Render vs. Reality

New technologies are evolving quickly these days, from data driven modeling tools, to seamless communication tools with contractors on site. All empowering design teams create more efficient and complex buildings that are built faster, reduce energy emissions, and last longer. Furthermore, these technologies are also opening the design of architecture to a visual based world through renders and videos projects never built.

At DMAC Architecture we have incorporated some of these tools into our design practice. We are working on projects in 3D, working simultaneously with consultants and engineers, and seeing in real life how the design materializes with every change we make.

However, the greatest benefit is being able to reassure clients that what they see on paper, and nowadays, on images, is what their future building is actually going to look like, and how they can then share it with their stakeholders. Such was the case for Midtown Athletic Club, for which we worked with Enscape to walk our clients through the project in design meetings, and ARX, a professional visualization company. With Virtual Reality tours and realistic renders, the client better understood the project as was able to excite its stakeholders about the new journey the club was embarking in.

You can judge for yourself by comparing the renders to the real life results.

The Lobby. A granite reception backdrop wall and the main staircase dominate the space with the highest traffic in the club.

Indoor Swimming Pool. Exposed board formed concrete structure and a textured ceramic wall make of this space a refugee for Midtown's swimmers.

Sunken Pit. The life generator of the project, the meeting point where the rest of the program stems. A contrast between warm and cold materials syntheses the tectonics of the rest of the project.

Chromium Restaurant. As many reporters have agreed on, this is not your typical health club restaurant. Since early conception we were clear the bar and its food would revolutionize the way people experienced the club.

Cardio Fitness Floor. Hard wood floors, reclaimed wood wall cladding, and baffles across the entire space make a typically noisy exercise room feel intimate and comfortable.

The Field. Designed for high intensity interval training, the client agreed on a professional feel by giving it a football field look. He loved the render, but we believe it looks even better in real life.

Samadhi. The main yoga room in Midtown, finished with natural tones, white walls, hardwood floors, and acoustically absorbent ceilings; required a grounding element in the space. What better than the Bodhi tree sculpture?

Mind & Body. The transition space between the busy, fast paced lifestyle of today's world, the the meditative and contemplative practice of Pilates and Yoga, has upholstered wall panels and upholstered benches to provide maximum sound absorption, as well as a golden ribbon with the 12 constellations.

Renders by ARX Solutions

Photography by Anthony Tahlier