#24 "The Atmosphere Created by Exquisite Balance" - The Production Process of haya.archviz

CG Visualizer | haya.archviz

The atmosphere created by being "just a little bit real"

──First, could you tell us how you started working in architectural CG (visualization)?

haya.archviz When I touched 3D software with CAD during my student days, I intended it to be just for fun, but my teacher told me, "There is a job that involves making that," and from there, I was swept along and found myself in this industry before I knew it.

──I see, so a casual experience during your student days eventually led to your current job.
Now that you have continued this work, what do you value most in your creative process?

haya.archviz That would be the atmosphere.
I aim for an atmosphere that is neither a photograph nor 3D, but just a little bit real.

The way light enters, the blurring of shadows, the reflection of materials, and the ambiguity of outlines.
I believe that the atmosphere, which is difficult to put into words and is born when such fine elements overlap, is the charm of a space.

Rather than ending with "beautiful" or "realistic," I want to create a single image that allows the viewer to feel the temperature, silence, and flow of time in that space, even through a screen.
To achieve that, I also value the white space that I intentionally leave without over-detailing.

──So, the charm of CG is not just making things according to the blueprints, but being able to add and subtract according to the image.
Could you specifically tell us about a work that shows that "uniqueness" of yours?

haya.archviz For advertising visuals, a macro perspective on how to show the whole is important first.
However, on the other hand, when I am actually creating, I end up wanting to refine even the smallest details that no one would notice.
I think my uniqueness shows in those kinds of places.

──I believe that the depiction of fine details that are not noticed at a glance is an important point that determines the overall atmosphere, finish, and whether or not one is "drawn into this."
Your uniqueness resides in those details, haya.archviz.

Now, what kind of genres and projects are you mainly working on?
Also, please tell us if there are any points you are particularly conscious of in your recent production process (light, composition, atmosphere, etc.).

haya.archviz I mainly produce interior perspectives.
As a point I am particularly conscious of, I value the naturalness of light and air the most. 3D can tell convenient lies, but those lies are also quickly exposed, so I try to handle them as carefully as possible.
Recently, I am trying to create things so that the weight of objects can be properly felt.

──I see. This connects to the "just a little bit real atmosphere" you mentioned earlier, but the balance and appropriate handling to ensure that the effective "lies" possible only in CG do not become "fakes" are very important points.
Is there any commitment you have that you "cannot compromise on" when proceeding with production?

haya.archviz Production time.
No matter how much I streamline, I believe that the time carefully accumulated will definitely appear in the final perspective.
The difference is honestly reflected in the finer details, such as how the light hits, the density of the shadows, and how the materials appear.
That is why I feel I cannot cut corners here.

──I always look at your work, haya.archviz, so I am very convinced.
Your attitude of sincerely facing each piece of work and accumulating time is coming through.

With that in mind, could you tell us about any techniques you are conscious of during production to balance the speed and quality required for your work?

haya.archviz In the initial stages, I try to gather as many references as possible and clarify the image of the final product in my mind before I start production.
If I can see 'what I am aiming for' and 'where I will land' in advance,
I get lost less often during the process, and there is less unnecessary revision.
As a result, I believe I can maintain both speed and quality.
—So, preparation is more important than anything else to ensure that the time spent on careful production is used most effectively.

Now, when actually proceeding with production, are there any points you value in your communication with clients?

haya.archviz I believe that the parts left unsaid are actually the most important.
Therefore, I make an effort to read into the client's intentions as much as possible, specifically what they really want to show.

I don't judge based solely on materials or words; I proceed while considering the background, the context of the project, and 'why they are seeking this expression.'
I feel that by doing this, I can reduce discrepancies in understanding.

—Indeed, sharing nuances is a difficult part.
It is clear that reading into unspoken intentions leads to decisions regarding detailed expression and selection.

Sources of inspiration for creating architectural visualizations

—From here, I would like to ask a little about you, haya.archviz.

Are there any architects, artists, films, or works that have influenced you?
Also, please tell us if there are any places where you usually get inspiration or any habits you have.

haya.archviz I get stimulation from both moving and still images, such as video works (films, promotional videos), illustrations, social media, and AI.
Rather than one person's style, I am influenced by picking and choosing from various works every day.
Among them, watching movies is what most often makes me want to create something.
Recently, I try to value the moments when I am swiping through social media without a specific purpose and something that happens to flow by catches my attention.

—So you value your own senses and the moments your heart is drawn to something.
It was also refreshing to hear that you use social media with that sense of distance, touching on things that flow by according to your senses without setting a goal.
It seems that moments when something suddenly catches your attention are more likely to become seeds for production than searching consciously.

haya.archviz That is exactly right.
Rather than 'gathering information' for a specific purpose, I absorb the good parts from as wide a range of genres as possible, such as photography, architecture, movies, music, anime, illustrations, and AI art.

Patiently and carefully—

—As you incorporate such input into your production, I imagine there are moments when your hands don't move as you would like.
When you feel stuck during production, how do you change your mindset?

haya.archviz I just keep working at it steadily.
Since CG production is reversible, I try to rethink the overall picture as much as possible, and
if I still can't see the final form, I take the plunge and break it down to start over.

—So while you work steadily, you also take the plunge and rebuild when necessary.
Could you tell us about any projects or events that left a particularly strong impression on you during production where such a decision was necessary?

haya.archviz For this 'Lakeside' work, color matching was the part of production that required the most focus.
The impression of the entire space can easily change with just one change in the color temperature of the lighting or the way retouching is applied.
Even though I intended for it to work, there were times when it slightly deviated from the sense of color the client had in mind, and the process of continuing to search for that boundary was very difficult.
If the colors are too assertive, it's no good, and if they are too suppressed, the atmosphere is lost.
I reviewed it many times while searching for that exact middle ground.

—I have the impression that you, haya.archviz, create by carefully interacting with clients and absorbing even the nuances that cannot be put into words.
On the other hand, it is honest to say that there are situations where sharing subtle sensations is difficult.
Even so, I feel that your attitude of facing it until the end and continuing to search for a satisfactory form leads to the perfection of your work.

Architectural CG coexisting with AI—

—Now, I would like to ask about your future prospects and image of the future.
Are there any things you would like to challenge yourself with or things you are trying out?

haya.archviz Recently, I have also been gradually working on collaborative production with AI.
Rather than leaving it entirely to the AI, I feel more like I am using it as a partner to spark ideas or speed up the verification process.

Also, while I have mainly focused on producing still images until now, I have recently become strongly attracted to video expression, which can capture the flow of time and changes in atmosphere.
I find it interesting to think about how to compensate for nuances that cannot be conveyed in a single image through movement.

In addition, I am interested in producing STL data for general users.
I believe that by translating it into a form that can actually be touched, rather than just ending it as CG,
the range of expression could expand even further.

──It is clear that your stance is not to exclude AI, but to consider how to engage with it as part of the production process.
As an option to broaden the scope of expression and as a perspective for looking toward the future, that is very realistic.

Also, the idea of developing CG from something to "look at" into something that can be "touched," like STL data, is something I found very interesting.
The possibility of expression expanding beyond the screen is a theme that we at GRUND would also like to explore together.

haya.archviz I think we are entering an era where AI will generate vast amounts of CG.
In that context, I feel that what you choose and how you combine it will become more important than how you make it.

Rather than leaving everything to AI, I want to rely on my own senses and judgment as the core,
while borrowing its power where necessary.
I believe that by cooperating in this way, high-quality perspectives will be created as a result.

──I felt that how one faces AI depends more on the judgment and environment of the user than on the technology itself.
So, among your production environment and the software you use, is there anything you consider your "partner"?
Also, please let me know if there are any areas where you are currently incorporating AI.

haya.archviz For the renderer, I use Corona Renderer.
I like it because the way light wraps around and shadows appear is closest to the feel of my own hands, and I can handle it intuitively when creating an atmosphere.

Also, when I get a bit stuck or want to organize the direction of my production,
I often consult ChatGPT.
Rather than using the answers as they are, I use it as an aid to verbalize the thoughts in my head so I can make my own judgments.

──It is clear that you properly distinguish between the intuitive parts and logical organization in your production.
With the expectation that AI will continue to develop rapidly, the fact that you are producing while thinking about how to incorporate it into manual work and how to coexist with it seems to be a great strength for continuing your expression.

Finally, please tell me.
Based on what we have discussed so far,
if you were to express your "ideal architectural CG" in one word, what would it be?

haya.archviz It is a single image that captures a moment in a movie.
Like stopping by and peeking in the middle of a story.
Although it is not explained, you can naturally imagine the time and atmosphere before and after that moment.
I want to create architectural visuals that have that kind of negative space.

──Today, while listening to haya.archviz, it was a time to carefully trace how architectural visuals are formed through thoughts, trial and error, and the accumulation of senses.

From your stance of valuing atmosphere and negative space, your approach to production while grasping unspoken nuances, and your calm exploration of possibilities regarding AI and new expressions, it was strongly conveyed that haya.archviz is sincerely dedicated to each and every work.

Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk about the behind-the-scenes of your production and your frank thoughts.
I hope this interview will serve as an opportunity for those who commission architectural CG, as well as those who are facing expression as creators, to learn more deeply about haya.archviz's work and stance.

──That concludes our interview article with haya.archviz.
At GRUND, you can directly commission production to haya.archviz.
For projects aiming for not just high perfection, but a single image where the charm of the space naturally emerges, haya.archviz will surely be a reliable partner.

GRUND Inc.
The only screening-based CG studio in Japan specializing in architectural visualization, with the concept of "I want this person to create it."
We deliver the intent and atmosphere of architecture as a beautiful single visual.
We create the best encounters between creators who possess both technology and sensibility and clients who seek serious visuals.
Consultations are free. Please feel free to contact us.