Rendering in Archicad: From White Models to 360° VR Experiences

Rendering has become an essential part of architectural design communication. Beyond technical drawings and BIM models, clients expect to see visuals that bring their projects to life. Archicad offers a flexible set of rendering tools that allow architects to create everything from simple white model studies to immersive 360° VR panoramas — all without leaving the BIM environment.

Why Use White Renders?

White renders are a powerful tool in the design process:

• Focus on Form & Light – By removing textures and materials, the emphasis is placed on massing, shadows, and spatial qualities.

• Early Stage Communication – White renders are perfect for concept design presentations when materials are not yet defined.

• Clean & Professional Aesthetic – Many clients appreciate the simplicity and clarity of a white render as a design study.

At our studio, we always use white renders as a first step before developing high-end CGIs. This allows both the design team and the client to focus on space, light, and proportions without distraction. Only once these fundamentals are confirmed do we move to detailed material studies and final photorealistic visuals.

360° Renders for VR Glasses

To go a step further, Archicad enables the creation of 360° panorama renders, which can be viewed on VR glasses such as Meta Quest. This provides:

• Immersive Client Presentations – Clients can “stand inside” their future space before construction.

• Better Spatial Understanding – Moving beyond static images, VR panoramas give a true sense of scale and proportion.

• Accessible Workflow – 360° renders can be exported directly as panoramic images and uploaded to simple VR viewers or cloud platforms.

VR Glasses experience

Batch Rendering in Archicad

For larger projects or when multiple images are required, Archicad allows architects to set up batch rendering. This means you can:

• Queue up a series of white renders, perspective views, or 360° panoramas.

• Run them automatically overnight, letting the computer handle the workload.

• Arrive in the morning with a full set of high-quality renders ready for client presentations.

Batch rendering is an efficient way to manage time, especially on projects where multiple iterations or viewpoints are needed.

Cost Savings in the Long Run

By using Archicad’s native rendering tools — including white renders, high-end CGIs, and VR panoramas — practices can avoid purchasing separate rendering software or external licenses. This means one subscription covers both BIM authoring and visualisation, reducing long-term costs and streamlining workflows under a single platform.

Productivity & Workflow Benefits

Keeping the entire process inside one platform like Archicad not only reduces costs, it also speeds up the workflow. There’s no need to export files, manage external plug-ins, or learn additional rendering software. This integrated approach enhances productivity, cuts down on repetitive tasks, and ultimately reduces the overall time spent on a project — giving architects more freedom to focus on design quality and client collaboration.

Workflow Overview

1. White Render:

   
   

   • Use Graphic Overrides → Apply a “White Model” scheme.

   • Render with CineRender/Redshift for quick yet sharp outputs.

   
   

2. 360° Panorama:

   
   

   • From the 3D View, choose “CineRender” and set output type to Panorama.

   • Export as JPEG/PNG and upload to VR viewing platforms (or directly to a VR headset).

   
   

3. Batch Rendering:

   
   

   • Set up views and scenes in the Publisher Set.

   • Select multiple renders and run the batch overnight.

   
   

Conclusion

Whether you are preparing a minimal white render for design review, a 360° VR panorama for immersive client experiences, or a batch of high-quality images generated while you sleep, Archicad provides all the tools inside the BIM environment. By starting with white renders before high-end CGIs, relying on Archicad’s native rendering engine, and keeping the workflow inside a single platform, you can save money, speed up processes, and enhance productivity — delivering high-quality results faster and more efficiently.