Breaking the Uniformity: Visuals Factors in Rendering Applications
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2025-03-16
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IDEC - Interior Design Educators Council
Abstract
Ease of use drives rendering software choice; light and shadow factors most affect atmospheric quality; tool usage and preferences vary.
Recent advancements in rendering technologies have drastically transformed visual communication within architecture and interior design (Yu et al., 2022). The availability of user-friendly rendering software has democratized computational rendering, eliminating the need for specialized illustrators (Kim & Suk, 2018). Industry practices favor real-time rendering software for its efficiency and interactivity, often choosing it over AI-generated methods despite its potential for producing intricate, atmospheric effects (Architect Magazine, 2023). However, this accessibility has led to a proliferation of similar rendering styles, particularly in student work, limiting the potential for distinctive and memorable visual communication (Liao & Wang, 2021). Further exploration is necessary to break away from uniformity, focusing on renderings that evoke atmosphere, convey a natural presence, and inspire.
This study aims to understand the design factors influencing this preference and explore how to enhance the emotional and atmospheric depth in renderings. The research questions include: (1) What rendering software is primarily used by design students and practitioners, and why is it preferred? (2) How do visual elements in rendering software impact atmospheric quality in interior design? (3) Does design experience affect the ability to identify atmospheric elements in renderings?
The study used a mixed-methods approach, gathering quantitative and qualitative data through an online survey of 177 participants, including 146 students and 31 non-students. The sample included 147 design-related and 32 non-design-related participants. Participants reviewed renderings of Tadao Ando's Church of the Light, created using three different software (see Figure 1), and evaluated them based on nine visual factors identified in the literature.
The results indicate that ease of use is the primary reason for software preference in educational and professional settings, influencing 25.40% of users (see Table 1). Factors related to light and shadow—such as realistic sunlight and shadow expressions (M = 4.27, SD = 0.74), appropriate ambient lighting (M = 4.21, SD = 0.79), and realistic colors of materials and finishes (M = 4.15, SD = 0.77)—are the most influential in achieving high atmospheric quality (see Table 2).
While Enscape was the most widely experienced software (59.32%), Lumion emerged as the preferred choice for creating atmospheric scenes (33.33%) (see Table 3). Enscape excels in visual factors such as material reflectivity and color, while Lumion performs better in rendering natural elements like weather and sky (see Figure 2). Twinmotion offers balanced performance across atmospheric rendering categories, though it does not dominate in any specific area.
The findings suggest that while ease of use drives software adoption, the ability to render specific atmospheric qualities influences the preference for particular software. The variation in strengths across software indicates that users may select different tools based on the atmospheric elements they aim to emphasize. Additionally, the absence of a significant correlation between design experience and the ability to identify atmospheric elements suggests that proficiency in recognizing these elements is accessible to students and experienced designers alike.
This approach moves beyond photorealism, focusing on renderings that evoke sensory responses, aligning with Zumthor's (2006) concept of a "beautiful, natural presence." Future applications of these findings will involve integrating these criteria into curricula and practice, fostering a nuanced understanding of the atmosphere in rendering. This research contributes to the discourse on interior design visualization and offers valuable insights for software developers, educators, and designers seeking to enhance the emotional impact of their work.
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This presentation is published as Cho, Y., Breaking the Uniformity: Visuals Factors in Rendering Applications. Presented at 2025 IDEC Annual Conference, March 16-19, 2025. Chicago. https://idec.org/conference/idec-2025-annual-conference/ . Posted with permission.