The 13th A+Awards invites firms to submit a range of timely new categories, emphasizing architecture that balances local innovation with global vision. Your projects deserve the spotlight, so start your submission today!
Photorealistic renderings are increasingly the norm in architecture, but it’s almost heartbreaking how much work they take. Modeling alone takes hours, and that’s only one step of a very intense process. And for really great renderings, it’s not enough to just model the architecture. You have to populate it with bits of ephemera: a coat thrown over a couch, a cup of coffee on the counter and, at the very least, a nice plant in the corner. These things can make or break the image, but they are probably lethal to model. Fortunately, there are free models online to help you out.
The site Archive 3D features a database of thousands of 3D objects available for free download. Most of the objects are meshes in 3DS format and include texture maps, so they are ready to use in 3ds Max and are easily translatable to other programs. Not everything is modeled at the same quality, so it might take a little digging to find something that will work, but among the thousands of options on the site, there’s probably something that fits.
Everything from Barcelona chairs to yachts to lilies to demonic robots are up there, so before you spend any more time modeling a pale imitation of some piece of lighting or furniture, check the site and save yourself some major headaches.
If you have anything to add to the database, it’s very easy to upload your own work. The internet is great for sharing. Why are you still reading this? Just go to archive3d.net and download everything you need now!
For more on architectural visualizations, explore our continuing “Art of Rendering” series, including interviews with the experts from Methanoia, CGArchitect and MIR. For more personal stories from the world of ArchViz, enjoy these interviews with visualization maestros Victor Enrich and Alex Hogrefe — creator of the extraordinary Cliff Retreat.
If you have some spectacular renderings that deserve a spotlight, consider submitting them in the One Rendering Challenge — it could win you $2,500 and earn you global recognition!
Register for the One Rendering Challenge
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Finally, treat yourself to some more free downloads for all your rendering needs!:
5 Places to Download 2-D People for Your Architectural Visualizations
200 High-Resolution 2-D People
More Than 4,000 High-Resolution Material Textures
12 Common Construction Details Fully Modeled in SketchUp
Top image: Cliff Retreat Interior by Alex Hogrefe
