3DDesignBureau

What 3DDesignBureau does

3D Design Bureau is an Irish architectural visualisation studio and daylight/sunlight consultancy founded in 2000 and based in Dublin. The firm serves property developers, home builders, architects, planning consultants, real estate agents and government bodies in Ireland, producing the visual and technical documentation that supports each project from feasibility through planning, construction and marketing. Its day-to-day workflow starts with a detailed analytical 3D model built in Autodesk Revit, which feeds both regulatory deliverables (verified view montages, daylight and sunlight assessments under BRE 209 (2022) and IS-EN 17037, LVIA/TVIA reports, HPI scoring) and marketing deliverables (exterior and interior CGIs, aerial montages, architectural animations, off-plan 360 virtual tours, virtual staging, Matterport tours). 3ds Max with the vRay engine is used for visualisation, with Adobe Suite applied to post-production and reporting. The same master 3D model is used for both compliance and marketing outputs, which the firm positions as its core efficiency and consistency differentiator, and it claims a leading position in the Irish daylight and sunlight consultancy market.

The business operates as a project-based professional services firm with sales-led direct engagement: clients commission work per project via website enquiry, email, phone, or after CPD presentations, and pricing is negotiated on a per-project basis with no publicly disclosed rate card. Revenue comes from discrete deliverables rather than recurring subscriptions, and the customer base is overwhelmingly concentrated in the Irish property sector, spanning major residential developers (Glenveagh, Ballymore, Hollybrook, Cairn, Ardstone, Lagan Homes, Castlethorn, Elkstone, Lioncor, Clancy Homes, Evara, Durkan, Beldare, BML Duffy, Emmaville, Salamisso, Balmoral), real estate agents (Knight Frank, Savills, Lisney), and state/local authority clients (Land Development Agency, Sport Ireland, Dublin, Fingal, Wicklow and South Dublin County Councils). Distribution is exclusively direct; there are no reseller or marketplace channels. The firm is privately held, led by Managing Director Nicholas Polley, who was named to the Business Post Property 100 Index in April 2025. No external funding rounds, acquisitions or subsidiary structures are recorded.

Name

3DDesignBureau

Legal name

3D Design Bureau

Website

https://3ddesignbureau.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

3D Design Bureau is an Irish architectural visualisation studio and daylight/sunlight consultancy founded in 2000, serving Irish property developers, architects, planning consultants, real estate agents, and government bodies with planning-grade visual and technical deliverables from feasibility through marketing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural visualisation and daylight consultancy

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

3D Product/Explainer Animation (MPAHACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Architectural visualization services
• Daylight sunlight assessments
• Verified view montages
• 3D planning solutions
• Off-plan virtual tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Project-Based Professional Services: 3D Design Bureau charges for discrete professional services on a per-project basis. Services include architectural CGIs, verified view montages, aerial montages, daylight and sunlight assessments, off-plan virtual tours, architectural animations, interior renders, virtual staging, and LVIA reports. Fees are negotiated based on project scope, complexity, and deliverable count. The company was described as the leading daylight and sunlight consultancy in Ireland.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

3D Design Bureau delivers 3D planning solutions (verified view montages, daylight and sunlight assessments under BRE 209, LVIA/TVIA reports, HPI scoring, zone of theoretical visibility) and 3D marketing solutions (architectural CGIs, aerial and interior montages, architectural animations, 3D plans, virtual staging, off-plan 360 virtual tours, and Matterport virtual tours) for the built environment. Services are produced from a shared analytical 3D model built in Autodesk Revit and rendered in 3ds Max with vRay, supporting property developers, architects, planning consultants, real estate agents, and government bodies across Ireland.

Product overview

3D Design Bureau offers a comprehensive suite of 3D visualisation and planning consultancy services for the built environment. The company operates two main service categories: 3D Planning Solutions (including verified view montages, daylight and sunlight assessments, LVIA reports, zone of theoretical view analysis, and HPI scoring) and 3D Marketing Solutions (including architectural CGIs/renders, aerial montages, interior renders, architectural animations, 3D plans, virtual staging, and off-plan virtual tours via Matterport). The core workflow begins with detailed 3D modeling in Autodesk Revit, followed by visualisation using 3ds Max and vRay, supporting both planning applications and property marketing campaigns.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Renders (CGIs) Computer-generated imagery displaying the exterior of proposed developments in detail, including architectural design, materials, and landscaping, for property developers, architects, and marketing teams needing planning and promotional visuals.
• Aerial Montages Birds-eye perspective CGI imagery showcasing entire property developments to illustrate site layout, integration with surroundings, and overall scheme massing for developers, architects, and planning stakeholders.
• Interior Renders Interior CGI showcasing design, finishes, fixtures, and interior style of proposed developments, including kitchens, bathrooms, living spaces, and amenities, for property developers and real estate agents marketing off-plan homes.
• Verified View Montages Planning-compliant visual deliverables that accurately represent proposed developments within existing context using surveyed baseline photography and strict camera-matching methodology in 3ds Max, for property developers, architects, and planning consultants submitting planning applications.
• Daylight and Sunlight Assessments Technical BRE 209 (2022) and IS-EN 17037 compliant daylight and sunlight analysis covering Impact Assessments (VSC, APSH/WPSH, SOG) and Scheme Performance (SDA, SE, NSL), for planning authorities, property developers, architects, and planning consultants needing compliant planning submissions.
• Architectural Animation / 3D Walkthroughs Promotional video content featuring virtual walkthroughs of property developments, available as short social-media clips or long-form sequences showing exterior, interior, or combined views, for property developers and real estate agents marketing off-plan developments.
• Virtual Staging Hybrid 3D solution mixing real-world photography with CGI components to furnish and decorate empty spaces digitally for marketing purposes, used by property developers and real estate agents to market unbuilt or unfurnished properties.
• 3D Plans Three-dimensional floor plans and site plans offering views of building layouts, room types, and development positioning, for property developers, architects, and real estate agents from design stage through marketing.
• Off-Plan 360 Virtual Tours Immersive 360-degree rendered virtual environments combining exterior and interior CGI views within custom apps, compatible with desktop, mobile, tablet, and VR, used by property developers and real estate agents for pre-sales marketing of off-plan developments.
• Matterport 3D Virtual Tours State-of-the-art 3D virtual tours created through Matterport 360-degree scanning, generating digital 3D representations of properties for real estate agents, developers, and property marketers needing immersive virtual walkthroughs.
• Presentation Photomontages Creative visual composites placing proposed developments into real-world photography with greater artistic flexibility than verified views, used for planning documentation, client presentations, and marketing by property developers and architects.
• Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) Assessment and visualisation of the theoretical visibility of proposed developments from surrounding areas, used by planning consultants and property developers to reduce planning risk on development projects.
• LVIA and TVIA Reports Landscape and Townscape Visual Impact Assessments evaluating the visual effects of proposed developments on landscape character and visual amenity, for planning consultants and developers supporting planning applications.
• HPI Scoring Home Performance Index assessment services evaluating how daylight and sunlight can help properties achieve HPI certification, for property developers seeking sustainability and quality certification for new residential developments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported planning approval for 199-home mixed-use development at Belgard Square East, Tallaght, which was upheld on appeal by An Coimisiún Pleanála
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers26 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability3 records

Feature7 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Brick Visual: International architectural visualization studio with offices in Germany and beyond, producing high-end CGIs, animations, and interactive walkthroughs for property developers and architects. Comparable to 3DDB in service mix (CGI, animation, virtual tours) and developer-focused clientele, though operating at a larger international scale.
• Kilograph: Los Angeles-based architectural visualization firm producing CGIs, animations, and interactive experiences for real estate developers and architects. Comparable to 3DDB in offering photorealistic exterior and interior renders and walkthrough animations for property development projects.
• DBOX: New York and London-based creative studio specializing in architectural visualization, branding, and marketing for luxury real estate developers globally. Comparable to 3DDB as a high-end CGI and animation provider serving flagship residential and mixed-use developments, though with a more international and luxury-weighted client base.
• Hayes Davidson: London-based architectural visualization firm founded in 1994, one of the most established CGI studios serving major UK and international property developers. Highly comparable to 3DDB as a specialist visualization firm serving residential and commercial developers with planning and marketing-grade renders.
• Visualisation One: UK architectural visualization firm producing CGIs, animations, and interactive 3D experiences for residential and commercial developers. Comparable to 3DDB as a mid-sized specialist visualization studio serving UK and Irish developer clients with planning and marketing deliverables.
• StudioMB: US-based architectural visualization and design studio producing CGIs, animations, and immersive media for developers, architects, and cultural institutions. Comparable to 3DDB in delivering high-end architectural renderings and walkthrough content for property development marketing.
• The Boundary: UK-based visualization studio producing architectural renders, animations, and immersive experiences for real estate developers. Highly comparable to 3DDB in CGI, walkthrough, and virtual tour offerings, with overlap in the European property developer customer segment.
• Neoscape: Boston and New York-based visualization studio specializing in architectural renders, animations, and interactive experiences for residential and commercial property developers. Comparable to 3DDB as a specialist visualization partner for major development marketing campaigns.

Broad incumbents

• Arup: Global engineering and design consultancy with visualization, daylight/sunlight assessment, and planning advisory capabilities serving major developers and infrastructure projects. Comparable to 3DDB as an incumbent offering bundled visualization and technical assessment services, though as part of a much broader consultancy portfolio.
• Foster + Partners: Global architecture and integrated design practice with a substantial in-house visualization team producing CGIs, animations, and immersive media for major built-environment projects. Adjacent rather than directly competing — broader incumbent whose visualization work serves its own architectural practice rather than third-party developers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3d-design-bureau
• Xx.com/3ddesignbureau
• Facebookfacebook.com/3ddesignbureau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 3DDesignBureau