The images that artists are coming up with for architectural visualizations are jaw-dropping these days. A blend of tools such as 3d Studio Max, Photoshop, and Google Earth leads to some impressive results. If it’s a true artist with some serious skills you can’t even tell if it’s an actual photograph. These 3d renderings can really help sell an idea and elicit an emotional reaction to what can be achieved for a development. Almost every real estate developer these days is familiar with renderings and using them to accompany blueprints for presentations before design review boards or with fellow investors.

But what if you want a 3d architecture model to accompany it?

The hard work is already done right…you have the design laid out. I mean, it’s drawn in 3D dimensions with all the topography, streets, signs, building materials, lighting. So, you know there has to be a way to export all that hard work and get it to a format that a 3D printer can read.

You can almost taste it…AND do it! Yep. 2 for 1 with 3d work is now a reality. Render that idea or proposal up, work out the kinks, and then present to your audience with a final rendering AND a 3d architecture model.

So, what do you get when you buy an architectural model?

Some are required for going forward with the approval process but there is an added bonus…you get excitement. We’re talking little kid enthusiasm over something miniature. This is something that is universal because people LOVE to see how a design looks at a small scale. They can touch the top of the skyscraper building with their finger tips. It’s like being King Kong without the annoying airplanes buzzing around.

This love of miniature has to be deeply rooted. Why do Christmas tree ornaments always show miniature snowshoes or snow globes have a winter cabin?

We all love small things and with 3d printing, CAD, and good design you can build anything you want at a tiny size. The built world is tough to comprehend. Lay out a set of drawings and measure the temperature of the room. Do the same thing with a model and no doubt will their be a better discussion ready to take place.

Architectural Printing in 3-D

Architects and designers print stuff all day. Blueprints, renderings, and construction documents go from a computer screen to a physical form.

3D printing technology is the last missing piece of this puzzle…but it’s not as easy as clicking the “print” button.

The above picture of a gothic church was built using a file directly from Google Sketchup’s 3D Warehouse in a matter of a few minutes. (We’re working on putting together a video that will explain how this process works from start to finish.) In the meantime, we wanted to show that even a small building at 1/1800th scale can come out with decent detail.

The opportunity to print really small models at an affordable price means that everybody can enjoy the last missing piece of architectural printing. Trying to get a sense of space for a development or a neighborhood can be made easier by using small massing models cranked out in a matter of a few hours.

The future of client interactions can be transformed into a remarkable experience…sounds like a competitive advantage for forward-thinking architecture firms.