The hidden cost of a cut-price reveal: why getting the first CGI right matters

Today’s the day you reveal the vision for the scheme. Behind you, investors, developers, peers and press – maybe even heads of state – eagerly await to see where you’ve gone, what you’ve imagined, and what the future looks like. You’ve spent months, perhaps years, planning, designing, dreaming of what this place will be. And here it is. The grand, public reveal.

It’s a moment we always look forward to at Somewhere: seeing our work come to life within the wider story of progressive architecture.

We’re just as excited as you are. We’re as invested as you are. We’ve sweated over every image. Every pixel.

Now the world gets to respond – with adulation or critique. It’s fever pitch; the moment everyone’s been waiting for. The big reveal.

The problem with the big reveal, though, is that it’s immediate. It’s now. Here today, gone tomorrow.

In architecture and PR, that moment burns bright and fast.

Today’s vision might take years to emerge from the ground – and even longer before anyone can physically experience it.

And in that time, how many new schemes, visions, and images have been revealed, surpassed, or reshaped from their original direction?

That’s the world of architecture we all know and love.

But it creates a challenge: the reveal is the part everyone expects – the instant hit in a 24/7 world. It’s our big moment. It needs to land.

Of course, every grand vision and every beautiful visual should land. It should tease and excite, promise, and inspire.

But it’s more than just the scheme itself. It’s about the immediate reputation of everyone involved – the investor boosting share value, the developer driving demand, the architect proving creative credibility.

There’s a reason why we know the names of Sir Foster, the late, great Zaha Hadid, Bjarke Ingels, and Heatherwick to name but a few (of the latest names in the grand pantheon of great architects and designers).

That reason is not just because of their exceptional work – but because they’re a brand name.

And like all brands, there comes an expectation to live up to their name.

And like all brands, they have to prove themselves on multiple fronts.

The final building is one product that must live up to the brand.

But so must those first images of the scheme – the ones that announce that it's real, it’s here, it’s on its way. This is the grand vision.

Those images don’t just represent the architectural practice behind them.

They represent the developer, the investor, and often the political leader who stands beside them.

They must protect and build those brands too – personal and professional alike.

That’s why, when you commission imagery for a scheme, it should work to build brand value for everyone involved.

High-quality visuals elevate status, drive desire, and strengthen perception.

Like poor foundations on site, low-fidelity visuals are costly to redo – but by then, reputation has already eroded.

You only get one chance to make that reveal count; everything after is damage control.

That doesn’t mean every CGI needs to be photorealistic or high-budget.

Each stage of a project calls for a different way of telling its story.

When you’re revealing detail, precision, and impact, there’s no substitute for quality – it has to be done properly to hold its value.

But there’s also a place for more expressive, illustrative CGIs; those that capture the atmosphere, emotion and intent of a design rather than the specifics.

The key is to be purposeful. Whether artistic or exacting, every image should serve its moment and uphold the integrity of the vision.

So it’s critical to get it right – to ensure every image matches the vision, the value, and the ambition behind it.

You’re investing to make a statement. You’re building to make a statement. And at the point of reveal – to drive interest commercially and reputationally – you’re making a brand statement.

Make sure it’s the best one possible.

We’ll help you tell that story.

If you'd like to get in touch with our team, email enquiries@wearesomewhere.net