Render

In architecture, "render" is both a verb and a noun. To render is to turn a design into an image; a render is the result. Before computers, rendering meant hand techniques such as ink, watercolor and airbrush on perspectives and elevations. Today the word almost always means a computer-generated image, made either by a rendering engine that simulates light through a 3D model or by AI rendering, which generates the image from a sketch, model view or description.

How it shows up in a project

• Early renders test ideas and are meant to be replaced; late renders explain and sell a decided design.
• Exterior views, interior views, aerials and rendered sections each answer different questions, so a project usually needs a mix.
• A photorealistic render suits clients and marketing; drawn or diagrammatic styles often suit competitions and early reviews.
• The camera position matters as much as the materials. A view from a real eye level on a real street is more convincing than a flattering angle no one will ever see.
• Renders become part of what a client expects to receive, so keep them consistent with the drawings.

In Rendair

A render can start from a sketch, a plan, a photo or a model view, and can then be edited, upscaled with Upscale & Enhance or turned into video before going on a board. Visualization covers the broader craft that renders belong to.