Glossary

Glossary

Plain-language definitions of the terms that come up in architectural visualisation — from floor plans and elevations to AI rendering, inpainting, and virtual staging.

A

AI rendering Generating an architectural image with a trained model instead of a 3D renderer.
Architectural rendering An image that shows how a building will look once it is built.

B

Background preset A reusable setting for the environment surrounding the building.
BIM Building Information Modelling — a 3D model whose elements carry data, not just geometry.

C

E

F

Floor plan A drawing of a building cut horizontally and viewed from above.

I

L

Lighting mode A preset that fixes the time of day and light quality of a render.

M

Massing model A simplified volume study with no material or detail.

P

R

S

Segmentation mask A selection that follows the outline of an object rather than a drawn shape.

V

Virtual staging Adding furniture and styling to an image of an empty space.

W

Walkthrough video A short moving sequence through or around a space.