A good visualization tells a story. It not only shows what an environment might look like in the future, but also helps make its atmosphere, use, and experience tangible. Sometimes the greatest impact lies in the smallest details — one of those seemingly minor additions is the inclusion of moving people in three-dimensional environments.
While a static image mainly shows the physical space, moving people bring a sense of dynamism and familiarity. A family walking down the street, a cyclist passing by, or children playing in a square — these everyday elements instantly create a different experience. The viewer doesn’t just see a street or a park, but recognizes something of their own life in it. That makes the future not only visible, but also imaginable.
Moving people add emotion to visuals. They show whether a place feels cozy, calm, or lively. Where a map or sketch often remains distant, these subtle additions make a plan understandable and tangible. The difference between an empty street and one filled with movement is the difference between looking and experiencing.
In urban development, this adds real value. Whether it’s a new residential area, the redesign of a station district, or a dike reinforcement project—stakeholders want to know not only what it will look like, but also how it will feel. Moving people help make plans more accessible and clearly show the future livability of an area.
The technology behind these realistic additions is just as fascinating. We use Unreal Engine, a leading platform for real-time 3D visualization. This technology allows us to add motion, interaction, and detail in a highly realistic way. Originally developed for the gaming industry, Unreal Engine has proven its worth in urban development and infrastructure as well. It enables us not just to show visualizations, but to let people experience them—as if they were walking through the environment themselves.
Imagine a visualization of a new neighborhood or street. At first, you see empty spaces and unfamiliar plots. Once moving people are added, the experience changes completely. Children playing outside, neighbors greeting each other, and cyclists passing by turn an abstract plan into a recognizable, lively environment. It becomes a place you can picture yourself living or moving through—making discussions with stakeholders more engaging and the plans easier to understand.
Moving people may seem like a small detail, but in practice, they make all the difference. They bring familiarity, evoke emotion, and make future plans imaginable. This way of visualizing continues to evolve with new technologies—from real-time rendering to AI applications—continually raising the bar for bringing projects to life.