How to Create Architectural Renders

A typical UK architectural rendering workflow follows six sequential steps, each of which builds on the accuracy and completeness of the previous stage. Shortcuts at any step produce visible errors in the final image.

The first step is model build. The visualiser imports the architect's CAD or BIM file, typically an AutoCAD DWG, Revit RVT, or IFC export, into a 3D application such as 3ds Max, SketchUp, or Blender. The model is checked against the drawings for accuracy: wall thicknesses, window reveals, roof pitches, and parapet heights must match the submitted plans and elevations. For planning applications, the model must be accurate enough that a planning officer could check the CGI against the drawings and find them consistent.

The second step is material application. Every surface in the scene is assigned a material: brick, render, glazing, timber, stone, metalwork, roofing, and paving. Materials are built using PBR (physically based rendering) textures that describe colour, roughness, reflectivity, and normal mapping. For planning-grade work, materials are chosen to match the specification in the Design and Access Statement. For marketing images, materials are often aspirational but remain plausible.

The third step is lighting setup. A physically accurate sky model is placed over the scene, matched to the site latitude and the intended season and time of day. For a south-facing rear extension in Birmingham in late afternoon in October, the sun angle is calculated precisely. Interior scenes require additional artificial light sources: downlighters, pendants, concealed LED strips, and ambient fill. Good lighting is the single largest contributor to the quality of a finished render.

The fourth step is camera placement. The camera is positioned at a realistic eye height, typically 1.6 to 1.8 metres above ground, at a focal length matching normal human vision, commonly 35mm or 50mm equivalent. For verified views, the camera is placed at a fixed surveyed point with documented coordinates, matched to a photograph taken from the same position.

The fifth step is rendering. The scene is sent to a physically accurate rendering engine such as Corona, V-Ray, Lumion, or Unreal Engine. The engine calculates how light bounces between surfaces and produces a high-resolution image, typically 4K at 3840 by 2160 pixels. Render times range from minutes for fast draft passes to hours for final production frames with high sample counts and complex glass or water.

The sixth step is post-production. The raw render is imported into Adobe Photoshop or After Effects, where contrast, colour grading, people, vegetation, sky replacement, and surrounding context are composited. For planning images, post-production adds entourage while keeping the building itself unaltered. The final image is exported as a high-quality JPEG or TIFF and delivered to the client for review.