Development
How computer-generated images help at design stage, with planners and funders, and in selling homes off-plan.
Kisiel Group
30 June 2021
Have you thought of using CGI to help your scheme through planning? CGI is often treated as an extra cost not worth including in the budget, but the benefits can save both time and money.
Computer-generated imagery (CGI) uses computer graphics to create images. Property CGI is increasingly sophisticated, with 360-degree renders and virtual reality tours.
For developers it brings the architect’s drawings to life, and with more meetings held online it helps people quickly understand the concept of a scheme.
The same images can be used for several purposes, making CGI a versatile tool.
2D drawings become realistic images, so you can test materials and textures before choosing what works best. It speeds up finalising the specification, and you see the result before a single brick is laid.
CGI shows how the scheme fits in with surrounding buildings. Planners are more likely to engage with a design they can see rather than just a drawing, and the advantage far outweighs the cost.
Anything that makes it easier to pitch for finance helps. You are selling the concept to equity partners and lenders as well as planners.
Not everyone can picture a building from a drawing. CGI shows buyers a realistic exterior and helps them imagine the interior. Interiors can be dressed with furniture, and virtual tours let buyers walk through rooms long before completion, which supports off-plan sales.
When applying for planning permission, the key is showing how the scheme benefits the area. Tell a story that takes the planning officer on a journey so they believe in the scheme.
CGI can show the development in its wider setting from different angles, then zoom in on the building itself. Trees, cars and people at scale make it realistic, and you can show day and night views and how sunlight moves across the site.
CGI can seem expensive, but it is much cheaper than a physical model and can be changed quickly.
With a unique design, you can’t take photos until the building is finished. CGI lets you:
You don’t need an in-house team, as many companies offer CGI as and when you need it, and the images are quick to share.
People often buy with their emotions and use logic to justify the decision. CGI speaks to the emotional side and helps you sell your scheme to anyone.
Tell us about it. You will speak to the people who make the decisions.
