How do you help someone believe in something they cannot see yet?
In 2019, I watched BIG present CopenHill on YouTube.
A power plant with a ski slope on its roof sounds like an idea that needs a lot of explaining.
Somehow, it didn’t.
I could see the place, feel the life around it, and understand why it deserved to exist.
That left me with a question:
[!red-bold-italic-h2] How do you help someone believe in something they cannot see yet?
I’ve been quietly following that question ever since.
And after years of working alongside architects, I’ve noticed something:
The architect can usually see it.
The client may not — yet.
The challenge is not always the design.
Sometimes, it’s simply helping someone else see what you already see.
Here are four things I’ve learned along the way.
Tip 1: The plate matters, not only the kitchen
Architects don't need to wait until a design is finished before communicating it. Whether they are exploring massing, layout, planning, systems, or details, there is already something worth showing.
It may be raw. That is okay.
People don't always need perfection. Sometimes, they simply need a way into the idea.
Tip 2: A project looks different from somewhere else
When architects stay close to a project for too long, its most valuable qualities can disappear from view. A different angle, distance, or point of view can bring them back.
The design may not need another feature. It may need someone to notice what already makes it different.
Text: A landmark begins before you step inside.
Text: From the road, the first view creates recognition, anticipation, and a sense of arrival.
Text:
Text: The journey starts with the first glimpse of the building.
Text: Every journey reveals something different.
Text: A change in perspective brings out the relationship between people, space, light, and architecture.
Text:
Text: The architecture becomes more meaningful through the people who use it.
Text: The architecture starts to speak through movement. Closer in, explore how people arrive, pause, connect, and move through the space.
Text:
Text: Explore the spaces, details, and atmosphere people will actually experience.
Text: Step back to see where it all belongs.
Text: The building becomes part of a larger landscape, connecting movement, city, and place.
Text:
Text: The project within its context.
Tip 3: The life matters, not only the building
People, movement, trees, and changing weather are not merely decoration. They help an audience imagine what the architecture could mean to those who will experience it.
A building can be understood as an object. Architecture is felt through the life happening around it.
Tip 4: Visuals that speak to one another
Comparison reveals change. Demonstration shows what each decision makes possible.
One image can explain a design. But when images are arranged with care, they take people on a journey - from seeing the idea to believing in it.
Text: The journey starts with
Text: the first glimpse of
Text: the building.
People begin to believe when they can follow the thinking, feel the life, and see the story behind a design.
How I can help
When the architect can see it, but others can't yet
I'm Sonny, a visual artist who works closely with architects.
I used to think my work was simply about creating visual presentations. Now, I see it differently. My role is to help others see what the architect has been seeing all along.
Because sometimes, an idea doesn't need to become more impressive. It needs a fresh pair of eyes and a clearer path into someone else's mind.
An architect might want to talk when:
- The design is hard to explain. The idea is strong, but it takes a long conversation to get across. Together, we look for the simplest way in.
- A competition or pitch is coming. There is limited time and one chance to be remembered. We decide what deserves the spotlight and what can stay in the background.
- The client hasn't clicked yet. The drawings are done, but the belief isn't there yet. We shape the story, the life, and the sequence of images that help the client imagine the place.
A question to sit with
What does the architect see in this project that no one else has seen yet?
Start there. That is usually where the story begins.
If an architect is working through that situation, perhaps we can look at it together - over coffee or during a morning run.