What types of building information are best portrayed in 3D views?
3D modeling communicates the character of a design to clients and architects alike. These photorealistic renderings draw in the viewer by portraying the final structure from their own point of view. However, construction details, such as materials and measurements, are best represented in 2D plans. While 3D views allow the viewer to understand the designer’s vision, 2D views share the aspects required for the viewer to make this vision a reality.
Give examples of how the building information for a specific location in the project needs to be filtered for different audiences and purposes?
Depending on the context, building information should be filtered to highlight certain elements. For instance, a floor plan featuring a bathroom and a kitchen may show clients furniture, basic bathroom fixtures, and kitchen appliances. This provides information on how the building may be used in day-to-day life. For the contractor, the floor plan may remove these household details and instead show building elements like plumbing, flooring, ceilings, wall, and stairs. This provides information on how the building will be constructed.
Should your design ideas always be conveyed through photorealistic renders?
While stakeholders reviewing a design may benefit from photorealistic rendering, they may also appreciate a more abstract representation. Photorealistic rendering uses lighting, shadows, background and more details, which are a realistic depiction but not guaranteed to be completely accurate. This level of detail may draw attention away from elements that the designer wishes to highlight, and may also lead to misunderstandings when differences arise between the rendering and the actual finished product.