{"id":55434,"date":"2022-02-07T09:15:39","date_gmt":"2022-02-07T14:15:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/?p=55434"},"modified":"2022-04-13T16:23:12","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T20:23:12","slug":"renderings-that-changed-architecture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/renderings-that-changed-architecture\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Renderings That Represent the Epic Evolution of Architectural Visualization"},"content":{"rendered":"

Showcase your visionary architectural concepts: The 2026 Vision Awards<\/a> <\/strong>features categories that reward UNBUILT projects presenting bold ideas for the future of architecture. Take advantage of early bird pricing before\u00a0April 17th.\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p><\/p>\n

Architectural visualization technology has undergone a rapid ascension, playing an increasingly critical role in the art of communicating architecture. Specifically, the process of 3D rendering \u2014 behind the incredible photorealistic scenes that are now so common within architecture \u2014 has roots dating back to the 60s. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you are interested in learning more about the lineage of architectural visualization, here\u2019s a collection of some of the most influential and noteworthy renderings in recent history. While they are not all architectural in nature, they have all had a lasting impact on architectural visualization in one way or another.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, let’s rewind to 1968\u2026<\/p>\n

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Assembled and exploded 3D rendered Soma Cube; images via firstrendering.com<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

The Soma Cube<\/h2>\n

Gordon Romney, the first computer graphics Ph.D. student, developed the first complex object ever rendered in 1968 at the University of Utah. It is a rendering of the Soma Cube, a mechanical puzzle invented by Piet Hein in 1933. Linear algebra operations of translations and rotations were specified to position the assembled object as desired.<\/span><\/p>\n

The rendering program was initiated by light-pen to generate respectively the red, blue, and green scans to produce the rendered color image of the cube. Romney\u2019s work showcased technology that would ultimately be commonplace in the design and presentation of architectural proposals.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The teapot rendered as plain, shiny, patterned, and both; image via the Association for Computing Machinery, Inc., 1976<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

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The Utah Teapot<\/h2>\n

The \u201cUtah teapot\u201d, created by computer scientist Martin Newell while a Ph.D. student at the University of Utah, is an iconic figure in the world of computer graphics. The teapot was developed to provide a complex form for simulating complex effects like shadows, reflective textures, or rotations that reveal obscured surfaces. The curves, handle, lid, and spout make it an ideal subject for experimentation as, for example, it can cast a shadow on itself in several places.<\/span><\/p>\n

The teapot subsequently became a beloved test bed in the CG community. It\u2019s a built-in shape in many 3D graphics software packages and has appeared as an \u201ceaster egg\u201d in programs, such as <\/span>Toy Story <\/span><\/i>and <\/span>The Simpsons.<\/span><\/i> The \u201cUtah teapot\u201d is\u00a0 an early example of a process that would later become ubiquitous in architectural visualizations.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Frank O. Gehry & Associates, Inc. Lewis Residence, Lyndhurst, Ohio: Fish, Geometrical frame of the conservatory from Catia 3D model, 1989-1995; image via Gehry Partners, LLP.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

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Frank O. Gehry & Associates, Inc. Lewis Residence, Lyndhurst, Ohio: Elevation rendering from Catia 3D model, 1989-1995; image via Gehry Partners, LLP.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Catia 3D Model<\/h2>\n

From 1989 to 1995, Frank Gehry<\/a> worked on the Lewis Residence, a laboratory for experimenting with new 3D modeling technologies. The technical drafts produced by the project allowed for new technology, materials, and techniques to emerge. The project also led to the development of a new, complex language of design, which was due in large part through the use of the Computer Aided Three-dimensional Interactive Application program, or CATIA.<\/span><\/p>\n

A new generation of smart, digital design in architecture was born by using software to optimize designs and translate them directly into a process of fabrication and construction. Breakthroughs like this spawned terms that are now common in the architectural profession, such as parametric design and building information modeling (BIM).<\/span><\/p>\n