How VR Can Help Architects Make Better Design Decisions

Enscape makes virtual reality rendering easier than ever before.

Not long ago, creating a virtual reality rendering of a building was a long, arduous process. Architecture firms had to enlist the help of programmers to create the environments with special software usually used by video game designers. The process would take weeks. By the time the renderings were finished, they would often be out-of-date because the design process had since moved on.

Enter Enscape. Founders Moritz Luck and Thomas Willberger wanted to find a way to take VR rendering for architects and make it faster. “We looked at the market and there was nothing there,” Luck says. So, they began developing their own software, rolling out a beta version in 2015.

Their product didn’t just make virtual reality faster, though. It made it instantaneous. Enscape is designed to work as an extension of common modeling programs Autodesk Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, and ArchiCAD. Users click one button and, in a few seconds, can see a three-dimensional virtual reality rendering of their designs. “You don’t have to learn a new program,” Luck says. “It’s easy. And it looks good.”

Rendering: Courtesy of Overland Partners

This helps designers communicate better with customers, who probably don’t have much experience looking at floorplans. Luck says it’s especially useful in helping customers envision large, open, multistory spaces like atriums and lobbies. “In 3D, you can grasp it.”

Clever Collaboration

But more than communicating with clients, Enscape helps designers communicate better with one another. Even looking at the same exact blueprints, it’s not uncommon for designers to come away with different mental images. Enscape removes the ambiguity.

San Antonio, Texas–based design firm Overland Partners had worked with other VR before but found the process long and difficult. Then Overland’s Director of Technology Daniel Carpio and BIM Manager Steve Fong stumbled across Enscape. They were impressed but skeptical at first of the company’s claims of real-time renderings, so they downloaded a demo. “We could not believe what we were seeing,” Carpio says. “It was doing everything it said and more.”

The software has changed the way Overland works. “If you go into our office now, everybody has two monitors,” says Overland Principal Bob Shemwell. One will show a design in Revit, while the other will feature an Enscape rendering of that design. “It would be impossible to walk through the office and not see somebody working on Enscape.”

Rendering: Courtesy of Overland Partners

Bringing Design to Life

The renderings really come alive, however, when connected with a virtual reality headset . Not long ago, Shemwell and Ben Rosas, Overland designer, were in a hotel lounge in Florida, gearing up for a presentation on a botanical garden Overland is designing. Rosas was tweaking the renderings as Shemwell wore a headset, offering him feedback. Then a line began to form. “The next thing you know we have the hotel desk clerk and a line of random people we didn’t know that we are walking through the model,” Shemwell says. “It’s technology, but, ultimately, it’s about people.”

Enscape’s ease of use and quality renderings are quickly making the software an industry standard. The program is now used by many of the world’s top architecture firms and the company is growing so fast they’ve had to find new office space. Luck says they hired an architect to design the new space, an old-school guy who was skeptical about the whole 3D thing. Then, as plans were being finalized, the architect realized there was a huge column smack in the middle of the room. “In 3D, it would have been clear from the start,” Luck laughs.

These are five things you can do using Enscape.

The Process

1. Using geolocation, the program allows users to adjust the time of day  and year to see how sunlight comes through windows. It’s even possible to factor in shadows from other buildings. It’s not as precise as other methods but provides a quick and easy-to-understand reference. “That’s something you can very easily see in VR that’s very hard to tell in a floorplan in 2D,” Luck says.
2. Enscape releases new versions of its software every three months, often with new features voted on by users on the company’s online forum. Based on this feedback, Luck says the company hopes to roll out virtual reality renderings for smartphones, tablets, and internet browsers. Enscape also plans to allow users to alter design elements from within the virtual reality environment.
3. Using Enscape, architects can spot problems in their plans that wouldn’t otherwise be evident. On a recent project, Overland designers and engineers switched to an Enscape VR session and noticed a duct was poking through a wall. The problem was not evident in Revit, but in VR the error was as plain as day.
4. Although the firm still uses physical models and sketches when presenting projects to customers or other stakeholders, Overland has started to incorporate virtual reality into its promotional materials. At one recent meeting with city leaders, the company used Enscape to create QR codes linked to 360 panoramas  of a nearby building so everyone could see how the soon-to-be-built structure would look from various vantage points. The firm plans to place QR codes on fencing surrounding the construction site, so passersby can see what’s coming and get excited.
5. Many users view Enscape renderings on a computer screen but, for a really immersive experience, virtual reality headsets are the way to go. “You have to curate the experience for the client so they don’t feel like they’re going to look foolish,” Shemwell says. When clients feel comfortable , the payoffs are great. Carpio says, “When they take the headset off, there is a sense of euphoria and joy. They finally have a clear understanding of the reality of their project.”

Rendering: Courtesy of Overland Partners

The post How VR Can Help Architects Make Better Design Decisions appeared first on Enscape.

Those using Rhinoceros, by Robert McNeel and Associates (RMA), as their 3D authoring tool of choice will be excited to know that Enscape has expanded their popular real-time rendering and VR experience to work with it. If you already know about Enscape, you will be happy to hear that all the same features work in Rhino. If you are new to Enscape, I think you are in for a treat! Whatever your exposure to Enscape, this post will provide you with an overview which will allow you to get start with this cutting-edge technology right away.

Accessing Enscape from Rhino

If you have an Enscape license you can not only use it for Revit, but also with SketchUp and Rhino. As seen in the image below, a single installation process includes all three add-ins.

The image below shows a sample Rhino model courtesy of LHB (www.LHBcorp.com).

The next two images show the Enscape commands in Rhino. If you are at all familiar with Enscape in Revit or SketchUp, you will be happy to know these are the exact same commands in Rhino.

Enscape toolbar; the primary commands

Enscape toolbar; capturing tools

If you are new to Enscape, here is a quick overview of the most used commands:

• Enscape tab
  • Start Enscape
  • Enable/Disable VR 
  • Settings 
• Enscape Capturing tab
  • Save Screenshot to file 
  • Create standalone executable 

Starting Enscape

With a Rhino model open, simply click the Start/Play icon to launch Enscape. The initial result is shown below. Notice the sky  and sun , as well as the reflections in the glass. From here you are free to navigate the model  at this same quality using the input references at the bottom; H toggles this menu on and off.

Enable/Disable VR

If you have an HTC Vive, or an Oculus Rift properly setup on your computer, simply click the Enable/Disable VR icon to be able to jump right in to your model! Check out my previous post on VR… everything there applies to this Rhino to Enscape workflow.

Enscape Settings

Clicking the Enscape Settings icon gives you access to the various controls which can be used to manipulate the image, if needed. Each tab has a Reset button, and the first tab has a Reset All button if you need to quickly get back to “square one.” Also, if you double-click on a slider control, it will reset to its default. The point is, feel free to mess with the settings to see if you find something you like better, as you can always reset.

TIP: The default settings are based on the last time Enscape was used… regardless of which project or program you last viewed.

Save Screenshot to File

Clicking the Save Screenshot to File icon allows you to save the current composition of the model to a file; PNG is the default format. Be sure to check out the Capture tab in settings. You can export any resolution you want. However, higher resolutions take additional time to save the file.

Enscape settings dialog; Capture tab

Create Standalone Executable

If you want to share an Enscape model, you simple click the Create Standalone Executable icon. This creates a file which contains Enscape and the model! For example, if you send this EXE file to your client or use it for presentation , they can just double-click on it to open and start navigating the model in real-time. They do not need to have Rhino or Enscape installed on their computer.

Rhino Light Sources

Light sources placed in Rhino are recognized in Enscape as highlighted in the next two images.

Here is a nighttime image in Enscape to highlight the effect of the electric light source in Rhino:

Rhino Materials

All the Rhino materials  are automatically used in Enscape. Any materials containing the word “grass” will get the 3D grass effect applied within Enscape as shown in the image below.

When an element’s material is changed in Rhino, the open Enscape scene is updated automatically.

The result of changing the glass material, shown above in Rhino, can be seen in the Enscape view below.

The next image has all the glass changed and the Depth of Field adjusted to make the background a little blurry.

Conclusion

Whether you are new to Enscape, or have used it with Revit and/or SketchUp, you will benefit from this new opportunity to visualize your Rhino design in real-time. Enscape is a great tool to use during the design process or in front of a client as a fluid “go where they want” navigable model, static images, Virtual Reality  or via a Google Cardboard viewer . This really is an “easy button” that you have to try yourself to believe; click here to download the trial today: Free 14-day Trial 

Dan Stine
He is an Author, Blogger, Educator,
BIM Administrator and Wisconsin registered architect.
He works full-time at LHB – a 250 person full-service design firm.

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danstinemn 

The post Real-time Rendering and Virtual Reality with Rhino appeared first on Enscape.

Dan Stine
He is an Author, Blogger, Educator,
BIM Administrator and Wisconsin registered architect.
He works full-time at LHB – a 250 person full-service design firm.

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danstinemn

The post Best Practices – Using Virtual Reality for Project Presentations with Enscape appeared first on Enscape.

Why Does Motion Sickness Occur?

When using any kind of Virtual Reality headsets, if one becomes sick while doing so, then that is actually called Virtual Reality Sickness. What causes Virtual Reality sickness is still being studied but it’s called motion sickness quite often because the root of the problem may be the same, which is that the brain is being overloaded with different signals.

What’s Happening in Your Brain

It’s getting lost and confused and here’s why:

• Your eyes are sending one kind of signal, while the ears send another and your brain gets confused with what to do with the information

• Essentially your eyes are telling your brain that you are not standing still but in movement, but the balancing system within your inner ear is saying “NO! We are standing still!”

• If there’s any kind of lag when looking through the VR headset, this will also cause someone to get motion sickness.

• The images are meant to immerse you in the most realistic surroundings possible, and lagging will make your brain and other systems question what’s going on.

Have you ever gotten sick while trying to read in a moving vehicle? Your eyes are locked onto the words, which your brain processes as you standing still, but the bumps in the road and general movement of the car are telling it a different story. How does one prevent motion sickness?

Preventing Virtual Reality Sickness

Tune DOWN the speed and tune UP the smoothing for better navigation and lessen the possibility of sickness

When using virtual reality to demonstrate your designs to clients, the idea is to give them the most immersive experience that you possibly can. This means you need to make it a comfortable experience as well. Before you even consider using VR with a client, you might want to ask if they are prone to motion sickness. If the answer is yes, you may want to use another route with this client. Enscape allows you to also just show beautiful 3D renderings without the VR. While VR is a great experience, it might not be for everyone. By asking the client, you’re taking into consideration that the client may not be comfortable with Virtual Reality. If they are comfortable to experience it but have never used VR before then try the following:

• Have the client take a seat for the VR presentation if possible. This will minimize the possibility of illness.

• Go slow. Teach the client how to move slowly in the VR demonstration, quick movements will not help. With Enscape you can play around with the input settings to get the best movement to prevent sickness.

• If the client says there seems to be an issue with the image then stop the presentation immediately, the main reason people get virtual reality sickness is when the frames do not load fast enough, any glitch and it’s a recipe for disaster

Update: Thanks to Alex Cunningham for this tip: You can also try the teleport locomotion technique. This simply requires the client to point to the location where they would like to move to in the virtual world and they will be teleported there.

When All Else Fails…

These things should help your clients stay in tip-top shape, but if for some reason they do become ill, then there’s something you can try that may help them. Have ginger candies or ginger tea on hand. Ginger is known to calm the stomach, so if a client feels queasy, then offer them the remedy. You can also have peppermint tea as a second option, in case the first option isn’t favorable. The idea is to make the experience as comfortable as humanly possible, and these two teas will bring back some comfort if the client does become a bit nauseous. Have them available or ready to be poured in these situations. Even if a client says they have used Virtual Reality before, you never know how a new experience will make them feel.

Currently, researchers at Columbia University believe they may have figured out a way to combat virtual reality sickness but at the moment it would require some manipulation of the field of view which may lose some of the compelling aspects that VR has to offer. Scientists will continue to search for a way to make Virtual Reality more comfortable for all.  For now, all you can do for your clients is preventative measures to ensure a comfortable VR experience. They will appreciate it in the end if you are concerned for their health but also you want them to leave the presentation loving the design. Sickness could put a damper on that. Follow these tips and watch everyone’s experience with VR become a great one!

The post How to Prevent Clients from Experiencing Motion Sickness appeared first on Enscape.

Autodesk then introduced the Cloud Rendering, along with the ‘Stereo Panoramic Render’, which enabled us to enter into the world of Virtual Reality or ‘VR’, for the first time. We purchased some “Google Cardboard” VR viewers and were able to produce imagery that left our clients feeling as if they had a view to the future. We primarily used this as a finishes tool, allowing clients to experience certain areas of the project, and then talk through options once they were immersed into the space in VR. However, this process took time to re-render certain areas and certainly wasn’t a “user experience” that anyone would remember.

This has led us to where we are now; Enscape3D. Since our first steps into VR we have looked at many different software solutions including some pretty intensive programmes like Unreal Engine. Whilst this proved to be one of the better options, it involved learning a fairly complex package. That just wasn’t really sustainable for an entire office.

Virtual Reality and Visualisation

Someone in the office then stumbled across a video of the Enscape software. This was sent around the office. At first glance it looked to be just what we were looking for. We immediately downloaded a free trial and started to get to grips with it. Very soon, it became apparent that this was exactly what we needed, potentially for VR, but also for fast production of visualisations.

Using the add-on, Enscape loads straight from the Revit tool ribbon. Once your model is loaded into Enscape, you will see a direct representation of your model, and can start to walk around in real-time. The inclusion of ArchVision content is a real bonus as it brings people and vegetation to life. Flat 2D people and trees from Revit are interpreted into 3D models.

The ability to control shadows, sun, clouds, depth of field, and lens flare; all in real-time and all at the touch of a button is only a small amount of what Enscape can do. The ability to test materials, update your model and see the change immediately is a huge benefit. Client engagement meetings are now much more hands on. We take a laptop with Revit / Enscape installed, and take clients through the building. We can make changes there and then, and get client sign off because they can see and understand how something will look in the finished project.

Frequent updates from the Enscape team that are based on real-time user feedback is encouraging; they are listening to the users and reacting to make Enscape a one size fits all piece of software.

Co-ordination and Clash Detection

Whilst Enscape is great for visualisation and VR, it’s also a comprehensive addition to co-ordination and clash detection. Working within a BIM environment coordination is a major factor. Coordinating multiple consultant models including Structural and M&E is a complex task, for which we generally use Navisworks. However, having the ability to use Enscape in a coordination meeting and walk consultants around the issues, helps to articulate those problems in a way that Navisworks or Revit may not be able to.

As Architects, its paramount that the information we produce is on time, is of high quality, and is co-ordinated. Our clients need to be sure that their expectations will be met, and that there will be no surprises. With Enscape in our armour, we feel we are in a much stronger position to deliver on these promises.

We’re excited to see what Enscape3D has to offer in the future and will endeavour to provide user feedback along the way to help others.

Many thanks to Dan Smith for contributing this guest post!

The post Hunters South Architects & Enscape 3D appeared first on Enscape.

“Enscape breaks the shackles of 2D rendering & animation.”

Kathy Kajaks | Associate, BIM-CAD Manager | Stephenson Engineering Ltd

Who’s Alex?

I’m a VDC engineer for McCarthy Building Companies, a national general contractor. My career started in architecture and engineering, but I moved to the “C” part of the AEC industry at the beginning of 2015. McCarthy has nearly 2000 employees and is dedicated to providing an Exceptional Client Experience.

This mindset provides a lot of freedom when finding solutions that have to satisfy multiple problems. It gives me the freedom to combine the right software with the right hardware and the right team. This is an incredibly important point – the right solution is not about technology: it’s about the team and the added value in terms of experience and expectations.

McCarthy performs a lot of work, and we need to be able to show highly technical conditions before they’re built as realistically as possible. With the pace of change on our projects, we don’t have time to create renderings.

The other challenge is a resistance by the design team to create detailed visualizations early to avoid showing something that is not feasible to achieve in scope or budget. To overcome this challenge, we simply set expectations and explain that things aren’t always going to be resolved every step of the way.

In other words, we don’t always need to have the entire building designed to understand how to solve a problem. Sometimes we just need virtual mockups and rapid design iterations. Enscape is fantastic at helping explain the pieces and parts that ultimately make up the whole.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/McCarthyBuild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mccarthy-building-companies-inc

Why Enscape?

The experience inside of Enscape (enscape3d.com) is incredibly polished. And if you consider the price point it doesn’t make sense not to use it. At the speed things move we don’t often have time to train people to use complex tools just before a major deadline. Enscape requires practically no training. If you can figure out how to use Revit then using Enscape is a no-brainer.

Using Enscape is not about real-time. In fact, I think that the term “real-time” is overused. We don’t have time to use real-time. But we have time to use Enscape. The fact that Enscape works side-by-side with Revit doesn’t make it feel like we’re using another separate application. It’s more like Revit finally has the functionality that it’s been missing all of these years.

For what we do, Enscape breaks the shackles of 2-D rendering and animations. In fact, when you think about it, both 2-D renderings and animations are fixed, static environments. On the other hand Enscape allows us to lose the barriers between merely visualizing something and really experiencing something. If a client needs a finished image, I can export it right there in the moment. That alone completely eliminates confusion about what the client is going to get when they request a rendering.

Another thing is that software companies that started out creating real-time visualization tools are now trying to do too much. On the other hand Enscape is focusing on one thing: be amazing at visualization. I’ve already got clash, measuring and other coordination tools in other applications. And none of those other coordination tools match what Enscape is doing in terms beautiful visualization.

Keep in mind that Enscape is also incredibly valuable when used side-by-side with Revit. When I’m in design review mode, I keep and Enscape open on one screen and Revit on the other. I’ll make a few design decisions in Revit and then explore and validate them in Enscape.

Thanks!

You’re very welcome! Let’s follow up in a couple of weeks and I’ll give you an update on our rollout of Enscape in 2016.

Phil Read – Read|Thomas – Author

LinkedIn –                  www.linkedin.com/in/readphil
Read|Thomas –         www.readthomas.com

hello@readthomas.com

The post Stephenson Engineering Ltd: Virtual Mock-Ups and Rapid Design Iteration appeared first on Enscape.

Who’s Rumen?

I’m a licensed, LEED Accredited and NCARB Certified Architect working in California. After graduating in 2008, I discovered that success in one area can support my interests in other opportunities. So I’m involved in several ventures simultaneously. In addition to teaching at local colleges Mt. San Antonio College and El Camino College, I’m running an architectural practice, Seeds Studios. My wife and I run a philanthropic organization. I also enjoy supporting the family restaurant. All of these various ventures really keep me energized! Being involved in several opportunities at once never get boring!

I picked up Revit pretty quickly in 2008 while in design school. At that time, there wasn’t much support from professors or other students so I pretty much had to figure it out myself. It didn’t take long to realize that using Revit in architectural school made perfect sense. There were huge time savings in producing plans, elevations, and sections directly within a single application rather than use separate programs like AutoCAD, SketchUp, Rhino, Photoshop, etc. I soon was submitting all of my work in Revit.

Overall, I find the daily demands of taking on many, various interests to be more joyful than the settling for one thing and not being interested enough. I’m really enthusiastic about what I do and the impact I can have doing many things successfully I hope!

Twitter: @seedsstudios
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rumeneremiyskis

Why Enscape?

I can’t imagine working any other way. Enscape (enscape3d.com) is completely integrated with my Revit workflow. I don’t have time to push the rendering button and then wait. I need to be able to show my clients the design in a way that makes complete sense to them. The kind of work I do is very personal and the client wants to be completely involved. Enscape gives me and the client the ability to experience the space from any angle as we would in real life. This is really important to build confidence and understanding for the client and everyone involved. It demonstrates I’m really thinking about the project in a holistic way.

Even early on in a project, Enscape allows me to show the client what the space will feel like before committing to materials or other finishes. Once we get to the material stage, we’re able to quickly look at alternative options, as well as fixtures, finishes, and furnishing. Enscape allows us to really get down to the details. This saves the client time and money by seeing the space as it will be built. Enscape helps them to make informed decisions. Revit’s really great at quantities and coordination, but really lacks a user friendly client experience without heavy rendering times.

The other thing I like is to keep my workflow really streamlined. The fewer clicks the more efficient and effective. I’d rather leverage a few tools to do a lot, rather than a lot of tools to do a little. In so many ways, Enscape is an extension of Revit as opposed to another application. And the learning curve is incredibly small.

My typical workflow is to use two screens, with Revit open on one screen and Enscape open on the other. The client can see plans, sections and elevations on one screen and the realistic, explorable view on the other. It’s the best of both worlds. Once you’ve used Enscape, there is no going back. And the same goes for the client. Showing the client their project in Revit is just not enough. They need to walk through it in Enscape to really experience it.

The greatest thing about Enscape is knowing that what I’m showing a client is actually what is inside their Revit project. In many cases, I’m doing presentations over a screen-share and may only show the Enscape view. Revit is happily running in the background and when I need to make changes they immediately update in Enscape for the client’s approval.

The bottom line is that I want to provide a great design through effective collaboration while giving the client a real peace of mind. Enscape removes any uncertainty about the the design and overall project before it’s built. Enscape completely supports the motto of Seeds Studios: “We help owners see the forest before planting the seeds.”

I think the power of Enscape is the combination of beautiful, amazing graphics with ease-of-use. I don’t need Enscape to become a coordination tool. Coordination comes intuitively through just using Enscape. Keep the focus on clear, precise and beautiful visualization.

Thanks!

Glad we had the chance to chat about how Enscape is really helping improve collaboration between me, my consultants, and my clients. I’m excited to see what’s in store for the future of Enscape!

Phil Read – Read|Thomas – Author

LinkedIn –                  www.linkedin.com/in/readphil
Read|Thomas –         www.readthomas.com

hello@readthomas.com

The post Seeds Studios: Removing Uncertainty By Experience the Design Before It’s Built appeared first on Enscape.