Three Trends Shaping the Future of Architectural Design

by Andrew Rink

The digital transformation has come to the architecture, engineering, construction and operations industry, or AECO. New advanced technologies are helping AECO professionals enhance design workflows and bring concept ideas to life.

Design reviews are a crucial yet time-consuming part of building and infrastructure designs. Professionals must constantly iterate on designs based on feedback they receive and make modifications to models. With more teams geographically dispersed, the hybrid work environment brings additional challenges to managing design reviews and keeping complex projects on track.

To tackle these issues, project teams are using the latest technologies in 3D design and visualization — like NVIDIA RTX, AI and extended reality (XR).

Here are three major trends shaping the future of architectural design workflows and design reviews:

1. Accelerating Design and Rendering With AI

AI-powered solutions are taking building design to the next level, enabling architects and visualization specialists to accelerate rendering and remain in the creative flow. With AI-powered rendering denoising on NVIDIA RTX GPUs, professionals can significantly speed up photorealistic visualization while they iterate on 3D models and create stunning renders. This helps improve decision-making and reduce design review cycles.

NVIDIA Deep Learning Super Sampling is another AI technology that’s helping designers quickly produce high-resolution ray-traced images. DLSS uses deep learning neural networks to boost frame rates and generate sharp images.

And using powerful virtual workstations, professionals can access the most demanding design and visualization software tools from anywhere. NVIDIA RTX Virtual Workstation software is the only virtual workstation solution that supports NVIDIA RTX technology, which means architects and designers can tap into advanced features like AI denoising and DLSS from any location.

Image courtesy of Kohn Pedersen Fox.

2. Elevating AECO Workflows With XR

The latest breakthroughs in XR technology, which encompasses augmented, virtual and mixed reality, allow AECO designers to realistically and virtually view building designs without the need to create physical mockups. Using XR, teams can also easily experiment with applying various materials or view scenes under different lighting conditions.

Design teams can experience XR from almost anywhere thanks to NVIDIA CloudXR. It enables professionals to stream high-fidelity XR content over Wi-Fi and 5G networks to head-mounted displays (HMDs) and handheld devices, including smartphones and tablets. Built on NVIDIA RTX technology, CloudXR lets teams enjoy smooth pixel streaming from the edge to improve collaboration, increase productivity and enhance design reviews.

NVIDIA CloudXR cuts the cord for immersive VR, delivering high-quality experiences to all-in-one HMDs. This allows users to enjoy a more comfortable XR experience that’s simpler to set up and safer to work in. And architects using untethered VR HMDs can freely move around digital twins of buildings without being constrained by cables.

Image courtesy of Bentley Systems.

3. Enhancing Remote 3D Collaboration in a Hybrid World

For remote teams working from different locations, it can be difficult to collaborate on projects at the same time, as well as conduct efficient design reviews. But recent advances in real-time collaboration and simulation tools are helping architects and designers address this challenge — with solutions like NVIDIA Omniverse Enterprise, design teams can now simultaneously work together in a shared virtual space.

Omniverse Enterprise enhances conceptual design workflows while providing a virtual platform for multiple users to team up on projects and unite their assets, libraries and software applications in one place. This allows teams to rapidly communicate and iterate on design concepts in real time, and instantly share high-fidelity renders of building and infrastructure models with colleagues and clients.

Powered by NVIDIA RTX GPUs, Omniverse Enterprise helps professionals accelerate the design process, boost productivity and make design reviews more effective with compelling, photorealistic visualization and accurate simulations.

Discover more of the latest trends and groundbreaking technologies in NVIDIA’s AECO Design Review Report.

Featured image courtesy of HNTB.