The Challenge
The challenge of this project was to develop an interactive architectural experience in Unreal Engine, covering both interior and exterior spaces, based on the Bahia House designed by Vanguarda Architects. The objective was to faithfully translate the architectural intent into a real-time environment while achieving a high level of visual realism, spatial clarity, and user immersion.
From a 3D Lead perspective, the core complexity lay in balancing photorealistic rendering, real-time performance, and interactivity within a single pipeline. The project required the construction of a complete walkthrough experience, allowing users to navigate all interior and exterior areas seamlessly while maintaining consistent lighting, material response, and scale accuracy.
A key aspect of the challenge was the implementation of interactive systems throughout the environment. Users can toggle lighting, activate the home cinema projector, interact with water systems such as faucets and showers, and dynamically change materials across different architectural and furniture elements. These interactions were designed to enhance realism and user engagement without compromising performance or visual coherence.
The goal was not only to present the architecture, but to transform it into a fully explorable and interactive experience demonstrating how Unreal Engine can be used as a powerful platform for real-time architectural visualization, blending technical execution, artistic direction, and experiential design at a production level.
Exterior Stills
Interior Stills
LOW POLY MODELING AND OPTIMIZATION IN MAYA
Each environment was built using an optimized low-poly modeling approach, carefully balancing shape readability and performance. Assets were designed modularly to maximize reuse across multiple levels, while maintaining clean topology, efficient UV layouts, and reduced draw calls suitable for mobile production constraints.
