
	Hover over the icons below to see different rendered views of the store:
		Front Entrance
		Rear of Store
		Side Entrance
		View of Counter

	Click below to view the entire animation: · Windows Media (5 MB) · QuickTime (5 MB) · AVI DivX (6 MB)

Starbucks Prototype Store · INTERIOR ANIMATION

The goal for this animated sequence was to effectively show design intent for color scheme, materials, lighting, product display, and brand placement in a prototype retail store. Because the schedule was very tight, I had to complete the entire project, including model, textures, lighting, animation, rendering, editing, DVD setup, burning, and final delivery, in a short time frame.

The key to providing a quick turnaround on projects like this is keeping the model as simple as possible. Instead of modeling every detail, I will usually focus on the overall qualities of space, light, and material that are most critical to the design and final presentation.

Also, instead of using expensive radiosity or ray-tracing techniques for rendering, I used a balanced array of simple point, spot, and direct lighting. This approach can allow greater creative control and at the same time yields the much shorter render times needed to create animation on a short schedule.

This reflects my belief that creating a compelling and believable illusion that communicates the nature of space is less about high-tech tools and complex algorithms, and more about leveraging perception. Recreating reality in detail is neither desirable nor cost-effective when presenting a tentative design idea. Instead, I use a combination of shorthand techniques to represent only what needs to be conveyed, and to do so in the most effective way possible.