Imagine stepping into a spectacular palazzo that will sweep you right back to the 15th century, corridors and ceilings ablaze with frescoes from the Renaissance period. Then, imagine being asked to render a vision of a luxury hotel within these hallowed spaces.
We were honoured to be invited to create a 360-degree tour of the transformed Palazzo Portinari Salviati – a 15th century palace and home to the beautiful Beatrice Portinari, muse to none less than Dante. The Taiwanese group LDC Hotels & Resorts undertook the restoration of this priceless heritage space at via del Corso in Florence, adapting it into a period residence and hotel.
A signature, luxury stay that combined intricate Renaissance art within all the trappings of modern comfort and convenience. For Render Atelier, this was an artistic challenge to render the beautiful palazzo interiors in all its glory, while showcasing the details of modern high-living added by the LDC Group. Let’s explore the journey that we took from the moment of the first briefing to the final detailed 360 virtual walkthrough.
The Client Requirement
The Client Requirement Having made a multi-million investment into the restoration and enhancement of the Palazzo into a magnificent residential and hotel property, The LDC group wanted to be sure that potential buyers around the globe could get a close, virtual experience of its splendour.
They wanted the richness of the frescoes and décor, the tastefully done furnishings, the refined dining ambience – all of it to be relayed true to life. Recreating the experience in such detail that the most discerning clientele would not fail to be in awe. The requirement was a 360 degree enhanced virtual tour that would immediately impact the sales process of their global marketing teams and agents with their end-clientele.
The Palazzo Highlight
The Group was clear that our renderings should not be mere static replications of the interiors – they were proud of the respect with which their architects had retained the ambience and detailing of the exquisite Rinascimento Italiano art, and adapted it into a premium residential and hotel property for the most elite clients.
The Render Atelier Immersive Experience
Our solution for a requirement of this magnitude was clear – it had to be a 360-degree immersive experience that showcased all the regality and luxury of the Palazzo-stay in minute detail. Making an investment of this level earns the viewer the right to examine every corner of the property, no matter where they are located. Our designers, artists and technical experts came together to take up this challenge of creating a realistic, interactive experience that allowed the viewers to manipulate the view or explore the corridors as they wished.
Render Atelier Project Management Highlights
Collaborative
We pride ourselves in the collaborative process we have with our clientele. Our artists and designers are aware that it is the client’s vision that we realize in visual form, and our job was capture every detail of the vision of the Group in creating an elegant stay in a historic palace, and present in wrapped in a beautiful virtual concept. Thus, every step of the process was collaborative and every cue from the Group was taken very seriously. Internal collaboration was also critical as our technical and design experts had frequent brainstorming to understand how best to bring to life the splendour of the Palazzo Portinari Salviati resid-hotels.
Constant and direct communication
We ensured that we were in constant communication with the client about any proposed changes or challenges. We did not allow any bottlenecks to disturb our timelines or quality. We also were very transparent about any design setbacks or schedule concerns, if at all.
Flexibility in Implementing Feedback
A major part of the Render Atelier services is our flexibility in adapting to your requirements. If the client felt that a certain ceiling could be shown in more detail or brighter, we would affect the changes at once. When the client expressed a desire to give the viewer display options, we ensure that we built in Sterographic, Fisheye and Rectilinear viewing options. Our team was responsive and dedicated to the client’s every feedback.
Site Visits for Realistic Rendering
Our teams based their rendering on multiple site visits – to understand the actual visual experience of walking through these majestic corridors, observing the etchings and the artwork, and filing it away for the rendering process.
This is a process we follow with all our projects as being in the actual atmosphere and understanding the fall of light or angle of the ceilings or layout of the property is crucial to a true rendering. We ensure a thorough walkthrough before we create one for our viewers.
Artistic Vision
Needless to say, our curated artists and designers teams spent countless hours to render photorealistic images visuals and interior-design layouts, to serve as a foundation for the technical rendering. Render Atelier’s value-add is the poetry they add to visual reality – serving up renderings that are not only accurate but visually compelling. Our artists were especially inspired by the magnificence of the art in the hallways of the Palazzo Portinari, and dedicated themselves to honouring the art in their renditions. This dedication and respect was recognized and applauded by the clientele.
Cutting-edge Software and Technology
Our technology teams at Render Atelier are known for the precision and detailing they bring in. We used the most adaptive software to give visual shape to the artist’s vision. Every aspect of the contemporary luxury features was brought into 3D reality. Each member is hand-picked for their 3D rendering skills and domain expertise in 360 Virtual Reality software – and this came in useful to represent the curving walkthrough from the front courtyard into the palatial rooms and dining hall, without distorting the view.
Our Milestone Outputs
Each stage of the meticulous process was accompanied with detailed outputs to keep the client involved.
- White clay 360-degree tours to reflect the architectural 3D-modeling process
- Draft renderings to explain the materials and lighting to the client
- Processing the tour in high resolution to display the finest details
Finally, adding interactive Pop-ups to the tours to fully realize the immersive quality of the experience
The Palazzo Portinari Salviati 360 degree Virtual Tour
Finally, after weeks of intensive collaboration, brainstorming and intensive design interventions, the 360 visual experience was complete. The output consisted of a series of walkthroughs of the exclusive luxury period stay, from the main courtyard of Cosimo I, with a marvellous fresco of the Virgin and the Child, through hallways and lounging areas with intricate stone fireplaces and wooden ceilings, right through to the 13 exclusive luxury suites. The rendering has taken care to highlight the fine marble bathrooms, comfort fixtures and elegant furnishings, along with the sheer history.
Each immersive tour gives the viewer a complete visual of every corner of the rooms. What’s more, the viewer is given complete freedom of direction, browsing any detail they wish to see. We wanted to give our client’s potential buyer or renter the confidence they need to make a decision. The interface is customized and user-friendly, with various options for detailed display.
- Choice of display modes in Fisheye, Rectilinear or Sterographic
- Choice of navigation by mouse-pad or auto-rotation
- A superimposed map that shows the current location within the layout
- Aerial views and top views along with horizontal scrolling
- Pop-up windows highlighting details of fixtures or doors
360 Tours Links
- Palazzo Portinari APT16 (modern): https://
renderatelier.com/360/ PalazzoPortinari/APT16/ - Palazzo Portinari APT11 (modern): https://
renderatelier.com/360/ PalazzoPortinari/APT11/ - Palazzo Portinari APT12 (classic): https://
renderatelier.com/360/ PalazzoPortinari/APT12/ - Palazzo Portinari APT15 (luxury): https://
renderatelier.com/360/ PalazzoPortinari/APT-15/
3D Detailed Renderings
Apart from the virtual walkthrough, we also created a series of still renderings that allowed a potential buyer to drill down to the details of the rooms, fittings and furnishings in all their elegance. These included the various flats and rooms that were available, with a true reflection of the placements, the finishing of the marble and wood in beautiful light – testimony to the skill of the 3D digital artists who worked on them.
Our partner digital partners ADHOX were a core part of our process.
The Palazzo Portinara Salviati remains one of the most aesthetic and true-to-life 3D CGI renderings that the Render Atelier team has delivered – on time, and with our trademark eye for detail!
The 360 CGI virtual tour is here:
The close-up renderings can be accessed here:
If you wish to talk to the Render Atelier team to explore a similar walkthrough for your project, do contact us at: [email protected]