Lumion 11 Tips for Architects: Rendering with Example Projects

Using Lumion 11 for the first time? Want to learn the basics quickly? Use our Lumion 11 tips from these nine example projects and templates to render beautiful designs within minutes. 

Lumion was created with the sole purpose of removing the stress that comes with rendering. For more than a decade, architects have enjoyed Lumion’s easy learning experience and fast rendering times. Our software’s easy learning curve and real-time feedback makes workflow an enjoyable and efficient process. In fact, importing a CAD model, creating detailed settings for your designs, and rendering a beautiful image, video, or 360 panorama has never been so simple. 

One of the ways that we help you speed up your workflow is by incorporating nine Example Projects and nine Project Templates that are curated to help you get started instantaneously. 

Beginner Tutorials for New Users

Before jumping into the Example Projects, new users can quickly master the software and work comfortably in the 3D environment with the help of the basic tutorials for new users, an interactive tutorial available in Lumion 11 and Lumion 11 Pro.

Lumion 11 Tutorial screenshot

If you’re trying to figure out where to begin, we highly recommend using the beginner tutorials we’ve set up for new users. Our tutorials were created to be interactive in nature in order to help you quickly master the software, as well as work comfortably in a 3D environment. 

Our two current in-program tutorials are Camera Control and Object Placement. You can access these tutorials by going into Lumion’s Build Mode and clicking on the question mark (?) button at the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Lumion’s Nine Example Projects

Lumion’s Example Projects are the perfect platform for new users to learn the basics and hone their rendering skills by incorporating their own styles into the atmosphere and animations.

Browse through our Example Projects to experiment with our software’s Photo, Movie, and 360 Panoramic effects. Curate unique environments and art styles. Play with photorealistic settings and conceptual approaches. Merge your designs with a mix of different effects like animated phasing, orthographic views, and photo matching

The best part about Lumion is that it allows you to express your own creative techniques. 

In this article, we’ll break down our example projects and why they’re so user-friendly. Let’s get started. 

Museum Development

Lumion rendered museum

The Museum Development example project paints the landscape of a sprawling, urban city with its recognizable busy streets and sleek commercial buildings. This project’s model was designed by Obra Visual, and it depicts a polished presence that stands out in the hustle and bustle of a city district. 

While our example project places you in a cold, snowy day, you can choose to submerge the project into a different setting and environment by exploring different animation techniques in Movie Mode, executing different viewpoints through the orthographic view and animated phasing effects, and achieving different rendering results.

Valley Winery

Lumion 11 winery example project

What can make a weekend getaway more relaxing than a few days spent in a winery? This picturesque design was designed by Ten Over Studio, which celebrates the peaceful solitude that comes from being secluded from big cities. Valley Winery is especially beneficial in helping new users learn the art of sculpting various natural environments. 

Through this example project, many architects and designers can utilize Lumion’s content library, which features many fine-detail nature objects. So, go all out! Create beautiful rolling hills and detailed valleys with ambition and gusto. 

Once you’re satisfied with your composition, utilize Photo Mode to capture the winery in the contrasting hues of a sunset, or employ the capabilities of Movie Mode, where you can demonstrate the assembly of the winery through the animated phasing effect. 

Downtown Development

Lumion 11 template example project

This beautiful downtown development project–designed by Ten Over Studio-is the perfect setting for new users to explore an urban residential area. Each element in this project was curated to guide users in rendering under medium to low-light conditions, whilst simultaneously navigating a hectic metropolis. 

We can’t wait to see how you can further strengthen your animation skills that this energetic location brings. 

Glass House

Lumion 11 glass house example project

Glass House is one of our favorite example projects. When the user first enters the project, they’ll be greeted by an elegant, minimalist setting. As you can see, each component of this house retains the essence behind the minimalist concept, which is well demonstrated through the large windows, clean lines, and comfortable furniture. 

By using Glass House, you can create a stunningly realistic render of a tranquil abode. While you’re amidst your explorations, feel free to add in our weather, atmospheric lighting, or volumetric fire effects to discover the different ways you can change the ambience of your renders.

Villa Cabrera

Lumion 11 villa example project

There’s a reason why Villa Cabrera has been a staple in our example project library–-its classy architecture and relaxing locale create an excellent setting for you to master residential rendering. 

Pro tip: While the Cabrera design is perfect for grasping various camera angles and animation paths, it’s also notably a good base for you to learn more about the orthographic view effect. In fact, each floor makes it easy to explore the plan and elevation views of the house.

Farnsworth House

Lumion 11 Farnsworth example project

Farnsworth House, created by Mies Van Der Rohe, is a beautiful piece of architecture in a two major ways: 

1. Its design is simplistic in nature, but inherently appreciable.

2. Each open space in the house allows interior designers to create a fun home experience.

Farnsworth is not only critically acclaimed, but also perfect for experimenting with our new Rain Streaks and Precipitation effect. Benefit from the house’s large, clear windows to capture various rainy days in their different stages.

Residential Home

Lumion 11 residential home example

Looking to explore rendering your designs in a quaint, suburban neighborhood? Well, our Residential Home example project–designed by Dutch architects at Van Manen–allows you the room to experiment with Lumion’s nature and fine-detail nature objects. 

By immersing your building render into a well-planned suburban scape, you can demonstrate your designs like a real-life photograph! 

Villa in Casale

Villa in Casale is another example of a beautifully designed contemporary home. The villa, designed by Lumion user Marco Caccini, is charmingly surrounded and shrouded by a richly detailed natural environment. As a new user, you can utilize this contemporary building to learn more about what makes a residential design come to life in a render. Each element, from Casale’s spotlights to its carefully arranged landscape, plays a part in creating a uniquely balanced ecosystem of realism. 

Once you’re satisfied with the composition of your project, you can choose to render it at different times in the day using Movie Mode. Test out Real Skies’ capabilities by immersing Casale amidst a stunningly starry night or bathing it under the dreaminess of an evening’s glow.

Beach House

Our Beach House example project, designed by visualization studio Pixel-Head Studio, provides you with the opportunity to explore using displacement maps to make realistic materials.

Bring your designs to life with Lumion 11

Rendering doesn’t have to be a tedious task. Lumion was created with the goal of giving users an enjoyable rendering experience, where architects and designers could produce stunning renders easily and efficiently.

Want to experience Lumion for yourself? Download our 14-day free trial. 

Andie Phoon

Andie Phoon

Digital Marketing Lead