The plan involves the development of a so-called solar carport: a canopy above the parking spaces, with solar panels mounted on a supporting frame structure. This gives the parking area a dual purpose. Cars can be parked underneath the structure, while the space above is used to generate solar energy.
Commissioned by The Green World Company, we visualized the proposed solar carport within the existing surroundings of Bonaire International Airport. A structure of this scale has a noticeable presence in its environment. As a result, its design—and particularly the choice of colors for the supporting frame—has a significant impact on how the solar carport is ultimately perceived.
To properly assess these design choices, it is important not only to view them in drawings, but also to see them within the actual environment. Our visualizations show how the different design options relate to the existing surroundings and how the choices made affect the final appearance.
o provide the most reliable representation possible of the impact the solar carport will have on its surroundings, we used 360-degree panoramic photography on location. From two carefully selected viewpoints at Bonaire International Airport, the existing environment was captured in full 360 degrees.
These photographs form the basis for the final visualizations. The 3D model of the solar carport was then accurately integrated into the 360-degree images.
This involves much more than simply placing a 3D model in the correct position. Scale, perspective, viewing height, lighting, and the integration with the existing surroundings all need to align correctly. Only then can an image be created in which the future situation appears to be a natural part of the existing photograph.
It is precisely this combination of 360-degree photography and accurate 3D integration that makes it possible to present a design in a realistic and recognizable way.
From both locations, we developed three different scenarios for the solar carport in addition to the existing situation. The shape, position, and layout of the structure remain the same in each scenario. The main difference between the scenarios is the color of the frame supporting the solar panels.
By viewing all three variants from exactly the same position and within the same existing environment, the differences become immediately visible and easy to compare.
This is important because a color or material can look very different on a technical drawing or color sample than when applied to a large structure in its actual surroundings. Its relationship with surrounding buildings, cars, paving, vegetation, and other elements ultimately influences how the design is perceived.
The visualizations therefore turn a relatively abstract design choice into something very tangible: what will each variant actually look like on site?
At The Imagineers, we see realism as more than just a way to create an attractive visualization. Above all, it is an important tool for assessing and communicating a design as reliably as possible.
A good visualization should therefore not make the future situation look better than it will actually be. Instead, it should provide a credible representation of what the completed project will look like.
How large is the structure in relation to the cars parked underneath it? How high will the roof with solar panels appear within the surrounding environment? How does the solar carport relate to the existing buildings? And what effect does the color of the supporting structure have on the overall appearance?
These are questions that can be difficult to answer from a drawing alone, but become clear almost immediately in a realistic 360-degree visualization.
An important advantage of visualizing a design within 360-degree photography is that the existing environment remains recognizable. Viewers do not need to be able to interpret technical drawings or complex 3D models to understand the design. They see the location as it exists today, with the future situation integrated into it.
This makes this type of visualization valuable during different phases of a project. The images can be used internally to compare design choices, but also to help clients, decision-makers, and other stakeholders understand what the future situation could look like.
The project at Bonaire International Airport is a good example of this. From two locations, we visualized the existing situation alongside three different design scenarios. This provides insight not only into what will be realized, but more importantly into how it could ultimately be experienced on site.
And that is precisely where we see the value of realistic 3D visualization: bridging the gap between plan and reality as effectively as possible.