Top 9 online schools for architectural visualization courses (2024)

In today's architectural scene, the skill of 3D visualization plays a crucial role. Creating realistic digital images helps architects and designers communicate their ideas effectively and bring their projects to life. Thankfully, online courses have made learning this skill more accessible. They offer flexibility and affordability and are available to anyone with an internet connection.

In this article, we'll delve into the top 3D rendering classes to learn architectural visualization. Our goal is to provide you with valuable insights to help you choose the right place to develop this skill, whether you're a beginner or seeking to enhance your expertise. By mastering these skills, you'll be well-prepared to work with the best architectural rendering companies, where demand for high-quality visualization is constantly growing.

Benefits of Online Learning for Architectural Visualization

When looking for architectural visualization courses, you might have doubts if online education will work best for you and consider offline courses instead. However, 61% of people believe online education to be better than offline. As for online 3D rendering courses, let’s see what benefits they have.

(credit: made by Sergej Spirovski render.camp student)

Flexibility and the ability to learn at one's own pace

The majority of 3D rendering online classes are pre-recorded so that students can study at their own pace. This is a great opportunity for those having busy schedules, numerous commitments, or living in distant locations. Moreover, you can often have access to 3D visualization course materials for several months or even a lifetime after the course is over.

Access to a global community and networking opportunities

One distinctive feature of online courses is dedicated groups or chats in messengers or on social media. When joining a 3D rendering education program, you are likely to get to know new people, make friends, share your knowledge and experience, get support, etc. So if you wish, an online course can give you much more than the knowledge you need for 3D visualization.

The convenience of accessing up-to-date resources and software

In the modern world of technology, new knowledge is at our fingertips, literally. All you need to do to work with top-notch 3D rendering tools is ensure you have powerful hardware and a stable Internet connection.

Top 9 Architectural Visualization Courses

Once you decide to give preference to online 3D rendering courses, it’s time to get familiar with market offers and choose the one that meets your current needs.

We’ve prepared a list of the top 3D architecture courses you might want to consider. When generating the list, we paid attention to the following criteria: instructor expertise, student feedback, and value for money. Based on these factors, we created the rating of the best online courses.

1. render.camp

Our top choice among available 3D rendering courses is render.camp. This online school has two main courses - Beginners and Professional Visualization (including both interior and architectural blocks) - that aim to improve the rendering skills of designers, architects, and visualizers. With render.camp, you'll not only learn the functionality of 3D visualization programs but also develop strong skills in observing and comprehending images.

UNIQUE OFFERS:

• tutors are famous and successful artists who boast years of practical experience;
• education is based on students' scenes, not on the scenes prepared in advance;
• the courses consist of pre-recorded videos with the most important information as well as live streams where course headliners show how to work with a particular scene;
• if you have any questions or issues during a course, the support team is available 24/7. Even if you can't handle some technical problems, the support team will provide you with a troubleshooting video recorded exclusively to help you ASAP;
• final works of students impress. You can read dozens of excellent reviews about a course, but they mean nothing without proof. On the render.camp website, you can see the results to expect after finishing their 3D architecture courses.

ONLINE PROGRAM PRICES:

Beginners - €590/€690 (group plans); €2190 (individual plan)

Professional Visualization - €690/€790 (group plans); €2590 (individual plan)

In addition to all these benefits, render.camp offers corporate learning for teams (both group and individual plans). To find out more about render.camp and access free tutorials and workshops, you can visit their YouTube channel.

2. SOA

State of Art Academy (SOA) offers both online and offline (Italy) 3D rendering courses, so their students can choose the most suitable format.

UNIQUE OFFERS:

• in addition to standard courses, this school offers different formats of education such as workshops, masterclasses, and events;
• upon successful completion of the SOA programs, newbies and skilled 3D artists can count on SOA’s help in recommending them to the leading archviz studios as employees.

ONLINE PROGRAM PRICES:

Photorealism with Corona Renderer - €780

Unreal Engine for ArchViz - €499

3. Arch Viz Artists

The main focus of the Arch Viz Artists (AVA) school is 3ds Max-based courses which include visualization courses and animation & workflow optimization courses.

UNIQUE OFFERS:

• there are two complementary courses that aim to help artists develop their business skills and learn the complete process of interior design creation;
• in AVA’s shop, you can purchase 3D people models, AVA merch, tickets to AVA events, and more.

ONLINE PROGRAM PRICES:

Exterior & Interior Visualizations - €499

Advanced Interior Visualizations - €599

Advanced Exterior Visualizations - €699

4. CG Spectrum

Focusing on 3D rendering for film and gaming industries, CG Spectrum offers courses in 3D modeling, animation, digital painting, game development, visual effects, and 3D visualization and real-time 3D.

UNIQUE OFFERS:

• US-based students can apply for lending to pay for the courses at CG Spectrum;
• there are corporate courses available for businesses operating in the entertainment industry.

ONLINE PROGRAM PRICES:

3D Modeling courses - $3,199 - $8,532 depending on a plan

3D Visualization - $3,199 - $5,688 depending on a plan

2D Animation - $5,688 - $8,532 depending on a plan

5. Brick Academy

Brick Academy specializes in architectural visualization courses and offers its students to choose online, hybrid, or offline formats.

UNIQUE OFFERS:

• Portfolio and career consultancy is a service from Brick Academy for those who want to polish their portfolio before applying for an archviz job;
• extensive knowledge base is constantly updated with articles, educational videos, and workshops which students can access for free from the website.

ONLINE PROGRAM PRICES:

Post-Production in ArchViz - €900

Animation in ArchViz - €1650

6. CommonPoint.

CommonPoint. offers its students to dive into the topic of 3D exterior lighting by joining their online masterclass. The masterclass is available in free and paid plans, so students can choose what option suits them best.

UNIQUE OFFERS:

• CommonPoint. students can get promo codes for PS Skies and 3D Collective;
• free blog articles divided into six modules which include but aren’t limited to color and composition, 3D materials, world creation, design & concept creation, etc.

ONLINE PROGRAM PRICES:

3D Exterior Lighting - €399

7. render.courses

render.courses offer online programs for beginning 3D artists, skilled artists, architects, and designers. Depending on the course goals, students work with different software such as 3ds Max for architecture modeling, Corona for exterior visualization, and Corona/Vray for interior lighting.

UNIQUE OFFERS:

• free proposition for beginners who want to learn how to create and visualize interiors in Corona and Vray;
• lifetime access for the entire duration of projects.

ONLINE PROGRAM PRICES:

Exterior Visualization - €450

Interior Lighting - €198

Pro Architecture Modeling - €190

8. KUNKUN

For those based in Indonesia, KUNKUN 3D rendering courses can become a good choice for improving their design and 3D visualization skills. Alternatively, there’s also an opportunity to join online programs.

UNIQUE OFFERS:

• ability to learn different professional software including Enscape, Photoshop, SketchUp, Corona Render, and 3ds Max;
• there are additional online events available in English for those who want to enhance their 3D rendering skills at their own pace.

ONLINE PROGRAM PRICES:

Enscape Masterclass: Interior - not available as of the publication date

Enscape Masterclass: Exterior - $146 - $199 depending on a plan

Archicad Masterclass - $133 - $149 depending on a plan

9. Udemy

Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare, and Domestika are examples of educational platforms with numerous online courses that aren’t limited to 3D visualization. However, if you are at the very beginning of your 3D rendering journey and want to discover the basic concepts, such platforms might help you understand what direction you should choose in the future.

UNIQUE OFFERS:

• dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of courses available online;
• low price when compared to professional architecture schools.

ONLINE PROGRAM PRICES:

The prices of 3D architecture courses on platforms like Udemy and Coursera vary dramatically. They can be free or cost up to several hundred dollars.

How to Choose the Right 3D Rendering Course for You?

The choice of 3D rendering courses is huge, and it might be confusing to make the final decision. Have a look at some tips to help you make up your mind about the best architectural visualization course.

Define your learning goals

Before choosing an architectural visualization course, you should understand why you need it. Take your time to answer several questions:

• Are you a beginner or professional in 3D rendering?
• Do you need 3D visualization knowledge to reach your personal or professional goals?
• Do you want to learn some specific tools like 3ds Max, Revit, or Unreal Engine?
• How soon should you be able to apply the 3D rendering skills you’ll get?

Once you answer these questions, take a look at the course programs and define which of them alight with your learning goals.

Check course prerequisites

In order to get the maximum out of 3D rendering classes, make sure that you’re ready for the course. Get acquainted with the requirements including software requirements, course schedule, attendance conditions, etc. If you’re not ready to commit to some conditions or just don’t have an opportunity to join a particular course at the moment, consider other options.

Read feedback

Checking on former students’ feedback about each 3D rendering program you’re interested in is crucial to avoid possible disappointment in the future. According to online learning statistics, 95% of students recommend online courses, so you’ll definitely find some reviews about a 3D architecture course you’d like to take.

Another thing that can help you get an understanding of a course's quality is course graduates’ results. Take a look at the final renders of the former students and decide if these are the results you’d like to have.

Conclusion

Choosing the right course or school for mastering 3D rendering skills can significantly influence your career path in the dynamic world of architecture and design. The skills acquired through 3D architecture programs serve as a foundation for success, enabling beginners and professionals to thrive in an increasingly competitive industry.

While this article offers insights into top online schools and platforms, you might want to conduct further research to find the best fit. Contacting course instructors can provide you with valuable information to make the right decision. By making informed choices and seeking personalized support, you can embark on a rewarding journey toward mastering 3D visualization and design skills.

This article was written in cooperation with Mellow Promo