‘The Museum’ challenge is dedicated to the creation of one of the most inspirational architects of the 20th century, and a great influence on me personally, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and his iconic New National Gallery in Berlin. Constructed between the years 1962 and 1968 it offered a leap forward from the traditional museum layout of a closed building with exhibition rooms and introduced an open-plan flexible space… one that you will now have freedom to play in!

I had it on my list for a long time to have the NNG as a subject of a personal 3d project, and I have to thank BMD for sparking my imagination when they posted their Nationaal Militair Museum at Soesterberg project on the forums a few weeks back.

I was pretty much set on something else, but an image of a flower show at the Neue Nationalgalerie bustling with people creeped right into my mind and that closed the deal. Not completely sure if a flower show will work, but feel free to pick up on that idea… in any case, the previous challenge concept was set aside for a later date, and knowing now that David Chipperfield, Stirling Prize-winning architect and director of the 13th international Venice Biennale (wink… wink…), was selected recently to renovate the NNG, I think this is a great opportunity to explore this iconic design in the virtual realm too… Using all that Maxwell Render & your creative minds can offer.

‘The Museum’ Challenge Duration

June 6, 2012 – August 8, 2012

The challenge will run in a forum dedicated section – The Museum / Maxwell Render Challenge

Your Mission

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to showcase the New National Gallery and its surroundings during an event of your choice (any kind of event). You will be given the basic NNG 3d model (in various formats) on base of which you can develop your own entry. You will also get access to a fully featured evaluation license of Maxwell Render during the challenge to achieve your final result.

The NNG offers a very versatile and flexible venue for various functions to take place. You are free to come up with your own ideas for an event, exhibition or whatever function you come up with and present it with still images.

I usually add this line in my challenges – “You are encouraged to think beyond the traditional or conventional interpretations and methods of architectural visualization and I’ll emphasize that photo-realness is not the aim, but certainly might be a means to an end.”

I do that because I think that basically… Anything works!

This time is a bit different. I’d like to make a stronger connection between the Virtual Photography and Real Photography worlds, so this time… photo-real is one of the targets. Aim at it! That is not to say you can’t do post process work and a lot of other tricks, like architectural photographers do and manage to hide it so remarkably.

So…

Jump start your imagination and create something original. Try your best to evoke our emotions when viewing your visuals, making us feel as if we are participating in that crazy event of yours (or relaxed… anything works).

Sponsors

‘The Museum’ Challenge is sponsored by Next Limit Technologies, Designconnected and 3D World Magazine.

Prizes

The winners of this challenge will be awarded as follows (with additional prizes still pending) …

First Place

• A pick between a Canon 5D Mark III or a Nikon D800
• Maxwell Render Life Time License
• Designconnected Life Time Voucher*

* A 200 EURO Voucher each month for life time. That is 2,400 EURO of value per year! Credits not used during the month are not transferred.

Second Place

• The New iPad
• Maxwell Render Life Time License
• Designconnected 600 EURO Voucher

Third Place

• Maxwell Render Life Time License
• Designconnected 400 EURO Voucher

Judging

Honorable members on ‘The Museum’ Jury panel are :

Adam Hotvoy – Vyonyx, United Kingdom.
Lasse Rode & Peter Stulz – xoio, Germany.
Dave Morris – Architectural Photographer, UK.
Next Limit & And Yours Truly 😉

The entries will be judged according to overall accepted standards of architectural visualization: composition; 3d modeling; lighting; materials and textures, concept (original approach), addressing the unique design of the Neue Nationalgalerie, technical skill, emotive value and participation in WIP threads.

Go ahead and visit ‘The Museum’ Challenge Forum Thread and say hey!