Jiří and Ondřej Slowík

A unique library of 3D materials: a Czech project with a global reach

Brothers Jiří and Ondřej Slowík share not only a fraternal relationship, but also a common interest in architecture. Both of them successfully graduated from Brno University of Technology and already during their studies they co-founded the architectural studio Tvary . During years of  professional practice as  architects, however, they often encountered insufficient data and a wide range from which to select quality materials for their concepts. Because they are both near- perfectionists, they wanted their concepts to be as realistic as possible . “Visualization is clearly the best tool for presenting ideas to the client. For effective work, we need to have textures and 3D models ready, ideally from real manufacturers, so that the client can have a clear and convincing vision based on real products, “ says the younger of the brothers, Jiří.

 

Jiří and Ondřej Slowík

Jiří and Ondřej Slowík ,co- founders of the Real World Textures project

 

Although well-prepared quality concepts with recognized brand names save architects time ,  and are compatible with high-quality 3D models , manufacturers of surfaces are rarely able to  offer these treasures. And this is exactly what the young architects decided to change: “For a long time there was no universal standard for describing materials in 3D. However, with the advent of the PBR standard, this has changed, as it enables universal work with materials in various 3D applications from game engines to CAD systems. In addition, it is flexible and easy to work with, so even an amateur is able to achieve a realistic result. However, none of the available libraries of PBR materials contain digitized products are actually available on the market. We would like to fill this gap and therefore  decided to create the Reawote web application , which catalogs digitized  materials from real manufacturers, “ explains Ondřej.

 

Scanning of the surface of engineered Technistone® stone Pearl Lava

Scanning of the surface of engineered Technistone® stone, the process which results in a finished 3D model of the material. (Pearl Lava, Technistone®)

 

The biggest advantages of the material library are the time saved,hundreds of digitized materials on offer  from manufacturers from all over the world and the quality of materials for visualization corresponding to current and future trends in 3D.

In the library you will find practically any surface material from stones, paving, tiling, fabrics, wallpaper, wood veneers and floors, vinyls, concrete, carpets, plasters, screeds, to materials such as roof tiles or gravel. It also offers 3D models of real products and HDRi maps to illuminate scenes. At the same time, the library continues to grow with new brands that may be of interest to architects and designers.

 

Pearl Lava countertop in the kitchen

Application of 3D decor in visualization (Pearl Lava, Technistone®)

 

All published materials in the library are subjected to usage tests , to enable the library  to guarantee their quality.

An architect or designer can realistically display materials already in the visualization, which on the one hand allows him to quickly test his design in various material combinations, and at the same time saves time that he would spend walking around showrooms. Another benefit of working with the library is also gaining direct access to the manufacturer’s website, which is listed along with each material. The architect can thus directly communicate with the  selected companies and the lengthy search for new suppliers is eliminated.

 

Crystal Anthracite Pure

The perfect world of 3D models or when vision and reality meet. (Crystal Anthracite Pure, Technistone®)

 

PBR materials are one of the most popular things for creating 3D visualizations. The library has a high potential to become a very sought after  platform, which architects and designers from all over the world will visit for quality materials for their 3D presentations.

The main goal of the project is to create a place on the Internet where there will be hundreds of 3D materials from manufacturers around the world. The user will be able to quickly view and select materials, try them out in their 3D presentation and communicate with relevant companies.

“Companies usually focus on having support materials on their sites. However, from the point of view of the person working on the design, it is inefficient. Imagine you are an architect and you need some design fabric from a manufacturer. You will probably type keywords into Google, such as design, fabrics, and more. You will get hundreds of irrelevant results. Once you reach the manufacturer’s website with good fabrics, you will spend more time looking for the download button, and once you download the supporting material, you will find that it cannot be used in the visualization. So 30 minutes of your time will be wasted. At the same time, if the support materials are on the manufacturer’s website, you can download them only if you know the manufacturer and know who you are looking for. In our application, it will be exactly the opposite. Supporting materials will be an advertising channel for manufacturers, ”  Ondřej describes the daily struggle of most architects.

Reawote will therefore provide companies with complete services in the area of creating 3D textures. The whole process usually takes 3 to 6 hours for one material. It includes high-resolution scanning and post-processing, which involves creating endless textures and processing maps of all material properties such as reflection, macro-texture, micro-texture and more.

All architects of the Tvary studio use 3D materials in their daily work in designing their projects. “Today, the work of an architect is unthinkable without quality photorealistic visualization. Gone are the days when architects claimed it didn’t matter. The difference is that you show the client an image that communicates a whole much better than the project philosophy, sketches and drawings. It is not for nothing that the biggest studios such as Zaha Hadid, Foster and partners and others invest in  quality visualizations  assets, ” concludes Ondřej.

 

All Technistone® decors are available for download here.