A simulation system for architectural projects

Within the research context relating to the modeling process of architectural buildings and landscape planning, the CRAI particularly works on the simulation of day-light and artificial illumination. The purpose of this research is to develop a software platform dedicated to project design, since there are no overall tools integrating all the answers to our needs. Our concern with the illumination simulation or built spaces leads us to deal with large databases and to take great care of the accuracy of the results. Finally the communication of these results requires several types of output, including an illuminated 3D model. We developed our own modules: 3D reconstruction, converters, geometrical simplification, project lighting design, photometrical tests, animation pre-computation, augmented reality, image computation. We explain the successive steps of the simulation process with the help of an example.