are manageable and it isn’t sluggish. “It’s a way of expressing very complex


worlds and time and light and intangible things that you really can’t get out of a drawing,” Fletcher says. Now Fletcher Studio uses Lumion, a


rendering software built off a video game engine. Similarly, Pellettieri uses TwinMotion to bring things to life with animation and for virtual reality presentations. “What is fascinating to me is seeing companies like TwinMotion come into the landscape design software space, as they are under the umbrel- la of Epic Games and the software comes from the gaming industry,” Pellettieri says. “This is a great example of how technology that is developed for one industry can have applications in an entirely different industry if you are willing to explore the innovative possibili- ties and continue to look ahead to the larger shifts we are seeing with regard to technology adoption in the green industry.”


Bishop also uses Lumion to create live models and he says they can get more specific with their plant material in the rendering.


“I think the vegetation is a thing that has come a long way, certainly in the past 10 to 15 years, about how digitally you can inlay plant material, so that I think is a real benefit,” Bishop says. Other common software used to aug- ment designs include SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, and Rhino. Bill Dysert, founder and CEO of Exscape Designs, LLC, based in Novelty, Ohio, notes that you have to be careful with the plant sizing and density of your 3D designs as you can make the landscape look much fuller and more colorful than it will appear when first installed. He says the key is to set expec- tations early on. “The upsell opportunity is massive,


in terms of adding features like outdoor kitchens and fire pits and night lighting and pergolas,” Dysert says. “There are a lot of different things that once you see it, it’s like, ‘Okay, my budget was X, but now I see that and I see what that adds, and I can visualize how well that would enhance the space.’”


VIRTUAL REALITY AND AUGMENTED REALITY One step further with 3D designs is presenting them in virtual or augmented reality. Again, whether one or either


of these types of technology is a good fit depends on the project and the client’s preferences. Virtual reality (VR) places a client inside a 3D simulation of a landscape design, while augmented reality (AR) projects a 3D image into a real-life setting. Pellettieri says they’ve been offering


VR for about four years and they’ve started to tap into AR within the last year. “With virtual reality, it is a really great


tool to use, but the challenge is that you have to create everything that’s needed to understand and represent the space you are designing,” Pellettieri says. “That can take up substantial amounts of time, though the flip side is that we find the software intuitive and easy to use. With augmented reality, you can trim that down to only the areas you are designing, and then drop that into the real-world environment so the client has real context. Augmented reality looks to be a more practical and useful solution within our industry long-term, but the technology and tools to integrate it into one’s process are more complex and require greater technical aptitude.” He says his clients respond well to


both VR and AR. With VR, clients can think more objectively about their property, while AR is more subjective


and encourages them to engage with the space by walking through it. He says large-scale projects like a college cam- pus or multi-acre residential property are more easily navigated in VR, while a smaller space with a pergola and pool is a better fit for AR. “In some cases, it can be helpful to


have a blend of both,” he says. “VR model for the large overview of the property, and AR to walk through some of the more critical smaller areas.” Pellettieri adds that the goggles used


for an immersive VR experience can make people disoriented and his clients prefer to view the material on a tablet or a screen.


Bishop says his clients’ interest in VR


often depends on their tech savviness. Dysert says they have dabbled with vir-


National Association of Landscape Professionals 29


Photos: (Left page) Fletcher Studio (Right page) Exscape Designs, LLC


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