St. Annes Hotel in the Mumbles is to be redeveloped as a block of high quality apartments with views of the sea.  The developers had worked with their architects to produce plans and drawings of what they wanted to build, but approached iCreate seeking a more photo-realistic and visually inspiring presentation of the finished site to support their planning application.

The developers of the new St Annes Hotel approached iCreate for graphics to support an upcoming planning application and presentation to the local community.  Feeling that the 2D drawings and plans of the development didnt accurately show how the new buildings would fit into the surrounding landscape, the developers were looking for a way to place the development in its real-life context, with before and after views to enable planners and local residents to make comparisons with what was there already.

iCreate was able to use the architects plans and AutoCAD files to construct an accurate, scale model of the new development, complete with attractive landscaping and realistic trees and shrubs.  Using 3D software more commonly associated with visual FX for feature films (Alias Maya was used in the production of Lord of the Rings and Star Wars), we were able to achieve a photorealistic finished effect.  Our 3D visualisations were then merged with photographs of the surrounding area to create seamless photomontage images placing the development in its real-world context.

We presented the developer with a CD-ROM including fly-around animations and before and after views, plus a number of high resolution printed copies of our photo-montage images.  These were included in the planning application to the local council who had asked to see 3D renders of the proposed development in support of the architects plans.

The graphics also served to reassure local residents about the scope of the development, and demonstrate that it would be a sympathetic and positive improvement to the area.

Visit the iCreate website to view the fly-around animations for St Annes Hotel.