jorisAR

Hi everyone,
I'm a student Architecture and I'm starting my final year now.
For my final year, my degree, I have to make a thesis.
Since I'm very much interested in rendering, modelling,.... I have chosen the subject 'architectural visualization', cause in my school it isn't that much important for the teachers so most of the students don't know how to make proper renders.
For that reason I want to make a comparison between all kinds of render engines...going from Scanline max over Mental ray to Vray.
The idea is to take a specific architectural scene and render it with all those different renderers. I want to focus on quality versus rendering time.... an important issue considering that time is money in the business.
Also when to use what kind of render in what situation....for example a quick test render, a render for a competition, a big project for your country.
From wich stage of the building project a render is used...perhaps for building, to make it clearer for the workman...
The next thing I want to discuss is how rendering is used in the practice. The plan is to search some bureaus and to ask some questions concerning that subject, what programs they use...etc.If renders are important for them or if they are only a nice extra.
Make a comparison between small and big bureaus...in the way they work.
Then third part: mention the most common rendereres and show what is possible with them....to show to my fellow students that it is really possible to make realistic renders.
This is also the part where I'm going to talk about rendering specific architectural scenes....how to light interiors, how to light exteriors, how to make animations. Really focussing on architecture.
In this chapter discussing important things like: IES, HDRI, sun system, global illumination, light bounces,scanline, radiosity, how to light what kind of architectural scene,...
It's not my goal to make tutorials but showing what is possible.... make renders to show the difference between global illuminatuion on and off, what IES, HDRI does.
After that perhaps focussing on Vray, the render of my choice and why it is my render of choice.
And perhaps last part...the future of rendering, what will happen after realistic rendering, cause this is already possible in an "easy" way.
stuff like holograms, 3D walk throughs in virtual reality on a high level.
I'd like to hear your opinion on this.
What do you think of the subject, does it seem interesting.
Are there other things that I can do, discuss.... all tips and ideas are welcome.
I'd aprreciate all help....
Greetz
Joris (Belgium)

BrianKitts

I like the idea.... but at most universities in the US, you would probably be asked to write a more specific thesis.

Your topic is VERY broad.... and you could easily write a large novel on the subject of visualization. It's kind of like you picked your thesis to be the ocean, but to show any skill the professor would probably rather see you pick a single fish, then go in and dissect every aspect of that individual entity. I'm not sure you could properly cover each and every topic you mentioned throughly enough to be called a thesis... that is without writing 500 pages on each of the many topics you covered.

In the case of archictural vis I would think something more along the lines of "Architectual Visualization and it's incorporation with modern Architectural Practice"..... err something like that. Like I mentioned a thesis should be a specific well crafted point backed up by an in-depth analysis.... where you could cover workflow, the benefits of three-dimensional coordination with design, etc...

A good starting point as your thesis statement will set yourself up for success. Think the whole way though the process when you generate your primary idea.


good luck to ya!

Brian Smith

there's probably only a handful of people in the world that would know 2 or more render engines well enough to compare them properly...i doubt anyone know all the big ones...if you're new to the industry, you are better off sticking to a small topic rather than taking on the impossible task of comparing render engines...that would take a group of highly trained individual working side by side for quite a while...just my 2 cents

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www.3dats.com
3D Architectural Training Solutions

See3D.be

Hi Joris,

If you need info on real-time visualisation - walkthrough, you can nok on my door.

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Real-Time 3D Visualisations

jackb602

The most important thing you need to do is radically narrow the subject of your thesis. You should be able to state it clearly in one sentence. I can't overstate how essential this is.

I would also discourage you from comparing rendering engines. This would be a good subject for something like 3D World magazine, but not for an academic research project.

How can you have a renderer of choice before you've begun your research?

Try to turn one of the ideas in your post into a very specific question. Best of luck with your thesis.

Jack

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AJLynn

Also, I'd be concerned with a thesis like that getting too far into the technicalities of visualization, which is not architectural design (which is what I'm assuming you're studying). If you're interested in visualization I'd suggest something more to do with a theoretical approach to representation.

Rick Eloy

When I graduated (like 7 years ago), I wrote a paper about how CG can change our environment. Back then, things were not as advanced as today (there were only a few softwares), but it was a nice research. I found it very interesting, specially when I realized some architects were limiting their creations to what the software was capable of. For example, VectorWorks (called MiniCAD 6, then) couldn't create round walls. Coincidence or not, all 3 architects that I interviewed who used it simply did not have a single round wall in their designs. They were told it was hard or not possible and would come up with a new solution. Creepy.

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Rick Eloy
reb digital - Really, I'm doing it for the kids...

shaneis

"And perhaps last part...the future of rendering, what will happen after realistic rendering, cause this is already possible in an "easy" way.
stuff like holograms, 3D walk throughs in virtual reality on a high level.
I'd like to hear your opinion on this."

...now THAT would be an interesting thesis. Sure, touch on all the other parts you mentioned, but to try to break down the major renderers is a rather futile exercise. I don't mean to offend, but unless you're prepared to head into the depths of the (very) complicated mathematics behind physical light and compare the (very) complicated mathematics behind each renderer, you won't be able to make an objective conclusion - it will be opinion only.

Ask Pixar which is the best renderer - they'll answer "Renderman", ask Mental Images the same question - they'll answer "Mental Ray".

An educated look into the future of rendering within the Architectural Industry would be fascinating.

There you go, my $0.02

daveb867

yep yep definately pcik a much smaller aspect for your thesis, and be careful, i chose to do my thesis on 'the use of advanced lighting and rendering to create photorealistic visualizations in max 9 and mental ray', this soon turned into, an investigation into the technical aspects of how the mental ray render engine works. It all depends if your course is classed as art or science BA or BSc in my terms, if it is art then they want to see that you can make the nice looking renders, if it is science they are more interested in whether you are fully aware of the science behind the image looking so nice. So basically the maths, physics and other technicalities that work inside the render engine. Don't wanna put you off but the word 'algorithm' comes into play a lot when talking technical about rendering.

AJLynn

But he said he's an architecture student... you can't actually do a thesis like that in architecture school, can you?