared to any modifications on already executed work. Photorealistic rendering allows for easy changes, enabling designers to experiment with different layouts, materials, and lighting scenarios without incurring post-execution corrections and thus additional costs;
• marketing and presentation: photorealistic 3D images are a valuable marketing and advertising tool. They can be used in brochures, websites, and virtual tours, providing potential clients with an immersive experience that showcases the designer’s capabilities and the project’s potential.

photorealistic rendering

Photorealistic VS Non-Photorealistic Rendering

As we can easily infer, the main difference between photorealistic rendering and non-photorealistic rendering is the level of realism that can be achieved in 3D reproduction and the subsequent digital image.

However, it is worth noting that the non-photorealism of a rendering may be intentional or not. In the latter case, we refer to those situations where a high level of photorealism is desired, but the final result does not meet expectations due to errors in setting properties or, more simply, due to software that does not live up to expectations.

It is not uncommon, however, to deliberately choose not to aim for a high level of realism and to prefer rather artistic or stylized effects, proposed by the modeling software itself. This choice is generally more frequent in the realm of video games and illustration, while it remains less explored in interior architecture, in landscape architecture, or in the real estate sector where the purpose of renderings is to provide clients or potential customers with an idea of the project that closely resembles what the project will be once completed.

The future of Photorealistic 3D Rendering

Technology is making significant strides every day, and this can only contribute to a promising future for photorealistic renderings.

The photorealistic renderings of the future, in some cases already present, are much less static than classic digital images. This is because a very high level of realism is accompanied by emerging trends such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). These technologies will allow clients to walk through virtual spaces and interact with the design in real-time, offering an unprecedented level of engagement and realism.

The other frontier that has now been reached is that of collaboration between modeling software and artificial intelligence (AI). This valuable combination allows for the automation of complex tasks, optimization of rendering settings, and even suggestions for design improvements, enabling designers to focus more on creativity and innovation.

Edificius, the first BIM architectural design software integrated with the new AMD Radeon™ ProRender Ray Tracing Rendering Engine, which leverages Artificial Intelligence to produce high-quality renders in reduced times, meets these innovations. In fact, the software uses Artificial Intelligence (Machine Learning Denoiser) to “remove” noise from a partially rendered image and drastically reduce processing times.

In AIRBIM, the Artificial Intelligence algorithm automatically identifies the fastest path and the ideal settings to achieve the highest rendering quality of the chosen view.

Finally, with Edificius AIrBIM, it is possible to contextualize the project in the real environment and automatically set the lighting conditions of the scene with a level of lighting directly from the 360° panoramic photo.

So what are you waiting for? Try it for free for 30 days and enjoy the extraordinary potential of AI!

How to obtain photorealistic renders for your architectural projects

Photorealistic renders are fundamental tools for presenting a project.

The complete process that leads to the creation of a good photorealistic architectural render can be long and complex, which is why people usually choose to turn directly to experts in the field.

Traditional rendering methods involve:

1. 3D modeling
2. 3D objects selection
3. textures and materials slection
4. rendering process
5. post-production process.

The steps and software to use are generally too many.

In addition, it is necessary to invest a lot of time to obtain a more or less in-depth knowledge of the different tools to be used and invest a lot of money to purchase the proper software to be used in the various phases.

1 – 3D modeler

3D modeling is the first step in creating photorealistic renderings.

Basically, you need to create three-dimensional objects and place them in a virtual environment through the use of computers and dedicated software. This software is referred to as a 3D modeler.

The 3D modeler allows you to look at your project in 3 dimensions and, therefore, to more effectively analyze volumes and spaces, obtaining a better overall view.

There are a wide variety of 3D modeling software that take advantage of many different modeling methodologies.

3D modeler

So, what is the best 3D modeler to adopt and how long does it take to learn to use it?

2 – 3D Objects Library

To enrich your model, it is necessary to insert many 3D blocks. When designing a house, in addition to the model, consisting of floors, walls, windows, roof, etc. you also need to insert furnishings to complete the various environments and faithfully recreate your project spaces, or you need to choose objects (such as tables, chairs, kitchen, sofas, etc.) available on online libraries.

You might also wonder whether they are free or if they are good quality objects.

3D Objects Library

Many websites allow you to download free 3D resources but you might also have to pay to use them or it can happen that they might be poorly detailed objects.

3 – Materials (and textures) Library

The third step enatils the research of materials and/or textures.

In this case as well, there are many material and texture libraries available online that allow you to achieve good results. But again, most likely, finding what is right and convenient for you requires a lot of time.

Materials Library

4 – Architectural rendering

The fourth step is relating to the production of the architectural rendering.

In the field of architectural design, the term “rendering” refers to the process of creating photorealistic images that have the purpose of illustrating a specific subject (house, landscape, design object, etc.).

This is the most complex step because it is usually managed by software that requires in-depth knowledge of photography, lighting, materials, etc.

The result can be surprising, but also very disappointing.

Architectural rendering

5 – Post-production

Once the render is obtained, you can move on to post-production operations. During this process final operation, thanks to specially designed software, you can “retouch” renderings and improve their performance. For example, you can add objects, people, vegetation to make the final result more realistic. Or you can just change brightness, saturation, shadows, highlights, colors, etc.

Basically, more software to buy and to learn how to use!

Post-production