Visualizing the Future: Digital Animations Enliven Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects’ Designs

Digital animations help Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects and clients see designs in a new light.

There’s nothing quite like walking through a brand-new or freshly restored building for the first time and experiencing the thoughtful Architectur4 and design details in person. But what if you could get close to that feeling before construction is complete?

Thanks to technological advancements, 3D digital animations enable a clearer picture of Architectural concepts. Designers at Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects use this tool as a way to excite owners and community members about projects, but also to clarify their own design visions and better serve their clients.

Digital animation by Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects for Crispus Attucks History and Culture Center in York, Pennsylvania

Rendering more than just a digital animation

Taken literally, digital animations in Architecture are 3D moving designs that allow people to “walk” through a space and interact with it from different angles. In Murphy & Dittenhafer’s case, software like Lumion and Revit enable this process alongside the expertise of Architectural Designers.

But beyond the logistics of the process, these animations serve owners and community members in ways that 2D designs often cannot.

Patrick Ness, Architectural Designer at M&D, says aerial animations often help people better grasp the scale of projects in comparison to surrounding buildings, and moving walkthroughs can better show how natural factors impact the design. For example, Ness says, “You really start to get the feel of the light bouncing off the different materials.”

Naturally, this excites people who are looking forward to seeing finished constructed designs in real life. Architectural Designers at M&D may complete digital animations at different stages of the design process. In the case of the Crispus Attucks project in York, Pennsylvania, M&D created the animation after the groundbreaking as a way to generate excitement in the community and assist in the final design of exhibits and storytelling components. 

“When you show clients, they are pretty wowed by the whole thing,” says Ness. The new Crispus Attucks History and Culture Center building features exhibit spaces over multiple floors. Only animation can capture its true depth.

For projects with moving pieces, moving images make sense

Digital animations help Architects working on projects as much as community members and owners benefiting from them. Reece Gonsar, Architectural Designer at M&D, says, “You can visualize a lot more of what it would actually be like to be in that space.”

That’s helpful for professionals like Gonsar, who can tweak designs throughout the process as they see proposed building elements from new angles.

Forefront of innovation in design

Digital animations are a staple at many Architectural firms. Murphy & Dittenhafer has made sure to take advantage of these technological advancements over the last decade, during which the animation process has increased in quality and speed. 

High-powered computers, the latest software and plugins, and—of course—talented professionals enable outstanding outputs that benefit clients, community members, and Architects alike. Ultimately, digital animations serve the purpose of helping everyone visualize the future.

Like us on Facebook!

---