3ds Max for Architectural Visualisation

About this course

3ds Max remains the workhorse of architectural and interior visualisation thanks to its flexible modelling tools and mature rendering ecosystem. For newcomers the sheer number of tools can be overwhelming. This course is structured around the actual workflow of producing a finished rendering, so you master the essential core first.

Taught by the RDSIC training centre of the Institute of Information Technology in Civil Engineering — Hanoi University of Civil Engineering (HUCE), the programme runs from modelling on CAD drawings through materials, lighting and cameras to V-Ray rendering and image finishing. Graduates can produce interior and exterior renderings ready for project submissions.

What you will learn

• Navigate 3ds Max confidently and keep scenes, units and objects organised.
• Model interiors and exteriors from AutoCAD drawings with splines and poly modelling.
• Use key modifiers for fast, editable geometry.
• Create realistic materials and control surface mapping with UVW Map.
• Light scenes naturally and artificially, and frame shots with well-placed cameras.
• Render with V-Ray and apply basic post-production to final images.

Who should enrol

• Architecture and interior design students who need quality 3D visuals for their projects.
• Architects and drafters adding professional visualisation to their skill set.
• Interior contractors who want to present schemes visually to clients.
• Anyone aiming for a career in architectural visualisation.

Detailed syllabus

1. Getting started and scene management

• Interface, viewports and navigation
• Units, grids and file preparation
• Selecting, transforming, cloning and grouping objects
• Organising scenes with layers and clear naming

2. Spline and poly modelling

• Importing AutoCAD drawings as a modelling base
• Splines with Extrude, Lathe, Sweep and Bevel Profile
• Editable Poly for walls, floors, ceilings, doors and furniture
• Everyday modifiers: Shell, Symmetry, TurboSmooth, FFD

3. Materials and mapping

• Physical material principles: colour, reflection, roughness, bump
• Common materials: wood, glass, metal, fabric, painted walls
• UVW mapping and texture scale control
• Building a reusable material library

4. Lighting and cameras

• Sun and sky setups for exteriors
• Interior lighting: window, ceiling and accent lights
• Camera placement, focal length and composition
• Balancing exposure per scene

5. Rendering with V-Ray

• The render settings that matter and what they do
• Draft versus final quality setups
• Render elements for post-production
• Cutting render times without losing quality

6. Visualisation project

• A complete interior rendering from start to finish
• An exterior rendering from real project drawings
• Quick post-production and the final course portfolio

Learning format

Fifteen in-person evening sessions in Hanoi, with periodic intakes in Ho Chi Minh City. Every topic is practised immediately on real interior and exterior projects, and the course ends with a set of renderings you modelled and rendered yourself.

Certificate of completion

Graduates receive a certificate from the Institute of Information Technology in Civil Engineering — Hanoi University of Civil Engineering (HUCE). Call 0989 427 809 for course guidance.

Promotions and discounts

Group tuition discount — applied to every group member and the group leader:

Note: this discount cannot be combined with any other promotion.

Discounts for taking multiple courses at RDSIC

• Take two courses in parallel and get 10% off the tuition of each course.
• Your second course at RDSIC is 10% off.

Deferral policy

• In-person courses: deferral of up to one year from the date the centre confirms it.
• Online courses: no deferral; as an exception, students who have attended less than 50% of the course may be granted a deferral of up to one year.

Related courses

• AutoCAD for Coursework Drawings
• SketchUp Essentials
• AutoCAD Programming (Basic + Advanced)
• Photoshop for Architectural Presentation

Browse the full list at Construction Courses.