Three Ways To Enhance Conceptual Design for Architectural Projects

Conceptual design for architecture professionals has drastically changed in recent years. It is more than figuring out the aesthetics and functional aspects of a building or structure design — it’s also about ensuring the designs and details are carefully considered, especially during the early stages of the process.?

Architects and designers need advanced technologies that help them reduce the chances of major rework of concepts and avoid late-stage changes to the design. From sketching to 3D modeling to simulations, check out three technologies? that help AECO pros enhance the multiple processes in conceptual design.?

Caption: Image courtesy of Kohn Pedersen Fox.

Digital Sketches: The Right Start — On Any Device

Most architects and designers begin projects by exploring ideas and concepts through sketches.?

Sketching allows them to visually convey concepts, start conversations and inspire creative ideas. It has evolved beyond pencil and paper — architects are now using digital tools that help them draw naturally, use variations of brushes or pens, and add layers of data to digitally capture ideas and designs.?

Advanced solutions like NVIDIA RTX technologies are helping designers take sketches even further than traditional technologies. Multiple devices like tablets and interactive pen displays can be tethered to desktop workstations powered by NVIDIA RTX professional GPUs, so architects can easily turn sketches into early-stage 3D concept models.?

Designers don't have to be limited to physical workstations — with NVIDIA RTX Virtual Workstation (RTX vWS) software, architects can also use Wacom tablets with just about any local device without worrying about latency, or they can freely draw on tablets with digital pens and press down with various levels of pressure to create different types of lines. This provides users with more flexibility to work on and finalize sketches from any location.?

3D Models: Streamlining Workflows?

More architecture firms and professionals are creating digital 3D concept models instead of the traditional physical models or prototypes. With 3D models, designers have the chance to further explore and build on the conceptual design by experimenting with form, volume and other specific features and details of the project.?

The process starts with a 3D model that continuously evolves as more details are added, such as doors, windows, structures, lighting and more. Geographically dispersed architects, engineers, and designers working on the concept model are typically adding these details, and these professionals are often using various software tools.?

To help teams collaborate more effectively, NVIDIA Omniverse Enterprise is a platform that allows professionals to simultaneously work together on the same 3D design projects — letting AECO connect their core 3D tools like Autodesk Revit, McNeel Rhino, and Trimble SketchUp together in a live-sync workflow. Architects can use Omniverse Enterprise to create and quickly iterate in real time on initial ideas for building designs. This will help teams explore design options and create compelling physically accurate renders instantaneously, without having to send to render farms.

Simulation and Visualization: The Right Levers to Accelerate Designs

Simulation is a crucial part in the building design process. But simulations are typically applied much later in the design process — and sometimes, if any major issues are found, it usually requires more design rework and can be more expensive to fix.?

Bringing simulations earlier into the design process will be beneficial to architects and designers. There are a growing number of simulation and visualization tools designed specifically for conceptual design. These tools, powered by NVIDIA RTX technology, are easy to use and can deliver accurate representations of building designs.?

Visualization plays an important role in simulation. With advanced visualization using NVIDIA RTX, design teams can gain deeper insights into the layout, positioning and landscaping of the building. Professionals can also realistically simulate the way light behaves in the real world, and it can be used to assess the impact of early design decisions, considering shadows, daylighting, luminance and glare. Using visualization and simulation earlier in the process will help teams gain a deeper understanding of the building design, spot any potential flaws in the project sooner, and adjust the design accordingly so teams can finalize projects sooner.?

To learn more about these technologies and other leading trends in AECO, read Advanced Technologies Driving Architectural Design, Part One: Conceptual Design.?