We use Computer Aided Design for almost all of our drawings, for 2 main reasons:-

• it helps to communicate ideas and drawings with other professionals - for example, on some projects, drawings are transferred entirely by email - paper is not used
• we can reproduce drawings in-house in any format, from paper to digital bitmaps for web or presentations

When drawings are produced using CAD, it is relatively easy to turn them into 3D visualisations

This has the benefit communicating the nature of your proposal to non-technical people such as the public, a planning committee, your project investors, or your senior management.

Whilst plans don't communicate to everyone, visualisations usually do.  They can take several forms...

Basic CAD models, like the ones above, work at many scales and convey a useful impression of space, but are not very realistic.

CAD models can be rendered.  Whilst this takes time and effort, the results can be worthwhile, giving a much better sense of reality. Compare the two images on the right.

(Right-click and un-check "Play" to pause on any image; check "Play" again to restart).

Here we see a model in transition from wireframe (basic CAD) to Solid modelling, to Rendered with vegetation and shadows.  Whilst the first two are interesting views, there is no doubt that the rendered image looks the most warm and inviting.

(Right-click and un-check "Play" to pause on any image; check "Play" again to restart).

3D modelling can provide technically accurate visualisations. Here is a complete highway junction, modelled to provide an accurate layout as the basis of a ground-level photo-realistic photomontage - see Example 6, A5117 Deeside, on the photomontage page.