Architectural animation

Architectural animation presents a building or space as a video made of sequential frames, as if filmed by a moving camera. A single render captures a moment; an animation tells a journey: from the street to the entrance, from the lobby to the apartment, from the living room out to the balcony. Because dozens of frames are calculated for every second, it takes far more work and planning than a still image.

How an architectural animation is made

The process usually starts with a storyboard and a camera path, deciding which spaces to show, in what order and for how long. The model is then optimized for animation, lighting and materials are locked, and camera moves are refined. Slow, smooth, steady movement feels most natural for architecture; fast spins tire the viewer. Music, transitions, titles and sometimes moving people and cars are added at the end.

Where it is used

Animations are common in marketing housing and hotel projects, investor presentations, competitions and social media campaigns. They can show things a still image cannot, such as daylight shifting through the day or the change of seasons. Real-time engines have made short animations quicker to produce, while ray-traced engines are often preferred when photographic realism comes first. For the full process, read how to make an architectural animation.