Ronen Bekerman and Artur Tamiola. Meet the jury of the International 3D Awards

Gandia Blasco Group x BOMODELS CHALLENGE #01: The inaugural global competition for CGI creatives that unites a furniture company with a 3D model platform is closing its call for entries on January 31st.

We interview two members of the INTERNATIONAL 3D AWARDS jury: Ronen Bekerman, an acclaimed Architecture & Interior Design Visualization Artist and founder of the ArchViz Hub, alongside Artur Tamiola, Co-founder of CommonPoint, 3D Artist, and Art Director. These two insightful conversations offer a captivating exploration of the CGI and architectural visualization field, showcasing their profound understanding of the industry and delving into the theme of biophilia, the main focus of this first edition of the competition.

Stay tuned for a deeper dive into their perspectives and expertise.

Ronen Bekerman | Artur Tamiola
Meet the jury of the INTERNATIONAL 3D AWARDS. Gandia Blasco Group x BOMODELS CHALLENGE #01

Ronen Bekerman

https://www.ronenbekerman.com/

https://the-craft.co/

“Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.” This quote by Dalí is featured on your website. Is perfection also a utopia with CGI?

Salvador Dalí’s perspective on perfection resonates deeply within the world of CGI, especially in architectural visualization. My journey in this field, which began in the 1990s, has been a testament to the evolving quest for realism – a quest that once seemed utopian. In those early days, the lack of advanced technology meant that we had to simulate global illumination by painstakingly manipulating light sources manually. This process, although cumbersome, laid the groundwork for understanding the nuances of light and shadow, essential elements in achieving photorealism.

Interestingly, in our pursuit of realism, we often find ourselves deliberately incorporating imperfections into our renders. It’s a curious contrast to the world of photography, where the tendency is to retouch and smooth out flaws. For a significant part of my career, I equated photorealism with perfection. This perspective, however, has evolved over time. I’ve come to realize that perfection in CGI, particularly in architectural visualization, is not just about achieving photorealism. It’s about crafting a narrative, conveying an emotion, and fulfilling the specific goals of a project within its unique constraints.

Feldman House. An exercise in matching a photo.
Rendeing: The Craft | Photographer: ©Nofar Bouganim

In this light, perfection becomes a mirage – a constantly shifting target that’s more about the journey than the destination. The real value lies in the process: the iterative workflow, the embrace of mistakes and learning from them, and the evolution of both skill and artistic vision. In architectural visualization, our aim is not just to create a visually stunning render but to tell a story, evoke feelings, and communicate ideas effectively. Striving for absolute perfection can sometimes be an impediment to this goal, as it can stifle creativity and hinder the ability to adapt and innovate.

S5 House (left image). Private house in Hod Hasharon, Israel.
Architect: Raz Melamed | Rendering: The Craft.

House H (right image). Private residence in Kfar Shmaryahu, Israel.
Landscaping: Mor Avidan Landscape Architecture

House H. Private residence in Kfar Shmaryahu, Israel.
Architect: Ilan Pivko Architects | Rendering: The Craft TLV

While the pursuit of technical and aesthetic excellence is vital, it’s equally important to remember that in the world of CGI and architectural visualization, perfection is a fluid concept. It’s not just about creating a flawless visual representation; it’s about the meaningful expression of ideas, the exploration of possibilities, and the continuous journey of learning and growth.

You have been a driving force behind various Architectural Visualization Challenges to spark innovation, elevate quality standards, and inspire improvement in the ArchViz field. What are your expectations for the I INTERNATIONAL 3D AWARDS, the first global competition uniting a furniture company with a 3D model platform?

Estos premios presentan una oportunidad única y apasionante en el mundo de la visualización arquitectónica. Mis expectativas para este evento pionero son altas, ya que me interesa la idea de raíz de conectar los muebles con la naturaleza. Esta colaboración no sólo pretende mostrar el talento artístico, sino también fomentar una conexión más profunda entre objetos cotidianos como los muebles y cómo surgieron, así como su papel en nuestro entorno natural.

Cabins in the fog.
“For the 7th Architectural Visualization Challenge launch, I developed the CABINS concept as if I were participating in the challenge myself. It was an exercise for me, a way to craft fast visuals using a real-time tool (Lumion) for art showcasing and promoting the challenge, and an inspiration piece for all about to participate”.

I anticipate that this challenge will inspire artists to explore new creative horizons, pushing them beyond their usual boundaries. The concept of merging furniture design with nature in their visualizations offers a fresh perspective, encouraging participants to think differently and innovatively. The participants of this competition should focus on storytelling and conceptual thinking. Technical skill is always important but is not a goal all on its own.

I’m eager to see the different ways artists will interpret this theme, each bringing their unique vision and creativity. The goal of this competition is not just to improve quality in ArchViz but also to inspire new ideas and approaches within the industry.

CityLIFE Venice (left image).
“The concept art I created for the CityLIFE architectural visualization challenge NO. 3 back in 2011 using photo bashing methods”.

Converted (right image).
Cover art for the 9th International Architectural & Design Visualization Challenge on ronenbekerman.com ArchViz Blog.

Biophilic design has gained prominence in architectural discussions. How do you incorporate its principles in your architectural visualization projects, and what impact do you believe it has on the overall design and user experience?

Incorporating Biophilic Design into architectural visualization hinges on the initial project brief. If the brief emphasizes a connection with nature, it becomes a central theme in our visualizations. When creating images, we carefully consider how natural elements are integrated into the design to resonate with human instincts towards nature. This is crucial because the human-nature connection profoundly influences viewer reactions and emotions.

Rosseau Lake College
A painterly approach in showcasing a new design for the Rosseau Lake College, Student and Faculty Housing by MOS Architects.

From my experience, visualizations that effectively harness this connection not only enhance the aesthetic appeal but also lead to more positive user experiences. This, in turn, often translates to better engagement and return on investment for the project. In essence, Biophilic Design principles don’t just add a visual component; they imbue the space with qualities that align with our innate affinity for nature, making designs more appealing and effective.

URBX Logistics
Concept of a futuristic penthouse from scratch to showcase the future of last-mile fulfillment showcased at sunset in Berlin.
Rendering: Ronen Bekerman The Craft

What strategies do you employ to cater to clients from diverse cultural backgrounds and architectural preferences?

When dealing with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds and architectural preferences, the first and most crucial strategy is active listening. This involves more than just hearing their words; it’s about understanding their perspectives, needs, and visions. I invest time in studying the client’s past projects and their cultural context to gain deeper insights. This research, combined with attentive listening, helps me appreciate their unique aesthetic sensibilities and expectations.

Once I have a thorough understanding, the conversation becomes more collaborative. I engage in open dialogue, asking targeted questions to clarify and refine my understanding. This approach ensures that the client feels heard and their vision is accurately captured.

YUMI
“The product becoming the work of art on display”
A set of CGI visuals crafted to showcase a line of metal tiles as part of an advertising campaign in print.
Roy David Architects | Rendering: The Craft

Additionally, the communication style should suit the client’s preferences, whether it’s more formal or casual, visual or verbal, detailed or high-level. This flexibility helps in building rapport and trust.

Finally, I present ideas and concepts that align with their cultural values and architectural preferences, ensuring that my proposals are not just aesthetically pleasing but also culturally sensitive and relevant. The goal is to create visualizations that not only meet the client’s specifications but also resonate with them and their target audience on a deeper level.

Artur Tamiola

https://arturtamiola.com/

https://thecommonpoint.com/

How do you balance the importance of detail in your work as a 3D artist and CG generalist with the need to maintain a global vision for each project?

Absolutely love the question, a lot to unpack here! I’ll try to be brief, but we’ll see how it goes. So, global vision always comes first. At least for most commercial projects. Whenever you’re at the beginning of a project or almost at the finish line, you always need to ask yourself about the big idea. Does it work, does it sell, does it excite? If you do that, your image should be almost complete, or in a way “balanced”. You’ll have a great composition, color palette, lighting and all that good stuff. You might not even add any details and still end up with a successful image.

The Cabin
“I was very much inspired by the A45 cabin from BIG Architects and I wanted to place it in a bit different environment. It was a nice opportunity to learn more about 3d vegetation, play around with megascans and come up with different lighting scenarios”
Rendering: Artur Tamiola

Problems start when you get obsessed about the details, and cannot distance yourself from them. Frankly speaking, if you find yourself not being able to balance the details vs. the global vision, it might be because it’s hard to understand or see the big idea in the first place. Btw. If that’s the case, I’d recommend making 3d sketches. Create them once a week. What happens when you do them, is that you’re forced to make big decisions, and make them fast. That way, over time, you’ll find plenty of ideas to execute and know when to stop with details so they are just about right.

Nature | Rendering: Artur Tamiola

What are the key issues when merging visual aesthetics with sustainability in projects focused on biophilia?

I believe you can look at this question from so many angles but I’ll try to answer from a cgi artist’s perspective. One key issue to keep in mind is to absolutely nail down the visual appearance. We have tons of premade assets available on the market, but there’s always room for improvement. You can tinker with the materials, shaders, textures and simply make them look better. You can make your unique plants as well and that will help you sell the image. Greenery is deeply connected with us people, on an evolutionary level. So we need to make it feel realistic, and possibly hyperrealistic nowadays. Obviously visual aesthetics revolve around design, trends and new ideas, but I just want to point out that more visual fidelity and quality in general is a place you can still stay competitive and it’s an issue to be solved technically and creatively.

Spa | Architect and CG Artist: Bartosz Domiczek | Rendering: Artur Tamiola

If imagination were the only limit, how would you describe a perfect environment created by the combination of CGI and outdoor furniture?

A perfect environment, or the one I’d consider successful is one that complements the outdoor furniture. You don’t want to overshadow, overpower or just steal the attention from the true hero, which is the furniture. If you agree with that statement, I’d recommend understanding the hero object more. What are the unique features, selling points, and cool moments? What’s the name, what’s the author’s inspiration and all that. You start with an idea and build around it, so it’s somewhat of an outward thinking process. You’ll quickly come up with elements (sharp or organic), plants (specific species) that compliment the furniture and build this perfect environment that is case dependent. Ah, obviously you need to have a flawless composition and it’s nice to sprinkle a bit of storytelling but every image needs that, so it goes without saying.

Houseplant Delight | Rendering: Artur Tamiola

Scandinavian Interior | Rendering: Artur Tamiola

What advice would you give to 3D artists looking to stand out in the industry, considering the growing importance of sustainability and biophilia in design?

I would give 2 pieces of advice. First of them being “sharpening your tools”. Meaning, learning more about the technical aspect that I already mentioned previously. Being able to create your own plants and perfect whatever you download from the internet. There’s a huge advantage in ‘not being lazy’. It sets you ahead from a lot of people that stay hostage to 3d models and don’t do anything apart from merging it to the scene. Last part would be to update your mental library of design. Spend around 10 minutes a day, before your day of work starts and look at different projects. Take it in and pack your brain with cool ideas. Expose yourself to new things. If a project comes, you’d already have tons of directions and you’ll be able to help your clients with design like no one else. You’ll make your clients happy and your life so much easier if you know what kinds of plants fit different spaces, as simple as it may seem.