Drawing and exterior rendering services may be called an art. When creating a design, every brick must have a story. It should not be a mere picture only, but a group of bricks with a memorable story to tell. No matter what your profession is, a building design has a great impact on how a person decides, perceives, and invests in something. A design that is so simple can be enhanced by using the right angle, making it more attractive and useful. The right choice of technicalities on one hand and creativity on the other hand makes it even more perfect. Here, we will present to you the best 5 angles for architectural exterior rendering that will surely improve your projects and make you stand out from the rest.
1. The hero shot
Behind every great design is a good architect. The outside view may be compared to the protagonist in a film. It is the one behind the exposure of the building, giving access to everyone who wants to see, and making a distinct difference. There is a frame, and the design most typically shows an elevation that gives the viewers a great picture while not overwhelming the frame. Apart from the picture itself, the shadows as well as the kind of lighting that architectural designers use contribute to the overall beauty of the picture. The light coming from the sun makes it more beautiful; you just have to choose between the afternoon or the morning sunlight. It adds a story to the architectural design. What is a hero shot? Is it all about beauty? The answer is no.
It has the power to tell stories, and as such, you will be confident that the architectural design is better than before. As such, when your clients try to look at the designs, they will have no other option but to avail themselves. One good thing about exterior designs is that the building must complement its neighbors around it. Not only the neighbors, but it also complements the other living things around it, like trees, plants, and all. Surely, your proposal will be successful if you use the hero shot. In every design, there will always be a challenge. In this hero shot, the challenge is not to make it stagnant. It should not look so formal and old. As such, you only need to have some shifts in the designs. Other elements should be included in the shot, such as cars and other people. As I mentioned above, lighting is a very good point. It makes a normal picture attractive, and it gives it life as well. It is not just a shot, but a shot with a story.
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2. The eye-level walkthrough
We do not just see the buildings with our naked eye. Instead, we see ourselves living in them and experiencing life through them; they are just there around us. We see buildings using our eye-level angle, and it is so important because there is no excess or lack when we use the eye-level walkthrough. This is vital consideration that the exterior design expert must keep in mind. There is a natural way of experiencing a particular home, working environment, and even public spaces. It can be compared to imagining what is inside when we have never opened the door. The design makes itself personal and up close.
The hero shot is so dramatic, as discussed above. This makes the difference because the eye-level walkthrough talks about connection. It does not make an impressive goal; rather, it speaks to inviting people to see through their eye level and makes it feel real-life rather than a hero shot. It is as if when you look at it, it has this natural approach. From walking to entering the building, to the beautiful façade and gardens, these are the aims of the eye-level walkthrough. In the render, if you include natural elements like children playing and laughing, children, passerby on the road ahead, and a lot of bikers, surely, it will have a natural touch.
If we are talking about flexibility, it will be the eye-level view because it works better for streets, parks, and other public spaces. Through this architectural design, the walkthrough designer must show the connection between the shops, houses, and walkways. Because it is eye-level, it gives people the best view when they are already inside the building, living there, walking there, and exploring inside. Marketing teams and design viewers will surely love it because of the natural feeling it has and how it is people-focused. If you want to get the right shot, it takes a lot of planning as well. The camera placement plays a vital role. For example, if you put it too close, the building may be overwhelmed.
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On the other hand, if you put it too far, the connection you are trying to create will be lost to the surroundings. There must be a see-saw-like balance, wherein on the one side, there is a focus on the building, and on the other side, it shows that the environment still has other details like humans, playing children, and something that makes it relatable. Again, as opposed to the hero shot, the eye-level view suggests more emotion in the picture, which connects the hearts of the viewers and the picture they are looking at. Meaning, it does not stay as far as before; it shows a clearer view of what the building is showing.

3. The bird’s eye view
When it comes to 3D architectural rendering services, aside from the hero shot and the eye-level view, one of the best views to understand the entirety of a building is a view using a drone. This is called the bird’s eye view, and it offers a combination of scope on one hand and context on the other hand. Imagine looking from above like a bird, you can see the surrounding materials, the entirety of the building, and the layout itself. This is perfect for a big landscape with a building at the center. There are things that are best captured from an aerial view compared to the first two views discussed. When you look from the top view, you see how the traffic flows, you see gardens, the walkways, and everything that you cannot see from the ground-level views.
By using the bird’s eye view, you will definitely be thoughtful of the designs and the strategies used in conveying the story to the clients. Lighting is very important for this kind of view. The building may be emphasized using the shadows, particularly its form and how firm it looks. On the other hand, the light coming from the sun gives a perfect view for the client to see how delicate and perfect the design is. It is a cinematic view when you incorporate the formations of the clouds as well as the skies that complement them. If, for example, you want to convey an exaggeration when it comes to telling a story, you use a different scale. If you want a simpler one, you may use a simpler scale.
A view may be impressive, like this bird’s-eye view, but you need to be precise. You need not only a camera, but also a perfect height, the length, the surrounding circumstances, and, of course, the lighting. If anything is missing, particularly an important detail, the perfect scene you are imagining will not be attained. With architectural visualizations, when you add people, cars, and other natural details in a small scenery of a picture, that will be great and even better to convey the story you are trying to tell. This kind of view does not mean the building’s view only, but instead, it also shows the perfect place where that building belongs.
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4. The dramatic low angle
Ordinarily, the side views or even the center views are good. Apart from that, when you try to look at the viewpoint of a bird, you will see the difference and every angle as well. But if you try the low-angle position view, particularly if the camera is placed on the ground, you will be able to realize that it gives emphasis on the height and the vertical lines of a building. This one is a better choice for buildings to make it appear taller than it actually is. The angle is so powerful, and the lighting as well. It gives an impression of tallness and stiffness. Good lighting also exudes perfection in a picture; added to the exaggeration of height, it becomes attractive to viewers and clients.
Aside from the angle, I would like to emphasize the kind and the choice of lighting to use. If it is a little darker, it creates an illusion of mystery. If it is a little brighter, it creates an illusion of hope and beauty. The side lighting emphasizes the texture. If the rendering artist includes things naturally surrounding the building, it will create a good impression on the clients. The only bad thing or kind of negative thing about a low-angle view is that it does not create distortion. Sometimes, if you take a picture from the ground floor view, there will be a slightly distorted portion of the subject of the picture. Like, if a building, for sure, there will be a portion of the building that may look sideways or distorted. The key is balance. Balance of the lighting and the angle used.
5. The contextual panorama
The last view or angle is the so-called contextual panorama. Through this, the picture does not only focus on the building itself, but also on the relationship of the building to the surrounding elements like people, trees, walkways, and others. With 3D 360 degree panorama rendering services, you can create an illusion that the building is unbreakable enough to be linked with the surrounding things nearby. This kind of view is not about the technicalities of the view, of the picture, and of the building. It is about the connection, the relationship, and the story of the building in connection with the things surrounding it. It is like a story in a movie wherein the protagonist is the building and the antagonist is either the streets or the bystanders. But it may be a combination of two protagonists because, through the lighting, it conveys a story.
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Combining angles for maximum impact
In a picture, choosing the perfect angle or view is a difficult task. Even if difficult, it must be done correctly to achieve perfection in your picture. Aside from that, the proper lighting is a plus factor. When combined, it creates a good picture, if not the best, and it conveys a story even without words in it. Thinking about choosing only one is not good. The 3D rendering designer must choose a combination of 2 or more because it has a complete set of elements when taken. The kind of views that modern people are using has evolved over the years. Before, it was all simpler. Now, it becomes a little complex to get that perfect picture in mind. Although it is a little complex, modern cameras and other techniques learned through workshops make the image become the perfect picture in mind.
Final thoughts
The purpose of architectural design or exterior design is not only for aesthetic purposes. The truth is, it is about telling a story, communicating with the viewers or clients. Every view has a purpose, such as the hero shot view, which has the purpose of creating dominance above all. On the other hand, the eye-level view creates a connection between the viewer and the picture. Another one, the bird’s eye view, creates a wide coverage. The dramatic low angle creates an impression of exaggeration when it comes to height and scope. Also, the contextual panorama creates an integration between the building and the elements surrounding it.
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