There's Something about Archviz

22/06/2022

The newest installment of the series is now available on YouTube and all your favourite podcasting platforms!

This time we discuss remote work in archviz from the perspective of a company that has almost completely ditched the physical office. All links are in the first comment!

Our industry has very mixed stances when it comes to remote work. I've had many conversations about that these two years and heard many different opinions and I've been setting up my own home office myself way before the pandemic started.

However, today I'm giving the spotlight to Massimiliano Napoli, Head of Still Images Production at Diorama. Diorama has always looked at remote work as a feasible business model, but the pandemic has pushed them to go full remote.

In this episode, we go deeper into it and discuss the lessons Diorama has learned from the pandemic in managing remote work, but also its limitations, especially when it comes to integrating junior and entry-level artists. We also go through some info on their technical setup for remote work and talk a lot about teamwork and the power of freelancing connected to their business model.

14/03/2022

Archviz friends! There's Something about Archviz is back on YouTube and your favorite podcasting apps after a couple of months' break for Season 2! (all links in the first comment)

We're starting off with an amazing talk with Francisco Tirado, Visual Art Manager at Cobe , with a focus on what is it like to work as in-house archviz artist.

I think this was a long-overdue discussion. Despite the fact that they are a consistent part of our industry, in-house archviz artists don't really get the recognition they deserve.

Expectations in architecture offices can be very high. In-house artists get a lot of pressure upon their shoulders, but in most cases, they don't have the possibility to work at the pace or with the conditions that archviz firms would enforce.

Francisco and I discussed this and much more. We went through his, background, through how he wins the trust of the design team when doing images and how he manages expectations. And we also discussed how to detach yourself emotionally from the work that you do, in order to keep your mental health in such a fast-paced work environment.

Enjoy the episode!

21/12/2021

The winter break draws near, but before we all go on a well-deserved break, I wanted to leave you with the last episode for Season 1 of There's Something about Archviz.

For this episode, I wanted to shuffle things a little bit. To begin with, I conceived this episode with Georgi Lechtarski from The Creative Insider. As for the episode itself... well, this time I'll be the guest of my own podcast!

So, what are we going to talk about?

In August 2021, I hopped on the virtual stage of D2 Conferences, where I delivered a talk on the topic of mental health in our industry.

This is something that involves me directly, as I suffered from burnout and depression connected to the work that I do. However, mental ill-being issues are more common than we want to tell ourselves in our industry, so I'm trying to spread awareness on the topic through my experience.

In today's episode, I delve a bit deeper into my experience with burnout and depression, how I realized I was going through a difficult time in my life, and why things were like that. I describe what were the manifestations of this ill-being, and how perfectionism, how social media played into that, and finally, I also talk about how I fought back and what I learned in the process.

Just a final word: all we're saying in this episode is not meant to be medical advice. Our experiences will most likely be different, and if you're going through a hard time in your life, I encourage you to consult a doctor and plan the best course of action for you.

If you feel like reaching out and sharing your experience, write me at [email protected]. I'm always happy when people talk openly about mental health in our field, that's the only way we can change things in a tangible way.

04/11/2021

One of the things we tend to forget the most about archviz, is that it is a service industry, and managing people – whether it’s clients or teams, is a pretty important part of what we do.

At the core of this, there’s always smooth communication. But how should we manage the expectations of our clients, and how do we build a positive dynamic with internal and external teams?

In the final episode of Season 1 of There's Something about Archviz, I’ve asked these questions and much more to Anna Perela, chartered Architect and Head of Planning at Cityscape Digital in London.

In this episode, we go through her background and the self-reflection process that lead her to embrace the managing side of our industry a what is it like to be a Head of Planning.

Check out the first link in the comments and listen to the episode now! 👇

21/09/2021

Last we left off...

In the last episode of There's Something about Archviz, I had the pleasure to speak to Lisa Della Dora from Render IT about developing transversal skills as archviz artist.

This is a full-fledged discovery process, and it all starts with self discovery and by looking at what makes you curious and excited outside your job.

Haven't listened to the episode yet? Check out the bio and use the links to listen on YouTube or your favorite podcasting app!

PS: Yup, I'm back! And new episodes will drop VERY soon. Stay tuned! ;)

14/06/2021

What opportunities do archviz artists have outside image-making? How to discover and pursue new passions, interests, build side activities, and even additional income streams?

Episode 10 of the "There's Something about Archviz" podcast aims to provoke thought and push 3D artists to explore new activities that while being still linked to archviz, are not strictly image-making, which is especially important in an age like ours where work and skills have become so fluid.

In order to help me explore this topic, I had Lisa Della Dora on the show, an exemplary case of a 3D Artist developing transversal skills. Besides working as a Senior Artist for Bloomimages, Lisa runs since 2017 Render IT!, a collection of over 40 interviews with Italian 3D artists, which developed into a thriving community. Since 2020 she also joined the Master In Digital Architecture (MADI) at the University of Venice as an Art Director, kicking off her teaching career.

We discuss why is it worth it to explore side activities as an archviz artist, how to manage time in pursuing these new projects, while also touching on the topic of working from home and how to adapt to this new normality.

Listen to the episode on YouTube or your favorite podcasting platform.

All links in the comments!

27/04/2021

In the latest episode of "There's Something about Archviz", Elena V Miller gave some precious advice to women willing to join the archviz industry.

No need to sugarcoat this, being a woman in a male-dominated industry can be tough. But that doesn't mean your opinion, ideas, or skills are worth less consideration.

Be loud.

Stand up for yourself.

22/04/2021

It's been a while, but Episode 09 is at long last out! I’ve been thinking to touch on this topic for a while now, and today I finally got the chance to discuss gender equality, balance, and diversity issues in our industry with creative director Elena V Miller.

Historically, archviz has been a very male-heavy industry, and last statistics from 2016 tell us that women represented only 7% percent of the workforce in archviz.

I believe that the more diverse is a field, and this is especially true in creative professions, the more that field is a thriving one.

So I decided to have Elena on the show and discuss why women are so underrepresented in archviz, and what can we do to encourage more to join the profession.

In our conversation, we discussed how Women in Archviz started, what are the main struggles that women face in archviz, and in which ways the industry could do better in order to improve inclusivity and equality.

As always, you can catch up with our conversation on YouTube or your favorite podcasting app. Link in the comments down below! 👇

04/03/2021

Lucia Frascerra joins me for Episode 08 of the "There's Something about Archviz" podcast. If you're currently looking for a job position in the industry this is the episode you don't want to miss!

Lucia brought the story of how her passion for archviz pushed her to challenge her assumptions about herself, and how she went from living in a small town in Tuscany to working for some of the biggest names in archviz.

Through her work experience at DBOX, Cityscape Digital and Secchi Smith, she has experienced the archviz job market from several different angles. Our conversation revolved indeed on how her responsibilities changed when shifting from a role to another and moving between companies of different sizes.

We also discussed very important topics for any job-hunting archviz artist, such as the personal skills and the attitude to show for a successful career in archviz, and what companies expect from a candidate and their portfolio.

As always, check it out on your favorite platform by following the link down below!

18/02/2021

Episode 07 of the "There's Something about Archviz" podcast is out! This time I had the pleasure and honor to chat with Fabio D'Agnano, Director of the Master Architettura Digitale Iuav. Head over to the comment box for all the links.

Fabio helped me shedding light on the current status of education and training in archviz. It was a much-needed conversation especially during these days, with the pandemic bringing to the surface so much online educational content for archviz artists.

In this episode, we discuss why it is worth pursuing formal education in archviz and why we should go beyond the excessive technical focus in programs and courses. We also talk about the power of networking, the future of online learning, what makes a teacher great, and much more related to how our profession has evolved in time.

08/02/2021

Among the many interesting points raised by Mike Golden in Episode 06 of There's Something about Archviz, we discussed the differences in how clients and artists actually perceive the quality of our work, and how it plays into our self-confidence when presenting our work to clients.

Although great work is becoming the norm in our industry, not all clients will appreciate all the nuances and artistic values we put into our work, and that's ok. When clients speak to us, the quality of our work is not up for discussion, since they're already happy with what they've seen on your website or portfolio.

Therefore, our goal is to deliver those results and make sure a client is happy at the end of the project. This takes more than artistic or technical skills and involves honed management and communication skills.

Listen to the latest episode now. Link in the comment box!

04/02/2021

No, you're not seeing double!

Over the course of the past few weeks, I've released an incredibly insightful conversation with Mike Golden (aka Droquis) on how to run a one-man show in the field of archviz.
We've recorded two episodes on lessons learned, mindset, and so much more.

If you're a freelancer or thinking of starting your own studio, you definitely don't wanna miss it!

All links in the comment box!

04/02/2021

15/01/2021

In Episode No.04 of There's Something about Archviz (linktr.ee/somethingaboutarchviz), Ruggero Pedrini and Beatrice Piola from Barcode Architects described how their department used AR in a fun and educational way to present Casanova, a residential tower in Rotterdam designed by their office

In June 2019, the Digital Architecture Department at Barcode Architects designed an Augmented Reality experience in the form of a smartphone app named W65. The app was specifically developed for the Dag van de Architectuur (Day of Architecture), a yearly event held in Rotterdam introducing the citizens to the present and future architecture of the city.

Discover more on the latest episode of the podcast ;)

12/01/2021

Architectural visualization artists working in-house for architectural companies are a very large part of our industry, albeit a very underrepresented one.

In Episode No. 04 of There's Something about Archviz I had the chance to sit with Ruggero Pedrini and Beatrice Piola from Barcode Architects and exchange ideas on how to improve the workflow of in-house visualization teams.

07/01/2021

In the first episode of There’s Something about Archviz of 2021 I’m joined by Ruggero Pedrini and Beatrice Piola from the Digital Architecture Department of Barcode Architects, an international architecture and urban design practice based in Rotterdam. All links below in the comments! 👇

Although they form a large and underrepresented part of our industry, archviz artists working as in-house employees for architecture firms have usually much less exposure, so I was really glad to sit with them for this conversation.

In our chat, Ruggero and Beatrice told me how their department has carved out space to pursue research and development activity, how they push the result of their experiments to the design team and why it's important not to give certain workflows and technologies for granted when working in-house. We also delved into how they used AR to present in a fun and engaging way Casanova, a residential tower in Rotterdam which is one of the main ongoing projects designed by Barcode Architects.

06/01/2021

Hey people, I'm back! Hope you've had a great holiday time!
There's Something about Archviz is ready to get back in action, and I'm dropping the first podcast episode of 2021 tomorrow January 7.

In the meantime, catch up with the latest episodes on YouTube or your favorite podcasting app. All links down below. 👇

- Federico

23/12/2020

There's Something about Archviz goes on a winter break! This is the last episode before returning in 2021 with great guests and topics. Go ahead and listen here 👉 http://linktr.ee/somethingaboutarchviz

No interview today, this is a personal audio log on my 2020 tale. Inner struggles, mental health, and future plans for "There's Something about Archviz" are at the core of this short episode.

Kind of a personal recording, but I really felt the need to make a recollection of what happened in this hell of a year.

See you guys in 2021 and have a wonderful time with your dear ones 🎄

17/12/2020

A few stills from Landmark, the first architectural short film by Beauty And The Bit

Born as a passion project, Landmark helped pivot the Spanish office towards new type of projects outside the strict realm of archviz.

In Episode 03 of There's Something about Archviz, Victor Bonafonte and I discuss the Inception of Landmark, what it is inspired by, and much more.

Check the latest episode here! 👉 linktr.ee/somethingaboutarchviz

15/12/2020

In Episode 03 of There's Something about Archviz, Victor Bonafonte from Beauty and The Bit outlines the discovery process that led the company to develop a new cinematographic approach to architectural animation.

Their research is deeply rooted in Victor's belief that our commitment as artists is to experiment with different tools and techniques, and never get stuck in a rut in doing the same thing every day.

Listen to the episode in full here 👉https://linktr.ee/somethingaboutarchviz

10/12/2020

Episode 03 of There's Something about Archviz is out in the wild... and believe me, you definitely don't want to miss it out! 👉 https://lnkd.in/gWJA7WZ

This time I have the honor and the pleasure of having on the show Victor Bonafonte Morales, co-founder of one of the most successful architectural communication firms on the scene, Beauty And The Bit

In our chat, we explored how Victor's passion for movies influenced and pushed him to develop a cinematographic language for architectural animation, his sources of inspiration, why we shouldn’t be ashamed to show our knowledge and culture as creative professionals to our clients, and so much more.

Enjoy the episode!

03/12/2020

A healthy reality check from Fabio Palvelli coming straight from Episode 02 of “There’s Something about Archviz”, available here 👉 https://linktr.ee/somethingaboutarchviz

Crafting stunning images is at the core of what we do, however it is not enough to win a client or make them happy.
Good communication, building relationships, a solid media presence managing a team are and will always be key elements to run a successful archviz business.

This and much more about how to stand out in the eyes of your clients in the latest episode of the podcast!

26/11/2020

Fabio Palvelli the guest of Episode #02 of "There's Something about Archviz"! Follow the link and check out the episode on your favourite podcasting app! 👉 https://buff.ly/3l8qs81

If you've been in the archviz industry for more than a couple of months you've probably already seen , or at least heard about Fabio! Heis the co-founder of the D2 Conferences, the world's largest archviz event.
He is mostly known for his YouTube channel and his videos on the business of design. However, his main activity relies on consulting archviz companies and freelancers and guiding them on business-related matters.

We enjoyed a lengthy talk on how freelancers and archviz firms can try to differentiate themselves in the eyes of a client in an industry like ours, where tools are so readily accessible and great images are getting easier and easier to achieve.

Enjoy the talk!

22/11/2020

A few stills from Stalker directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, one of the inspirations mentioned by of in Episode 01 of There’s Something About Archviz.

Stalker is not a movie for everybody. It is an experience more than an art film, a visual journey exploring psychological and philosophical themes through a sci-fi thread.

17/11/2020

In Episode #01 of "There's Something about Archviz", of took us on a journey on how we instinctually read and perceive images.

Just to mention one, have you ever wondered why we stop scrolling our Instagram feed on certain images? We discussed this and much more in the latest episode of the podcast!

12/11/2020

Episode #01 of “There’s Something about Archviz” is finally out, and honestly, I couldn’t think of a better way to start!

For this first episode I’m joined by Paolo Zambrini of ENGRAM Studio, EIDO and HERE, a veteran of the industry and one of the most influential people on the scene of archviz in Italy.

Paolo took me in a journey into the principles of image reading, while explaining why ‘storytelling’ in archviz is not such a simple deal as many artists think. You definitely don’t want to miss this one!

Check it out on all major podcasting apps! 👉https://linktr.ee/somethingaboutarchviz

08/11/2020

Four more days to go!

And before we get the show going, I just wanted to tell you people who am I :)

My name is Federico Biancullo, and I'll be your host in this journey! I'm the founder and director of , a boutique visualization firm based in Bologna, Italy. I'm also a content creator in the field of architectural representation, and the founder of .blog, which focuses on helping architects and student with the representation of their projects and their professional development.

"There's Something about Archviz" is the next step in my learning path in archviz, and a way to fight isolation and reconnect in times of lockdown. Hope you'll follow me in this journey!

05/11/2020

Hey, thanks for being here! You stumbled upon the home of "There's Something about Archviz", a series of informal conversations with leaders from the archviz industry and experts.

The goal? Providing you with useful insight and knowledge on a variety of different topics connected to our profession.

Check out the podcast teaser on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts (link in info!), and stay tuned!

The first episode is going online on November 12, in the meantime, stick around in the next few days to know what awaits you on "There's Something about Archviz!" ;)

05/11/2020