Creating communal coziness in V-Ray for SketchUp

Tell us about the Fall Housing project

The Fall Housing project is a non-commissioned and self-directed exercise. I often pursue small 'design sprints' in an attempt to further my workflow and develop my visualization skills. The project was started in the early fall of 2020, hence the season and environment chosen for the image set.

The project explores co-housing, which is a relatively underutilized building typology. Overall, it is meant to offer an alternative vision to the traditional single-family residential communities that dominate the landscape in the United States. It suggests a communal living scheme where all three structures are identical but are positioned in a way to create visual variation. The three buildings are sited so that the space between them becomes a shared community outdoor space.

How much freedom did the client give you?

The ultimate freedom!

Could you talk us through your workflow and the software you used, from concepts to the final render?

For these internal design sprints, I typically start with pencil and paper to sketch concepts and think through various ideas. Once I feel confident in a direction, I will jump into the digital space. My workflow is relatively simple: I use Trimble's SketchUp Pro as my primary modeler, V-Ray 5 for SketchUp as the primary rendering engine, and Adobe Photoshop for post-production.

What are your favorite V-Ray features?

V-Ray Vision, the interactive renderer in V-Ray 5 for SketchUp, is an absolute game changer! It allows me to work intuitively and artistically test ideas quickly. I am also a big fan of the Light Mix feature added to V-Ray 5 for SketchUp. Any feature that allows me to think creatively without worrying about render settings is a plus!