On capturing context in architecture

Simulation  of  visual  context  in  architecture,  the environment that surrounds both building and observer, is an essential but problematic feature of realistic imagery. The complexity and detail of typical environments pose serious difficulties for computer modelling and photomontage techniques. The results are often simplistic, potentially misleading and incapable of representing many of the physical and perceptual relationships involved. This paper describes an alternative methodology using imagery for the whole optic array at a specific location. It is mapped onto simplified geometric forms for the environment and combined with a computer model of the building proposal to produce realistic imagery.