Success Story : Architectural Walkthrough Project for Harvest Food Group – East Chicago.
- Tripti Singh
- Jun 10
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 11
Harvest Food Group is a privately held food manufacturing and distribution company headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, with a significant co-packing facility located in Chicago. Established in 1999 by Jason Eckert and his father, Philip, the company began modestly with two desks and a dial-up modem. Over the years, it has expanded to employ over 300 individuals across its Naperville and Chicago locations.
They required a video presentation for showcasing at a seminar, highlighting the complete factory design, production process, and technological implementation professionally.
Project Overview:
We received an exciting project from Harvest Food Group based in East Chicago. The client commissioned us to develop a comprehensive 3D walkthrough explanatory video that would showcase their entire food production facility from the exterior architectural design to the detailed interior spaces, including office areas and production zones.
Client Requirements Analysis:
The client is looking for a realistic and comprehensive walkthrough of the food factory. They want to see how the entire space will be utilized, understand the flow of operations, and visualize the machines that will be installed. Their goal is to gain full clarity and confidence in the factory setup, with no room for ambiguity during planning or approvals.
Timeline:
The client required the entire project to be completed within a strict timeline of 45 days
What we received from client:
We were provided only with a 2D CAD floor plan and a single front-view image. Using this limited data, our task was to construct the full 3D model of the facility.
Planning [Process]:
Considering the limited inputs provided by the client and the tight 45-day deadline, we decided to begin with the modeling phase as a priority. For rendering, we chose to use Twinmotion 2024, as it offers high-quality output and allows for a faster workflow, making it a suitable choice to meet both the visual and time requirements of the project
Phase 1: Exterior Design and Visualization:
We began by focusing on the factory's exterior. Using the 2D CAD plan, we modeled:
Outer factory walls
Parking area (including handicap parking)
Garden and tree placements
Loading and unloading zones at the rear
Truck parking space
A canal behind the truck parking area
We delivered the first draft within 15 days, which included both modeling and lighting. After reviewing it, the client provided detailed feedback such as:
Shutter gate design for loading/unloading area
Canal dimensions and details
An updated CAD file with finer specifications
Incorporating the feedback, we finalized the exterior layout with enhancements to lighting, environment, and structure.
Phase 2: Interior Design and Modeling:
Next, we transitioned to the interior modeling. Similar to the exterior, we were only provided a 2D CAD plan and a few reference images. The spaces to be developed included:
Office area
Tasting Room
Test Kitchen
Lunch Area
Production Floor with machine placements
Since the production machines were only marked as placeholders in the CAD plan, we initially represented them using simple box models for spatial reference.
Camera Animation and Focused Detailing:
The client provided a detailed camera path for the walkthrough. This helped us prioritize areas where the camera would move, ensuring maximum detail and polish in those segments.
Phase 3: Production Area and Machine Modeling:
One of the biggest challenges in the project was modeling the food production machines, as we had no prior reference. The client shared only the names of the machines assigned to specific areas.
To overcome this:
We conducted extensive online research to understand each machine’s design
We modeled over 40 different machines
Designed cold storage areas for food storage
This phase demanded a lot of time due to the research and accurate modeling required.
This phase demanded a lot of time due to the research and accurate modeling required.
Once all modeling was complete, we moved to final rendering in Twinmotion. Initially, rendering took a long time due to unoptimized settings. After further research, we optimized the render settings, reducing the time significantly.
Final rendering of the entire factory took approximately 40 hours
The complete walkthrough video was 4 minutes and 25 seconds long
Voiceover Integration and Final Delivery
Post rendering, the client provided a voiceover script explaining different sections and their functions. Synchronizing the camera movement with the voiceover was another challenge
In some areas, the camera was too fast while the voiceover was slow
We had to do several edits in post-production to match the pace
Despite the challenges, the final video output was impressive, and the client was highly satisfied with the result.
Challenges:
Twinmotion Rendering Challenges and Solutions:
Rendering was to be done using Twinmotion, which presented several technical challenges:
Lighting Conflict: Exterior lighting and interior lighting had to be handled differently. Initially, the exterior environment appeared black through glass windows in interior renders. We resolved this by adjusting the lighting settings—shifting to Sky Dome lighting for the outside while using interior artificial lighting for inside views.
Once resolved, we sent our first batch of interior renders. The client gave feedback focusing on:
Correct office desk placement
Better visibility in the tasting room
Kitchen and lunch area layout revisions
Walkthrough path for the camera
Key Challenges Faced:
Limited initial resources (only 2D plan and 1 image)
No technical knowledge of food machines
Complex lighting setup in Twinmotion
Render time optimization
Voiceover and camera timing synchronization
Outcome:
The walkthrough video successfully showcased the full factory environment, starting from the outside of the building and moving smoothly through the interior. It highlighted important areas like detailed machinery, office spaces, and production zones. The client was very happy with the high video quality, the clear and well-matched voiceover, and how well the entire project was put together. They felt it did a great job showing off their facility and were pleased with how it turned out.
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