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Tech for Architects: Is This the Perfect Mobile Workstation For Designers?
CategoriesArchitecture

Tech for Architects: Is This the Perfect Mobile Workstation For Designers?

By Zarkon Group,

Architizer Journal is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.

Lenovo’s ThinkPad P Series Mobile Workstations have been a huge hit amongst architects, designers and other industry professionals. Through their compact design, robust performance abilities and reliability, these devices embody everything it means to be a designer in the 21st century, merging old-school design principles with modern-day technology. Just last month Lenovo introduced the new ThinkPad P1 Gen 5 16” Mobile Workstation.

The latest in the Thinkpad series boasts the portability of its predecessors with some new and improved features that make for a relaxed and smooth work experience. Despite its sleek appearance, this device is powerful and offers the best of the latest Intel vPro® platform, Core™ H Series processors and NVIDIA® graphics, meaning it can easily handle the demands of rendering and real-time visualization.

The device is made of a liquid metal thermal design which ensures that it stays cool, while its Carbon-Fiber weave cover is sleek in appearance, making it discreet and professional for meetings and presentations. The 16’’ touchscreen is anti-glare and produces an advanced color quality through its X-Rite Factory Colour Calibration. By correcting the RGB color, designers can confidently edit designs and communicate rendering changes. Additionally, the backlit keyboard provides clear visibility for designers working on their computer for long periods of time. Meanwhile, the 12th Generation Intel Core i7-12700H Processor ensures a smooth and efficient work experience. 

Since its release, reviews have been broadly positive, with one user Amazon user declaring that “the screen looks great, clear and crisp, very bright and also has a night mode. Speakers have a clear sound and are loud.” They also tout the workstation’s security options as a plus point: “You can login by using your fingerprint, face recognition, or use a pin instead.”

This new model can be categorized by its pronounced comfort and reliability. Designers spend a great deal of time in front of their screen and to help avoid eye strain and maximize comfort, the ThinkPad P1 Gen 5 comes with a low blue light. Additionally, with its rapid battery charge of up to 80% in 60 minutes, this computer supports on-the-go designers who require a speedy device ready to use throughout the workday. The computer comes preloaded with the ThinkShield security suite, a fingerprint reader, encryption capabilities and a self-healing BIOS, which allows designers to safely store their drawings.

Since the mobile workstation is portable, the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 5 is made to withstand any environment. Whether it be at a construction site, on the train or in the studio, Lenovo’s integrated US Department of Defense’s MIL-STD 810H standards ensures that the device can withstand virtually any climate or condition. 

The ThinkPad P1 Gen 5 16” Mobile Workstation is now available for purchase and is a great device for architects looking to increase comfort while prioritizing quality design.

For more laptops and workstation recommendations for architects, checkout 15 Top Laptops for Architects and Designers, and watch out for more in our Tech for Architects series, coming soon.

Images courtesy of Lenovo, with sample screenshots added.

Reference

Live Talk: Seven Pillars of Highly Successful Architecture Firms
CategoriesArchitecture

Live Talk: Seven Pillars of Highly Successful Architecture Firms

By Zarkon Group,

Want to learn the secrets to success for your architecture firm? If so, our next live event — the third episode in our architecture practice management series — is one not to be missed! Steve Burns FAIA, Chief Creative Officer at BQE, will reveal the ingredients of a well-run architectural business, including pearls of wisdom that will prove valuable for new and seasoned professionals alike.

As a bonus, architects can earn 1 AIA LU Credit for attending this talk, courtesy of BQE. Join us live on August 31st at 1:00pm ET — hit the blue button to register for free:

Register for the Event →

Culled from experiences working with more than 3,000 architecture and engineering firms over 25 years, this session will examine the seven common denominators of every successful firm. Success comes in many flavors. For some, it’s money; for others, it is peer recognition, awards, or fame; for most of us, it’s having access to challenging or exciting projects.

Regardless of how you measure success, adopting these Seven Pillars will help you create the framework from which you and every member of your firm can achieve their professional goals.

Learning Objectives

In this webinar, you’ll learn how to:

  • Apply your AE talents to your business and turn your firm into the most exciting project of your career.
  • Integrate your people, processes, and tools to create the perfect triangle
  • Create and manifest your business and strategic plan
  • List the three essential qualities which turn individuals into leaders

About Steve

Steven Burns is a member of the College of Fellows of the AIA and Chief Creative Officer of BQE Software. After receiving his Master of Architecture degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Steve spent 7 years at SOM – working in Chicago, London, and Berlin before founding his own firm, BBA Architects in 1993. In 2007, Steve sold BBA to pursue his passion for business management software — starting with his creation of ArchiOffice. Steve is now focused on the product development of BQE CORE ARCHITECT, a fully-integrated, cloud-based firm management platform that includes time billing, invoicing, accounting, and project management for firms of all sizes. Steven is a global speaker and thought leader on topics related to firm management and emerging technologies.

About Paul

Paul Keskeys is Editor in Chief at Architizer. Paul graduated from UCL and the University of Edinburgh, gaining an MArch in Architectural Design with distinction. Paul has spoken about the art of architecture and storytelling at many national industry events, including AIANY, NeoCon, KBIS, the Future NOW Symposium, the Young Architect Conference and NYCxDesign. As well as hundreds of editorial publications on Architizer, Paul has also had features published in Architectural Digest, PIN—UP Magazine, Archinect, Aesthetica Magazine and PUBLIC Journal.

Register for the Event →

Reference

Effortlessly Design and Render with Enscape’s New SketchUp Plugin for Mac
CategoriesArchitecture

Effortlessly Design and Render with Enscape’s New SketchUp Plugin for Mac

By Zarkon Group,

Enscape has been a favorite rendering tool for architects and designers since 2015. Its seamless integration with CAD and BIM software, as well as its striking visualization results, have made it a successful and competitive product on the market. Enscape is continually looking for ways to expand its offerings and functionality for users, and after a month-long open beta run, the brand is proud to announce its newest offering: Enscape for Mac is officially available for SketchUp!

In a highly anticipated development, Mac users can now integrate their preferred rendering and virtual reality plugin seamlessly into SketchUp 2021 and 2022. This initial version comes with an extensive offering of editing tools, view settings, and export options to elevate the design and visualization workflow. This new plugin efficiently produces top-quality rendering results natively on the renowned Mac operating system.

Among the new features are the real-time visualization and walkthrough options. Real-time visualization allows users to view their rendering as they simultaneously model in SketchUp, while the walkthrough setting enables designers to experience their rendered project from a range of perspectives, including two-point and orthogonal. These features aid in deepening the designer’s spatial awareness and understanding of their visualization.

Not only is quality prioritized, but efficiency is a pronounced feature in Enscape for Mac. Enscape’s view management settings and batch rendering options make the final phase of conceptual design that much easier. Enscape’s batch rendering tool helps architects save time by rendering their views in bundles, while the improved view management settings let architects easily refer back to previous angles. This feature is especially useful when presenting to a client or colleague.

Additionally, Enscape’s updated visual settings and asset library make adding detail that much easier. With just a few clicks, users can adjust the atmosphere and other visual effects to achieve the perfect image. Users can equally browse the asset library and decorate their design with high-quality and low-poly 3D models.

The collection of assets includes vegetation, furniture and vehicles among many others. In addition, the material editor feature allows users to adjust textures and utilize height maps to increase the level of realism in their project. These three settings work together to ensure the most detailed, realistic and precise renderings are achieved.

Enscape is also developing an extensive list of export options to make sharing a visualization straightforward and secure. From still renderings to 360-degree panoramas, there is an export option fit for any scenario. Additional export options such as video and standalone executable files are under development and soon to come.

Enscape for Mac’s expansive offerings will soon grow to include VR support that allows designers to create immersive 3D experiences. A custom asset library and additional light and sound sources are on their way to release as well.

The minimum required MacOS version is Monterey 12.2.1, while the recommended minimum hardware is the MacBook Air (M1, 2020). These specifications are put in place to ensure that Enscape for Mac runs smoothly.

Enscape’s commitment to excellence, accuracy and detail is evident in its new SketchUp plugin. It will be slowly releasing all the exciting features to ensure the most robust and efficient rendering and VR tool for architects. The company is working hard to develop new functionalities and additional support for other CAD software.

Enscape offers a free 14-day trial complete with the full range of features to discover. For those interested in purchasing a license, there are a few licenses to choose from.

To stay up to date on the latest Enscape for Mac releases, designers are welcome to sign up for the Mac mailing list. To learn more about the new Enscape for Mac for SketchUp, please visit the Enscape website.

Reference

As a First-Time Home Buyer, Should I Hire an Interior Designer?
CategoriesArchitecture

As a First-Time Home Buyer, Should I Hire an Interior Designer?

By Zarkon Group,

Anyone fitting out a new home has likely considered whether it’s better to hire a professional to design the interiors of their new space or to take that task on themselves. Hiring an interior designer brings unquestionable value to making a home uniquely functional and comfortable, but it does bring into question if it’s worth the cost. Luckily, the burgeoning world of online freelancing platforms offers a new method for homeowners to engage with freelance interior designers that makes even a modest investment worth the expense.

What Can an Interior Designer Do?

In general, an interior designer’s role in a home design project is to conceive of one or more possibilities for the layout, look, and feel of an interior space, then communicate their ideas with images such as 3D renderings, technical drawings, or material lists. Most importantly, they design spaces to satisfy both the functional requirements and aesthetic tastes of their clients. If done well, their experience and training leads to a more detailed, refined, and well-implemented design than a homeowner taking a do-it-yourself approach.

Interior rendering by Fiverr seller @dutchbydesign

Responsibility-wise, interior designers are often tasked with both selecting products and devising layouts for surface finish materials, lighting fixtures, furniture, cabinetry, and other furnishings. They can also oversee a contractor who’s building their designs, or advise a homeowner that’s installing them on their own. Their exact responsibilities vary by the needs of a project, but they can grow or be limited to include any aspect of how the interior of a home, or even just a single room, is designed.

Hiring an interior designer brings many practical benefits to a home design project. Their expertise allows them to spot problematic decisions before they’re implemented, saving time and money on mistakes. They’re also likely able to use their professional connections to get the best price on any fixtures, furniture, or furnishings needed for the project. Most importantly, their services free up a homeowner from taking the time to come up with a design, determine if it will actually work, and fret over numerous minor details in the process.

Why Hire a Freelance Interior Designer?

Many great, small-scale interior design firms and solo practitioners can provide services within many homeowner’s budgets. However, the best value is found by hiring a freelance interior designer through an online platform, such as Fiverr. The development of online freelancing platforms in recent years has allowed freelance interior designers to operate virtually while offering their services in discrete, pre-packaged bundles. This allows them to perform their services at much lower rates than conventional professional arrangements due to lower overhead costs and the elimination of a great deal of up-front negotiation.

Interior rendering by Fiverr seller @mmjhbaig

Anyone pursuing this approach to home design would definitely benefit from considering what deliverables they expect from a freelance interior designer before reaching out to one. An interior designer’s work products are often produced cumulatively as a project progresses, and what’s needed depends on the scope of the project and a homeowner’s budget. A typical workflow could incorporate any combination of items including an introductory consultation or conceptual direction-setter, such as a mood board, before moving on to detailed floor plans, elevations, or renderings.

If a homeowner is hiring a contractor to build their new space, they should ensure any plans an interior designer creates are detailed enough for their contractor to build from. In this case, it may be best to arrange a meeting between the designer and the contractor, or even a series of check-ins throughout the project’s construction. Many freelance interior designers offer this service virtually, although for relatively simple projects it may not be necessary, so it’s best to verify in advance what each party feels they need from the other to best complete their portion of the work.

How to Hire a Freelance Interior Designer

The easiest way to hire a freelance interior designer is through an online platform. With a dedicated Architecture & Interior Design store, Fiverr leads the way in this approach. A homeowner searching for an interior designer can filter their search on Fiverr by the type of deliverable, set of services, budget range, or seller characteristics they’re looking for, leading to a match far quicker than relying on recommendations from friends, family, or local industry groups.

Most talents on Fiverr break their work packages into three graduated levels of service, with price and other items like turnaround time, number of revisions, and final deliverables clearly identified. Specific details are agreed upon through direct communication before an assignment begins, and many freelance interior designers are open to discussing custom combinations of services, or even more complex work beyond their boilerplate packages.

Ready to find the perfect interior designer for your project? Head over to Fiverr’s Architecture & Interior Design store and check out the vast range of budget-friendly professional interior design services at your disposal.

 

Reference

Freelance Architect: What Is It? Why Should I Hire One?
CategoriesArchitecture

Freelance Architect: What Is It? Why Should I Hire One?

By Zarkon Group,

Most people undertaking home renovations, additions, or ground-up construction understand what an architect does, but many likely aren’t sure if they should hire one. Difficulty in determining the need for an architect, and a common perception that hiring one is an unaffordable luxury, contribute to this confusion. While hiring an entire architecture firm isn’t affordable for most individuals, purchasing a custom set of services from a freelance architect likely is, and doing so has recently become widely available due to the proliferation of online freelance marketplaces.

What Can an Architect Do?

Before deciding whether or not to hire an architect, anyone completing a building project should understand exactly what an architect can do for them. In general, an architect designs the layout of a space, the materials it’s made of, and how those materials are constructed in their finished state. A contractor can build a design from an architect’s plans, though they don’t necessarily need an architect’s plans to do so. Whether or not a project would benefit enough from an architect’s plans to justify the investment depends on the project.

A project rendering by Studio NA; image courtesy Studio NA

For an interior renovation that’s replacing existing fixtures, furnishings, or finishes with new ones in a similar configuration, an architect likely isn’t needed. In those cases, a competent contractor should suffice, though anyone taking this approach should clarify their expectations in advance with the contractor. For renovations that will change the location of walls, fixtures, or furnishings, an architect may not be necessary but the project would definitely benefit from their expertise, especially if the design is highly customized or complex.

If a project involves new, ground-up construction, including home additions, an architect is certainly worth the expense, and may even be required by local laws. Even if it isn’t, the complexity of new construction creates significant opportunity for an architect’s plans to maximize the quality of design and construction detailing on any budget. In all of these cases, utilizing an architect’s technical and design expertise will almost certainly save time, money, and effort in the long run.

Why Hire a Freelance Architect?

Until recently, hiring an architect was done by personal recommendations to local firms, an approach that lands outside most people’s budgets. However, since the advent of online freelance marketplaces such as Fiverr, the option to hire a single, freelance architect for a custom set of services has become widely available. Operating with little to no overhead, freelance architects are able to provide the exact level of design work a project needs on a task-by-task basis, making their services far more affordable than traditional professional arrangements.

The experience of working with a freelance architect varies significantly depending on what’s needed for a project. Traditionally, architects create a set of construction drawings that can be given to a contractor to build their design. For ground-up construction, a construction drawing set is definitely needed, and there are many freelance architects who can both design a new building and create the accompanying construction drawing set with enough detail for a contractor to build from. Someone undertaking interior renovations may only need some of the drawings found in a traditional set, so they could engage a freelance architect to prepare only those drawings they need.

In some cases, an illustrative rendering depicting the desired look and feel of a space may be enough to communicate to a contractor the information they need to build the design. Even just determining which types of drawings might be needed for a project can be worth a one-time consultation with a freelance architect, which is a service many provide. In all cases, if an architect must sign any drawing to meet a legal requirement, then a freelance architect should be sought who is properly licensed in the jurisdiction that is imposing that requirement.

How to Hire a Freelance Architect

The easiest way to hire a freelance architect is by using an online platform. With its dedicated Architecture & Interior Design store, Fiverr leads the way in sourcing freelance design services. Anyone searching for a freelance architect can filter their search on Fiverr by the type of deliverable or service they’re looking for, budget range, or seller characteristics, leading to a match far quicker than relying on personal recommendations or local industry groups.

Most talents on Fiverr break their work packages into three graduated levels of service, with price and other items like turnaround time, number of revisions, and final deliverables clearly identified. Specific details are agreed upon through direct communication before an assignment begins, though many freelance architects are likely open to discussing more complex, custom work, beyond their boilerplate services.

Ready to find the perfect design for your project? Head over to Fiverr’s Architecture & Interior Design store and check out the vast range of budget-friendly professional design services at your disposal.

Top image: A project rendering by Crystal Bright; image courtesy Crystal Bright

Reference

9 Tutorials To Improve Your Section Renderings
CategoriesArchitecture

9 Tutorials To Improve Your Section Renderings

By Zarkon Group,

The winners of Architizer’s 3rd Annual One Rendering Challenge have been revealed! Interested in next year’s program? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates.  

Sections are integral to understanding any architectural scheme. Whether 2D or 3D, they can give an insight into the varying heights within a model, site conditions, function, material use, light mapping and more. Students and professionals have been experimenting with a variety of styles and techniques to create conceptual and realistic sections to best showcase their proposals. Softwares like Illustrator and Photoshop have also made the task easier, especially when paired with 3D modeling applications and rendering assets.

People creating or inspecting design portfolios now expect drawings that are not only accurate but also have a strong visual appeal. Whether it is a blueprint effect, pop-art palette, x-ray layering or a watercolor effect, every technique contributes something different to the composition. Below is a list of videos that show some different types of sections and how to create them digitally.

Using Photoshop, the above video walks viewers through the different steps of converting a simple line drawing of a section into a rich visual that shows material, depth, light, green cover and more. In addition to the main drawing, there are several smaller steps that can not only apply to sections but can also help enrich other 2D drawings. The tutorial also takes care of less important details that might otherwise be overlooked such as staggering shadows on sloped surfaces and recesses.

The creator has explained how to take a perspective section from SketchUp into a vector drawing on Illustrator to create a minimal black and white render. This is especially helpful to understand how angled sections can be created for structures with irregular forms. Naudet starts with detailed instructions on how to cut a section in a 3D model and add a reference height for human figures as well as faces for shadows on transparent surfaces. The tutorial then moves to Illustrator where we learn how to layer the base image and the shadows and then add humans, manipulate the site and play with line weights.

Street sections are helpful when it comes to showing road widths, tree heights and compound boundaries. The video above shows how to simply and effectively render a cross-section of a road for larger architecture projects, public space designs or urban planning. It starts with a line drawing and builds on it with silhouettes and vector additions of cars and trees along with labels and dimensions.

This video combines the regular view and the hidden line mode and normal mode views in SketchUp to create a conceptual render in Photoshop. There are also tips on how to vary opacity to enhance depth and manipulate line weights, add subtle textures, and correctly use colored lines instead of black for drawings. The technique is an effective way of moving away from traditional sections to more stylistic drawings without compromising on details or accuracy.

More focused on the Photoshop rendering than the original SketchUp model, this lengthy video is a must watch for all looking to create detailed and dramatic section renders. It starts with the basics of masking, introducing textures in perspective and adding noise, before moving into light modifications, building contrast and artistic flourishes. The voiceover is also extremely helpful in understanding the importance of each step and how the different tools and commands work.

This two-part series shows how to build out a landscape section entirely on photoshop. The first video focuses on a basic 2D section with a water body, vegetation and human activity. This is a method that focuses less on accurate site contours and more on the visual impact of the site. However, it is easy to start with a contour diagram from an AutoCAD drawing or SketchUp model and then follow along with the steps as described in the video. The second video shows how to convert the previously created 2D section into a perspective view, again entirely on Photoshop.

There is something very charming about hand-rendered drawings and sketches. However, creating multiple drawings by hand is not only more time-consuming but also can leave less room for modifications. The tutorial above shows a simple way of converting a line drawing imported from any 3D modeling software into a section that appears to be rendered by hand. It uses a variety of brush settings such as size, opacity, spacing and jitter to create realistic shading. While the brushes linked in the description are not available anymore, it might be possible to find similar ones on other websites online.

Paired with a great music selection, this video uses an angled section plane in an axonometric SketchUp view to create a colorful section. The initial part of the video focuses on cleaning up the imported drawing, adding fill to the cut portions and tweaking certain line weights. It shows how adding blocks of color can help differentiate programs and also assist in labeling. The drawing is finished off with painted shadows, tree silhouettes and tags for functions.

A less traditional way of depicting a 3D section is by using a puzzle piece form to cut a section line as opposed to a standard section plane. The video shows how to cut a puzzle piece out of a 3D model in ArchiCAD and clean the model for rendering in Illustrator. The second half focuses on using transparency, adding dotted lines for better understanding, introducing color and more.

The winners of Architizer’s 3rd Annual One Rendering Challenge have been revealed! Interested in next year’s program? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates.  

Reference

An App for Everyone: Spaces Is the Conceptual Design Tool Architects Always Needed
CategoriesArchitecture

An App for Everyone: Spaces Is the Conceptual Design Tool Architects Always Needed

By Zarkon Group,

The key to a successful architectural project is the development of a strong conceptual model. Conceptual design is the foundation of architecture and oftentimes, determines the future success of a project. Architects are forever in search of reliable and effective design tools that will aid in bringing their ideas to life. However, finding the right tool isn’t always easy. Many applications available today are complicated, costly and don’t always align with the designer’s working rhythm. For the average on-the-go architect, reliable and straightforward tools are key. Thankfully, Cerulean Labs has delivered just what every architect is after: the Spaces iPad app.

Cerulean Labs comprises a global team that is dedicated to improving the conceptual stage of architecture. Back in October of 2021, the company released Spaces: a parametric conceptual design tool made for the iPad. Today, the brand celebrates its continual effort in improving the conceptual design stage with a new and improved version of the app: Spaces version 2.

This updated application has recently hit the market and boasts a comprehensive list of tools fit for architects of all levels and experiences. Spaces version 2 comes complete with improved editing tools, increased 2D viewing options, new sun studies, new sketching capabilities and additional workflow integration options. This application is well and truly built for the masses.

The Spaces version 2 app boasts an easy-to-use yet comprehensive set of design tools. The app merges old-school drawing techniques with modern-day computing technologies into a user-friendly interface. Its clean and clutter-free layout makes it especially useful for those designers who are constantly on the move.

The new digital sketchbook feature lets users swiftly document their ideas whenever — and wherever — they come to mind. The sketchbook encompasses new technologies, such as the Apple pencil, and allows designers to test their ideas out by sketching and note-taking. Moreover, users can send snapshots of their models directly to the sketchbook and trace them using the Apple pencil. This app celebrates architecture’s oldest and most useful tools – a simple pencil and paper.

The improved interface allows users to switch their screen between the Sketch and Modeling modes with ease.

Another fresh addition to Spaces version 2 is the sun study feature. Recognizing how invaluable solar analysis is to the conceptual design process, Cerulean Labs has developed a tool that allows users to specify the exact location and time of day for their model, and instantly see how shadows cast by their project might impact neighboring buildings. Users can impose an animated sun study directly onto their models in real-time, helping them to better understand how their design responds to its surroundings.

Additionally, Spaces version 2 has introduced IFC and OBJ exporting, which means that models can be exported and furthered in a secondary BIM tool. Moreover, the new space planning feature allows users to manage design briefs, create reports and develop project concepts directly on the app. The improved export options and new space planning features ensure that all models come out professional and presentable. In addition, users can import key site data to their design, thus producing a more precise and site-specific model.

Cerulean Labs is committed to growing and developing its Spaces app. iPads are continuing to dominate the AEC world and professional applications like Spaces version 2 offer increasingly powerful platforms to sketch, model and manage conceptual projects. The spaces app is available in both free and paid versions, with a new subscription recently becoming available: the Spaces Pro. Priced at $75 USD per month, the Spaces Pro subscription offers unlimited projects and comes with new and improved export features, reporting tools and modeling capabilities. The application can be downloaded via the Apple App Store and subscriptions can be managed directly through the Spaces website. 

Spaces by Cerulean Labs demonstrates the vast capabilities of iPad use in parametric conceptual design. The application offers great depth and flexibility, all the while remaining transportable and accessible. It celebrates traditional design tools while implementing the best modern-day technologies out there. The result is a brilliantly straightforward application suitable for all architects and designers.

Cerulean Labs is currently offering an extended free trial for the app, allowing users to try it out for 3 whole months — click here to find out more and download it (offer ends June 30th). To learn more about the Spaces application and all its offerings, check out the Spaces website.

Reference

Your Architecture Firm is Leaking Money: How to Identify Losses and Plug the Holes
CategoriesArchitecture

Your Architecture Firm is Leaking Money: How to Identify Losses and Plug the Holes

By Zarkon Group,

Architizer is thrilled to announce the next webinar in our live series about how to run a successful architecture business — and you’re invited! We’ll be joined by Steven Burns, FAIA, Chief Creative Officer at BQE Software, as he reveals the many ways in which architecture firms tend to let money “slip through the cracks”, and provide some valuable techniques for how to maximize the profitability of your practice.

Architects can receive 1 AIA Continuing Education Credit for this event, courtesy of BQE! Hit the button below to register for the talk, which will take place at 1pm EST on Wednesday, June 8th:

Register for the Webinar →

Most firms look at profitability as a bottom-line metric. They use this as a gauge to determine if the firm is financially healthy. However, every firm is composed of countless independent elements: employees, clients, projects, phases, consultants, and a myriad of expenses.

What does a firm do when they aren’t achieving the profit margins they desire or experiencing losses? Knowing the answer to this question is the purpose of this webinar.

In this webinar, we will explore:

  • The best practices for monitoring the various profit-centers of your firm.
  • The means and methods that will not only alert you to problems but discuss how to resolve them.

Most architecture and engineering firms don’t apply the same rigor, discipline, and consistency that they use when executing their projects. We will show how easy it is for your firm to be well-organized, efficient, and profitable by applying best practices and utilizing modern, effortless, affordable computing technologies.

Join Steven as he shares lessons learned over 35 years working with over 1,000 A&E firms!

Join Us →

Learning Objectives

In this webinar, you’ll learn how to:

  • Explain the importance and informativeness of a perfectly organized Chart of Accounts
  • Identify each of your firm’s profit centers and the KPIs that measure their performance
  • Determine which technology plays an integral role in every healthy firm
  • Assess how simple it can be to turn your firm into a profitable, elegant enterprise

About Steve

Steven Burns is a member of the College of Fellows of the AIA and Chief Creative Officer of BQE Software. After receiving his Master of Architecture degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Steve spent 7 years at SOM – working in Chicago, London, and Berlin before founding his own firm, BBA Architects in 1993. In 2007, Steve sold BBA to pursue his passion for business management software — starting with his creation of ArchiOffice. Steve is now focused on the product development of BQE CORE ARCHITECT, a fully-integrated, cloud-based firm management platform that includes time billing, invoicing, accounting, and project management for firms of all sizes. Steven is a global speaker and thought leader on topics related to firm management and emerging technologies.

About Paul

Paul Keskeys is Editor in Chief at Architizer. Paul graduated from UCL and the University of Edinburgh, gaining an MArch in Architectural Design with distinction. Paul has spoken about the art of architecture and storytelling at many national industry events, including AIANY, NeoCon, KBIS, the Future NOW Symposium, the Young Architect Conference and NYCxDesign. As well as hundreds of editorial publications on Architizer, Paul has also had features published in Architectural Digest, PIN—UP Magazine, Archinect, Aesthetica Magazine and PUBLIC Journal.

Event Registration →

Reference

Enscape 3.3 Takes Real-Time Architectural Visualization to the Next Level
CategoriesArchitecture

Enscape 3.3 Takes Real-Time Architectural Visualization to the Next Level

By Zarkon Group,

Enscape, one of architecture’s most popular real-time visualization, 3D rendering and virtual reality applications, just got even better. Its latest iteration, version 3.3, brings a plethora of enhancements for its existing features as well as a host of new functions, each designed to make real-time rendering more intuitive to use at every stage of the design process.

Enscape brings the disciplines of design and visualization together, creating a unified experience that enables designers to collaborate on their projects in a dynamic fashion, as well as communicating their ideas to clients in an easy-to-understand way.

“We’re always looking for new ways to support our customers’ design workflows,” said Petr Mitev, VP Visualization Product Group at Enscape. “With our latest release, we’ve automated some processes so designers can spend more time making the right decisions and less time gathering the data needed to do it. We will also continue to improve our core visualization and sharing platforms based on community feedback.”

So, what can users expect from the new and improved Enscape application? Here are some key new features to look out for:

Site Context

It’s now possible to import a project’s existing surroundings directly into renderings, using data from global geographic database OpenStreetMap. Users can enter a specific address or coordinates to immediately locate and import the surroundings, or select and import key landmarks, streets, or topography.

Alpha Channel Export

With the Alpha Channel Export, you can now render an image with a transparent background. This means your project can now be quickly and easily combined with any style of sky, clouds, and horizon line in post production, lending Enscape a new layer of flexibility for still renderings.

Education Assets and Materials

Enscape’s popular 3D asset library has been radically expanded to include an extensive collection of educational assets, including classroom furniture, toys, musical instruments, playground equipment, acoustic panels, and more. The Enscape Material Library, which was introduced in Enscape 3.1, has also been expanded with materials such as new wallpapers and various carpets.

While they will be categorized under Education and are perfectly suited for kindergarten, school and college projects, these assets and materials are also useful for a wide variety of other typologies, including corporate, hospitality and residential projects.

Besides these headline new features, numerous other refinements have been introduced to Enscape 3.3, each with the goal of improving ease-of-use and an improved end product for users.

Additional Features

In terms of rendering, visualizations including glass and water are now more accurate thanks to improved graphic capabilities; transparent materials now appear in reflections, providing a more realistic appearance. The use of a graphics card that supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, such as NVIDIA RTX series and AMD RX6xxx series, is required. Further to this, the new “Material Overwrite” function enables users to replace Enscape material files within the Enscape Material Editor without the need to manually import and export them.

In terms of user experience, it’s now possible to ‘pin’ the Enscape rendering window and associated menus to the top of your modeling window, allowing for easy access to view real-time changes even if you’re not using two screens. New upload migration capabilities have also been introduced, enabling users to manage uploads, such as web standalones and uploaded panoramas, online efficiently.

Finally, Enscape 3.3 works seamlessly with the latest version of SketchUp, providing key compatibility with one of the industry’s most used 3D modeling applications. Throw in full Japanese language support, and the latest edition of Enscape is inarguably the most comprehensive release to date when it comes to usability across platforms and geographies.

To get a first-hand look at Enscape’s full suite of real-time capabilities, click here to download a 14-day free trial. You can find out more about every feature over at Enscape.com.

Reference

Architecture Building Blocks: Placing 3D Models in Photographs
CategoriesArchitecture

Architecture Building Blocks: Placing 3D Models in Photographs

By Zarkon Group,

ArchiHacks is an online resource for architects dedicated to architecture visualization, portfolio, and design tips and tricks for students and professionals. This article was written by team member Tommy Minh Nguyen.

With the closure of workshops and in-person meetings, physical models became less effective during the pandemic. Nevertheless, there is a sense of completion and achievement that comes out of having physical models occupy real space. Today’s article will walk you through adding a 3D model into a photograph to fabricate a situation where a digital model can occupy “real” space. Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to utilize this tutorial, but it could still offer an alternative to achieving the same goal! Remember, design will always have more than just one solution.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 3D model
  • Rhino + V-ray *You can use any 3D software that supports V-ray
  • Photoshop

Step 1: Align Perspective

This is possibly the most tricky and frustrating part. Import the image into the background, and take your time to adjust the camera focal length to match perspective with the image. You might benefit from the video demonstration on our YouTube channel.

Step 2: Setup Light and Environment

Try to replicate the real-world setup as much as possible, including lighting and other walls in the scene. In our example, we placed a rectangular light to the right side to simulate a diffused light from the window and blinds.

Step 3: Shadow Matte

This is the magic material that will help us with the shadows. Create a generic material and a wrapper material. Use the generic material as the base, and use the following settings. Then you can apply the wrapper to the tabletop surface.

Step 4: Render in High Resolution + Save

Make sure to save it as a .png file to preserve transparency and shadow!

Step 5. Combine Rendering on Top of the Background Image in Photoshop

Place the rendering on top of the base image and make adjustments to help it blend in. In our case, we added a bit of color correction.

That’s all we got for today! Let us know how this came out for you and share it with our Instagram page by tagging @archi.hacks and #archihacks! I hope you found this article helpful, and if you have any tips for future students, please let us know in the comments below. Make sure to follow our YouTube and Instagram for more content!

 Send Us a Rendering. Tell Us a Story. Win $2,500! Architizer’s 3rd Annual One Rendering Challenge is open for entries, with a Late Entry Deadline of March 25th, 2022. Submit a rendering.



Reference