Ronen Bekerman's Architectural Visualization Challenge II - HOVER

FAQ

I would like to thank all those who added their feedback to the GH House Challenge. Being a first, it was a learning experience for me too and it helped with the preparation of HOVER to great extent. In this page you will find a set of questions and answers based on that feedback to ease in your start in this challenge and make you focus and the most important things – Creating amazing visuals!

Be sure to read the instructions for this challenge first 🙂

Q. My entry is not up to standard with other WIP’s, Should I just quit?
A. Don’t worry about your entry not being up to the general challenge standard. It’s is first and foremost a sharing & learning experience, this is why I’ve chosen it to be a WIP style challenge. Try to take what you see in other higher standard WIP’s and turn it into your advantage! You may discover new ways and techniques that you previously did not know about, so keep going at it and you will better yourself.

Q. I can’t find the proper amount of time to do this challenge
A. The challenge will run for 3 months, so you have a long period of time to fit yourself in. It’s best to try and work in short but quality bursts rather then waiting to get those few days running that might never come. Take your time to think about the concept and layout the tasks ahead so when you get this unexpected free time you will know what to do with it.

Q. I can’t submit too many WIP’s, will this undermine my chances for winning
A. You don’t have to submit many WIP’s, but you are most certainly encouraged to do so! One for Concept, Modeling, Texturing, Lighting, Rendering, Post & Final is all you need really as far as judging, but past challenge shows you get a lot in return for each WIP you post… So more is better.

Q. I’m not a photo real type of artist, what are my chances?
A. The method is none relevant for the final selection of winners, the end result is what counts. It’s true that the amount of NPR / Illustration type entries was very low during the GH House Challenge and this is why I approached the ASAI and asked them to become sponsors and promote this event to. I hope this will make for a bigger presence of NPR / Illustration participating and adding their feedback too.

Q. Why such a long duration for a challenge, two months might be better and more focused no?
A. Some commented it should be shorter, others liked it very much since it allowed them to join in late or work in bursts. For HOVER however, since I’ve added the design element using the model kit, the duration will remain at 3 months to allow you to come up with a good concept before you dive into the visualization process.

Q. All we get is SketchUP format models?
A. Since this time you get a model kit from which you build up your design I decided to keep it all SketchUP for simplicity & control. SketchUP is free to download and very easy to use to assemble your basic design and export it out. I’ve added a screencast to showcase such a process to make it more understandable. You may also opt to build it from scratch in your package according to kit provided. Once participants convert the kit to their favorite format they are welcome to send them to me to host for other to download too.

Q. How early do I have to start submitting milestones?
A. As early as possible. Although there is no due date earlier than the final closing date, part of the final judging vote puts emphasis on Community Interaction, which means that people who ‘hold back’ their work in progress till the last minute can be penalized. Don’t ‘hold back’ because you don’t feel you are good enough just yet… feel free to share at any time so that you can leverage the feedback you might get.

Q. What if I am a winner and I want a different prize? For example, if I win the Grand Prize but I want the Runner Up prize instead?
A. You can contact the other winners with the prizes that you want, and ask if they want to do an exchange. What you do with your prizes is up to you, just make sure to email me about it so I can send the right names to the sponsors.

Q. Can I have multiple entries?
A. You may submit 2 images in this challenge. Each one will stand on it’s own but only one can win.

Q. Are random or parametric models/terrain and foliage/plant generation software allowed? (for example Revit / Rhino + Grasshopper / Vue / Onyxtree / GrowFX)
A. Yes.

Q. Can I use a trial version of a software?
A. Yes, but final image must not have any watermarks on it.

Q. The guidelines in the instructions says that the resolution for the final image should be at least 2480×1812 or 1812×2480 in pixels. Why do you need such a high resolution for?
A. In real life you usually create artwork for print and need to pay attention to detailed textures and meshes. I would also like the option of publishing your work in print (the new guideline is lower the in previous challenge due to your feedback about it – the winners however will have to recreate their images for the higher resolution as stated in the instruction upon request if they are to be used in print).

Ronen Bekerman's Architectural Visualization Challenge II - HOVER

Inspiration

Welcome to the HOVER challenge inspiration page. Here I will gather as much reference material as possible for you to explore and jump start your creative minds! Feel free to send me suggestion and links to add to this page if you find good reference too.

House in Ubatuba / SPBR Arquitetos / Photo by Nelson Kon

Check the House in Ubatuba / SPBR Arquitetos post over at Archdaily.

Nanjing Museum of Art & Architecture / Steven Holl

Nanjing Museum of Art & Architecture / Steven Holl / Flickr © vbratone

Check the In Progress: Nanjing Museum of Art & Architecture / Steven Holl post over at Archdaily.

The following project seems to have been done by the model kit! It is a good example of a specific visual look & feel you can go for, just not hovering so much in this one.

Gebhartstrasse Apartment Building by Halle 58 Architects

Gebhartstrasse Apartment Building by Halle 58 Architects / Photo by Christine Blaser, Bern

Check the Gebhartstrasse Apartment Building by Halle 58 Architects post over at Contemporist.

Walensee House by km Architektur

Check the Walensee House / km Architektur post over at the general inspiration section.

Loblolly House by Kieran Timberlake / Photo by Bary Halkin

Check the Loblolly House / Kieran Timberlake post over at the general inspiration section.

Beaux Arts Museum in Quebec expansion by OMA / Render by Luxigon

Check the OMA wins competition for the Beaux Arts Museum in Quebec expansion post over at Archdaily.

Halo by DHV Architects

Check the Halo / DHV Architects post over at Archdaily.

Copyright Günter Kresser

Bridge in Vienna by SOLID architecture / Photo by Günter Kresser

Check the Bridge in Vienna / SOLID architecture post over at the general inspiration section.

Bridge House by Max Pritchard Architect / Photo by Sam Noonan

Check the Bridge House / Max Pritchard Architect post over at Archdaily.

Trojan House by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects / Photo by Emma Cross

Check the Bridge in Vienna / SOLID architecture post over at the general inspiration section.

Cape Schanck House by Jackson Clements Burrows / Photo John Gollings

Check the Cape Schanck House / Jackson Clements Burrows post over at the general inspiration section.

Schnitzer Bruch House by maaars architects / Photo by Bruno Klomfar

Check the Casa Schnitzer-Bruch, Mühlgraben – Austria / maaars architektur post over at the general inspiration section.

Ronen Bekerman's Architectural Visualization Challenge II - HOVER

Architectural Visualization Challenge II

The second architectural visualization challenge is here as promised! This time with focus on two aspects of architectural design that caught my fancy. First one is the state of HOVER representing all types of cantilevered, bridged and by any other means floating spaces in architecture also giving the name to this Challenge. Second is prefabricated architectural design, known in short as PREFAB. I hope this will be a great experience to all participants and visitors of this blog and the forums and give a warm welcome to your new judges – Bertrand Benoit & Zoran Gorski (Kizo).

Hover Challenge Duration

21 July 2010 – 21 October 2010

Challenge has ended, visit the winners page!

Your Mission

In HOVER you will be given a set of premade model parts from which you will be able to derive your design base and visualize it. Serving as a visual set of rules the kit will allow you to start your design and later adding your own elements to it. There will be no limit of size or function, and much like in the previous challenge, the context is totally up to you.

You can create a small house hovering over an ocean facing cliff, suspended from trees deep into the jungle or smack in middle Manhattan protruding from one of the skyscrapers…

You are encouraged to think beyond the traditional or conventional interpretations and methods of architectural visualization. I would like to emphasize this time that photo-realness is not the aim, but certainly might be a mean to an end. One more important thing is that the design part of this challenge is second to the actual visualization process and and result.

Jump start your imagination and create something original. Try your best to evoke our emotions when viewing your visuals, making us feel what hovering is like!

HOVER Model Kit

The HOVER Model kit is made with SketchUP and includes a set of structure building blocks based on 3m x 3m x 3.3m size. You will find floor slab parts, windows, sidings, shade system, stairs & more. This is not a definitive set, but a base to build upon and one that will dictate a general look & feel. You will have to add your own elements that will also make it unique to you. You can either do it all inside SketchUP and export out – or just use the kit for the main structure and do all the rest in your native application.

SketchUP :
Download the HOVER model kit (Server 01)
Download the HOVER model kit (Server 02)

You will find more formats in the box folder :

Inspiration

Please visit the Inspiration page were you will find several examples that I’ve gathered during the past weeks.

Judging

On the Judging panel for this Challenge you will find yours truly as well as:

Photographer and 3D Artist Bertrand Benoit. Bertrand is truly a source of Inspiration for me and has a masterful touch in any image he turns out. He is the Grand Prize Winner of my first Architectural Visualization Challenge – The GH House and also won CGArchitect’s 2010 Architectural 3D Awards in the Best Overall Architectural Image category with that same GH House interior image.

Interview with Bertrand Benoit.

Head of ARSCOM Studio, Zoran Gorski (Kizo) is no stranger to challenges and was among the winners of challenges by Evermotion, 3DAllusions and Vizdepot in the past year. With 10 years of professional experience and master skills, I’m honored to have Zoran as a judge for HOVER.

Interview with Zoran Gorski.

Sponsors

Stack! Studios, VBvisual, Craft Animations, Exlevel, E-On Software, ASGVIS, Design Connected, Next Limit, Informatix, Refractive Software, Chaosgroup, Luxology, Soild Iris Technologies, Motiva, Materialwerk, ArtVPS, American Society of Architectural Illustrators (asai), Itoo Software.

Press Resource & Promotion Files

Please use the files in the folder below for promotion and publication of HOVER via your own channels.

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