The second Architectural Visualization Challenge – HOVER has ended not long ago and I’m very proud to present to you the winners!

It was a joy to host this event on my blog & forums and I hope that the next challenge will not take too long to arrive. I’ll remind you that the challengers main goal was to address the state of HOVER in their design, visualizing it with full freedom in the creation of the environment. The entries were judged according to overall accepted standards of architectural visualization: composition; lighting; materials and textures, concept (original approach), addressing the architectural interpretation of hovering, technical skill, emotive value and participation in WIP threads.

The Challenge was sponsored by…

Grand Prize Winner, Benjamin Brosdau

Benjamin submitted two images for consideration, both of which could have been selected as winners. Since only one could count we decided on the exterior as the one to win. The exterior dusk image shows great composition, very bold interpretation of the HOVER theme with a cantilevered wing over the river and an amazing attention to detail. It actually seems he did not miss an inch in modeling of his house and environment too, a fact that awards him the the best modeling category too.

To be honest we all expected much more from this image, seeing Benjamin’s WIP thread, but even so it stands out and sets a high bar to pass. In general we thought a more cubical aspect ratio and adjusted POV so the image is more dynamic and showcases the reflected house in the river would have been even better.

Benjamin will get these prizes

• Procedural City Engine Pro (4,950 USD)
• E-On Software Vue 8.5 xStream (1,495 USD)
• Design Connected Store Credits (500 EURO)
• VBvisual 3D Plants Complete (449 EURO)
• Refractive Software Octane Render LIFE TIME LICENSE
• Solid Iris Technologies Thea Render + 6 plugins (315 EURO)
• Exlevel GrowFX 1.4.5 (325 USD)
• Materialwerk BRIX 1.0 – Full (299 USD)
• Materialwerk BRIX 1.0 – Rendernodes (119 USD)
• Motiva Colimo (139 EURO)
• ASAI Membership for 1 year
• ASAI Architecture in Perspective 23 Catalogue (35 USD)
• ASAI Architecture in Perspective 24 Catalogue (35 USD)

And as winner of the Modeling Category, also:

• Luxology modo 401 (995 USD)
• E-On Software Carbon Scatter (TBD)

Benjamin’s WIP Thread | Interview with Benjamin | Benjamin’s Making of tutorial

1st Runner Up, Tolgahan Gungor

Tolgahan’s exterior entry is definitely very original and bold interpretation of the HOVER theme. The structural elements of the building combined with the intriguing environment and emphasized by the lightning and color palette offer a great composition for the final piece.

The thick areas of vegetation and the massive rock formation lit mostly with diffuse light provide a sensation of a well protected, hidden, secret place and just when this would become too heavy we find it opening to provide a visual exit to the open sky. In that very space the viewer gets drawn back into the image by the large spike of the roof placed to brake the small emptiness. So the focus is on the structure and it gets emphasized by the contrasting warmer lights.

On the technical side there is room for improvement. The large rock surface is not well defined and seems unnatural. Some mapping issues (like the wood beams) take away from the image a little. But as far as design goes, we thought it is the best and awarded Tolgahan the best design category too.

Tolgahan will get these prizes

• Craft Animations CDS Architectural Edition (1,857 USD)
• Stack! Studios Felix Render Credits (1,000 EURO)
• Informatix Piranesi 2010 Pro (685 USD)
• Design Connected Store Credits (300 EURO)
• VBvisual 3D Plants Vol. 1 or Vol. 2 (299 EURO)
• Exlevel GrowFX 1.4.5 (325 USD)
• Materialwerk BRIX 1.0 – Full (299 USD)
• Motiva Colimo (139 EURO)
• Refractive Software Octane Render (99 EURO)
• VBvisual Cut Outs Mediterranean Pack (89 EURO)
• ASAI Architecture in Perspective 23 Catalogue (35 USD)
• ASAI Architecture in Perspective 24 Catalogue (35 USD)

And as winner of the Design Category, also:

• Chaosgroup VRay 2.0 for 3ds Max (1,350 USD)

Tolgahan’s WIP Thread | Tolgahan’s Making of tutorial (coming soon)

2nd Runner Up, Derek Jackson

Derek offered a great concept for the main structure. The base floor with glass surfaces and white columns really makes this a HOVERING piece of architecture. The chosen POV height, but also structure and materials used, add to this feeling as the upper floors gain in weight forcing the focus to that part of the structure.

As the building is made of asymmetrical shapes the central composition, aided visually by the ground access area and benches, works well. The tree branch on top gives a nice contribution as it brakes the central focus a bit. The color palette is also a plus as it gives another bit of originality and unique mood to the piece even if it is slightly on a monochromatic side.

What’s missing, and is debatable, is some background sky. We can relate to the kind of mood Derek went for but still feel this would have been a much stronger piece with a suitable sky to support it.

Derek will get these prizes

• Stack! Studios Felix Render Credits (800 EURO)
• ASGVIS VRay for Rhino (799 USD)
• Design Connected Store Credits (200 EURO)
• VBvisual Cut Outs Complete (349 EURO)
• Exlevel GrowFX 1.4.5 (325 USD)
• Motiva Colimo (139 EURO)
• Refractive Software Octane Render (99 EURO)
• ASAI Architecture in Perspective 23 Catalogue (35 USD)
• ASAI Architecture in Perspective 24 Catalogue (35 USD)

Derek’s WIP Thread | Derek’s Making of tutorial

3nd Runner Up, Micael Dillner

Micael submitted a great moody, painterly image with a fantastic technical execution, interesting design (though only moderately HOVER-like) and great light. Still, The final selected POV and composition took away from it a ranking or two. The concept is great, the hovering elements are there and a storm is coming – And yet, all gets frozen by the very static central composition where the structure is too small to take importance over the emptiness that is around it.

We would have really loved to see some more dynamic angles of this great piece.

Micael will get these prizes

• Stack! Studios Felix Render Credits (600 EURO)
• ArtVPS Shaderlight for 3ds Max (450 USD)
• Exlevel GrowFX 1.4.5 (325 USD)
• Solid Iris Technologies Thea Render + 2 plugins (235 EURO)
• VBvisual Textures Complete (149 EURO)
• E-On Software Carbon Scatter (TBD)
• Motiva Colimo (139 EURO)
• ASAI Architecture in Perspective 23 Catalogue (35 USD)
• ASAI Architecture in Perspective 24 Catalogue (35 USD)

Micael’s WIP Thread | Micael’s Making of tutorial (coming soon)

4th Runner Up, Jamie Holmes

Jamie had one of the more interesting & unique concepts for HOVER, and he managed to realize it rather well. We appreciate very much the vertical framing as it emphasizes the HOVERING elements of the design. Jamie showcases a complex situation, borderline chaotic, but still very well balanced by the POV and overall composition.

When first looking at the image the eyes are led by the reddish, rusty bridge to the vertical structure… so the void under the bridge and vertical elements create a sensation of height which is then “seeded” with the HOVERING, floating spaces. It is very interesting to see how the light flows inside being filtered by the dwellings. The

What takes a bit from the composition is the background vegetation, as it closes the view making it even more cluttered. Having it further away with some more sky visible would have added even more to the concept and end result.

Jamie will get these prizes

• Solid Iris Technologies Thea Render + 2 plugins (235 EURO)
• Informatix Piranesi 2010 Lite (350 USD)
• Exlevel GrowFX 1.4.5 (325 USD)
• Motiva Colimo (139 EURO)
• VBvisual Cut Outs Special Pack (89 EURO)
• ASAI Architecture in Perspective 23 Catalogue (35 USD)

Jamie’s WIP Thread | Jamie’s Making of tutorial

5th Runner Up, Julio Cayetano

Excellent HOVERING concept and color palette with a very nice overall composition too. The image is dynamic and the placement of elements leads the eye slowly upwards to the main structure. HOVERING here is well perceived on the obvious visible part of the structure… but what we like better is the sensation on how this must HOVER over the other (not visible) side… looking towards the distant focal point.

The rain drops in this scene are’t needed and actually took away from the image a little. Also the size of some textures (specially the wall in front) and elements like grass and lamps give a little strange scale look to the image.

Julio will get these prizes

• ArtVPS Shaderlight for SketchUP (199 USD)
• Motiva Colimo (139 EURO)
• VBvisual Cut Outs Seasons Pack (89 EURO)
• ASAI Architecture in Perspective 24 Catalogue (35 USD)

Julio’s WIP Thread | Julio’s Making of tutorial

Open Category Awards

We also had 4 more open categories in this challenge: Modeling, Texturing, Lighting and Design. As mentioned above, Benjamin won the Modeling category and Tolgahan won the Design Category. The other two are:

Best Lighting Category – Arkin Adam Esref

There are some flaws in this image we wish weren’t there (the puzzling line in the sky for instance and the fuse of the bridge and background tower), but it’s such a striking image with an overwhelming grandeur feel to it. There is nice distribution of warm and cold tones and some clever composition. We like the lighting work in this image very much.

Arkin will get these prizes

• Next Limit Maxwell Render 2.5 (895 EURO)
• Itoo Software Forest Pro 3.4 (200 EURO)

Best Texturing Category – Paul Lecat

This image by Paul offers a very unique atmosphere and sensation. very painterly. The modern HOVERING block stands out in contrast to the classic elements and garden design and it is a successful combination in this image. The composition and framing is nice. Even the fully black parts go well with the general mood. Only the sky is a bit too uniform and the fog blend could have been better… some stronger variance shaping a diagonal visual aid from the right upper corner would have been nice.

Paul will get these prizes

• ASGVIS VRay for SketchUP (799 USD)
• Itoo Software Forest Pro 3.4 (200 EURO)