How to Communicate your Design Intent Through Visualization Styles


Award-winning imagery from ASAI. Project: Tyndall Air Force Base. Date: 2020. Image Courtesy of SketchUp

Award-winning imagery from ASAI. Project: Tyndall Air Force Base. Date: 2020. Image Courtesy of SketchUp

Creating a compelling visualization that communicates your design intent and gets stakeholders on board is no easy feat. While designers have plenty of visualization tools to deploy— from powerful rendering engines to the simplicity of pen and paper — there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to visualization. As your design evolves, you may need multiple renderings at various levels of detail. 

According to Jim Kessler, Director of the Visual Media Group at Jacobs, “When a design is in flux and conversations with the clients are taking place, a photorealistic rendering signals completion of the project and that design changes are no longer possible. Whereas, a non-photorealistic rendering visual suggests a sense of flux and has a huge artistic element to it, which architects gravitate towards.”

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