For decades, 3D graphics were reserved for powerful computers that could process multiple gigabytes of data at a time. Today, almost any device that can connect to the web can load virtual tours and render 3D experiences. These advances are especially exciting for architects, contractors and developers in commercial real estate, who can now take everything from blueprints to napkin drawings and see them come to life in virtual and augmented reality. 

Advancements in 3D technology are set to transform how these assets can be utilized in real estate marketing. 3D and virtual reality services turn architectural drawings into customizable virtual tours of entire properties, allowing companies to begin marketing long before construction is completed and breathe new life and purpose into old marketing assets. 

“Brand-new marketing tools can be created out of assets that seemed to have already served their purpose,” said Yavuz Goncu, HighRock's director of 3D technology. “Computer-aided design and Building Information Modeling files, fabric samples or even napkin drawings can be all it takes to create a stunning 3D or VR piece to showcase a piece of furniture, a room or even a whole building.”

Goncu said auto manufacturers were the first to adopt 3D technology as a marketing tool. By converting renderings of cars into 3D graphics, auto designers gave users the ability to change finishes, navigate between the exterior and interior of vehicles and get a sense of their potential future car before ever setting foot in a dealership. 

That same strategy is overhauling marketing for commercial real estate. Instead of setting up a traditional sales galley where potential tenants tour a single staged room, developers can use HighRock’s 3D and VR services to offer virtual tours of both the exterior and the entire interior of a building, all well ahead of its launch. 

“Long before construction is completed, developers can start marketing their new spaces and leasing up their buildings,” said Bryan Brown, a 3D and VR artist at HighRock. “When you start early, you can play around with customization and determine what the final product will look like before you commit to it.”

Goncu said 3D tools allow developers and prospective tenants to edit and customize their projects in real time. From design changes and finish options to test fits and space plans, VR platforms offer an extensive list of selectable features that can be changed in real time, right from the web. 

Unlike traditional renderings, VR tools offer developers a nearly endless supply of angles and views to show off their projects — there is no need to pay for additional renderings. Months or even years after a 3D rendering is completed, developers can simply grab high-resolution photography from within the VR experience and quickly and easily build a presentation full of views from the project, with no delays on delivery, that can be viewed on almost any device. 

“We are utilizing cutting-edge technology to deliver high-end output to the web, which means you can experience and interact with 3D information anywhere: on your phone, desktop, tablet or my personal favorite — a VR headset,” Brown said. 

Goncu said many developers already have the assets to make these 3D experiences, including architectural drawings and renderings.

“Many developers are already sitting on these assets, but they’re going unused,” Goncu said. “They just need the right 3D and VR services to bring them to life.”

This feature was produced by Bisnow Branded Content in collaboration with HighRock. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.