Renders vs. Reality, Comparing Recent Project's Original Vizualization to their Built Result

Written by Hana Abdel
Published on April 10, 2022

It is nearly impossible nowadays not to present accompanying renders when proposing a new project. No matter the method, software or style that is used, it is a valuable reference that bares more practical weight than one might think. Not only can it be one of the closest possible representations of the architect's vision, if approved, it can also become a promise to clients, investors, and the general public.

When it comes to works from renowned architects, the render becomes a critical reference to the project participants and to the expectant community. A lot of details can be developed and considered when creating the images. In most cases, special attention is brought to the lighting, materials, and context in order to make the most accurate representation possible.

+ 38

Render precision is very important in the early design phases, since detailed and well-executed visuals can denote issues and allow designers, engineers, and builders to anticipate potential complications that would otherwise require project compromises. A quality render can become a tool to getting the desired result at completion.

Renowned architects and their teams share a range of examples of how meticulous consideration of visualizations can be key in achieving inspiring works of architecture.

BEEAH Headquarters / Zaha Hadid Architects

Maggie’s Leeds Centre / Heatherwick Studio

House of Hungarian Music / Sou Fujimoto

Little Island Park / Heatherwick Studio + MNLA

YueCheng Courtyard Kindergarten / MAD Architects

Audrey Irmas Pavilion / OMA

Japan National Stadium / Taisei Corporation + AZUSA SEKKEI + Kengo Kuma & Associates

Le Monde Group Headquarters / Snøhetta

Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet / BIG + ATELIER BRÜCKNER + CCHE

Beirut Terraces / Herzog & de Meuron

Vessel Public Landmark / Heatherwick Studio

Grace Farms / SANAA

Grove at Grand Bay / BIG

The Shed, a Center for the Arts / Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Under (Underwater Restaurant) / Snohetta

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on July 12th, 2020, and updated on April 6th 2022. Find more reference projects in this My ArchDaily folder created by the author.

This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: The Future of Architectural Visualizations, proudly presented by Enscape, the most intuitive real-time rendering and virtual reality plugin for Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, Archicad, and Vectorworks. Enscape plugs directly into your modeling software, giving you an integrated visualization and design workflow.