Real-Time Rendering Technology Is Transforming The Architectural Illustration Process
Property renderings could soon look a lot like a video game.
For years, game developers have created engaging experiences through virtual worlds. Now, real estate developers and architects are taking a similar approach as they look to create rendering experiences for potential tenants and renters.
“In a video game, where you’re moving around a character, or controlling a world or environment, all of that is being presented to you at your command,” Neoscape principal Carlos Cristerna said. “Real-time is how these video games get made, but it’s a brand-new delivery method for the commercial real estate industry that we are actively exploring.”
Cristerna is no stranger to innovation. At Neoscape, a full-service creative agency, he spends his days finding ways to help commercial properties succeed through effective branding. Cristerna is also the director of Neoscape’s Research and Development Lab, where he and his team explore how the commercial real estate industry can use emerging technology to help solve problems. Through a process of trial and error, Cristerna’s team experiments with new concepts, and uses the outcomes to inform content production.
The team is currently exploring how to help clients create experiences through virtual reality and real-time technology.
A Glimpse Into The Future
When it comes to attracting people to a building or property, the traditional rendering provides potential tenants insight into what the interior of a building looks like. While this simplified approach helps people visualize a space, it doesn’t give them an opportunity to see what it would feel like to experience the scale of the property. Using real-time technology could add a more elaborate element to these renderings.
Cristerna and his team have collaborated with real-time software developers to apply the technology to real estate.
“We’re working with different tools to develop them and try them out,” Cristerna said. “We’re testing them and providing our opinion, which is helping the technology evolve."
The rendering experiences made possible by real-time technology could be particularly beneficial for potential tenants before a project is built. During the construction process, people cannot tour the property. But an experiential rendering could allow them to get a glimpse into what the property looks like and feels like way before it is fully completed. In some cases, people may decide they want to lease the space before they see it in person, which would allow landlords and property managers to fill buildings more quickly, helping them reach their bottom line.
This technology is not new. Game developers have long implemented real-time technology into their strategy. Through this process, developers can design games in a way that allows the user to seamlessly transition between graphics. This means the game’s visuals are updated so quickly that the user does not experience any noticeable delay between moves. It offers an enhanced user experience where the player is in full control.
A Consultative And Creative Process
Applying complex tools like real-time technology to the real estate realm requires a level of process. The Neoscape team is composed of several departments, including film, graphic design and creative. These teams work together to meet the needs of their clients.
“We assemble a team of leaders for each project, and they all get together to work on creative strategy,” Cristerna said. “We have an initial meeting with clients where we address the challenge, and figure out what we need to help them with. And that informs what we end up producing for them.”
In addition to production and creative execution, Cristerna and his team take a consultative approach to the process. They sit down with clients and advise them on what type of branding will help attract tenants to a property and ultimately increase leasing velocity.
“We play the role of creative partner for our clients,” Cristerna said. “So if they come to us and say they want something, we help them understand all of their options and find a solution that aligns with their goals. We like to call it high-performance creative. It's not creative just to be cool, it's creative to be effective in leasing buildings.”
The challenge is being able to tell an engaging story about a property, while testing the boundaries of innovation.
This feature was produced in collaboration between Bisnow Branded Content and Neoscape. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.
