Designing for the greater good with VMDO Architects
How the firm excels with a strong emphasis on quality and endurance
Meet VMDO
VMDO Architects, committed to enhancing the human experience through architecture, specializes in educational and community design. VMDO crafts spaces that nurture learning and elevate communities, and has received accolades from prestigious organizations such as the AIA's Committee on Architecture for Education (AIA CAE) and the Society for College and University Planners (SCUP).
The team at VMDO uses Lumion to visualize their ideas, creating immersive environments that connect people with places. We sat down with Thomas Bates, Director of Visualization, to discuss the firm’s approach to designing educational spaces, and how the team members integrate visualization into their process and communicate their vision to different clients. Read on to discover more.
We’d love to know more about VMDO and your design approach.
Thomas: Our firm is divided into different areas of expertise, like K-12, higher education, and athletics, but we’ve been moving towards a more unified model where architects can work across different sectors. That flexibility allows younger designers to explore different types of projects and prevents them from getting pigeonholed into one niche.
In terms of design, I’d say each sector has its priorities. For example, in K-12 projects, there’s a strong focus on community engagement. We often involve local communities in the design process, especially when working on public schools. We need to show them that the design reflects their needs and values. Essentially, we want to design environments that help people thrive, where the atmosphere supports both educational goals and personal growth. This same philosophy applies to all our projects, whether it's a school, a community center, or an athletic facility. We're always thinking about how our designs can elevate the human experience and strengthen the bond between people and their environment. For us, it's not just about the physical structure; it’s about the spirit of the place and how our design can help a community thrive for generations.
How did you become the Director of Visualization at the firm?
Thomas: I’ve been with VMDO since 2010. It took quite some time for us to see the value in having an in-house visualization specialist – in fact, it wasn’t even on my radar when I first got into the field. But over time, I was pulled into marketing efforts where visualization became key. My role wasn’t formalized as the "visualization guy" until a couple of years later, which then led me to my current Director of Visualization role. That shift made me realize that while I enjoy different aspects of architecture, there is nothing quite like the almost instant gratification of creating a rendering that conveys a story.
Thomas Bates
Director of Visualization, VMDO
When you're in need of high-detail nature, I can't think of a better option than Lumion. That's where the software shines for us.
It sounds like you were instrumental in shaping VMDO’s visualization process.
Thomas: Before I joined, there wasn’t a formal visualization process at VMDO. I had worked at a small design firm in Portland, where we focused a lot on storytelling and using images to communicate more than just the look of a building. I brought that mindset with me to VMDO — I wanted to show that images could evoke emotions and help people imagine themselves in a space, not just show the structure.
The firm has grown significantly over the years. How has your visualization work contributed to that growth?
Thomas: VMDO has nearly doubled in size since I started. We opened a new office in Washington, D.C., just before the pandemic, and we’ve been able to secure several high-profile projects. We’ve won two AIA National Design Awards and continue to be recognized for our sustainable designs, like our net-zero energy schools.
Visualization has played a key role in this success. Renderings and animations help communicate our designs in ways that traditional drawings can’t. It’s often these visuals that stand out in award submissions – we’ve been able to compete with much bigger firms and have had several projects where the judges specifically mentioned that the renderings contributed to the overall presentation, which is incredibly validating for our team, and for me personally. At this point, visualization is no longer just about the final presentation; it’s part of our design process. We use renderings not only to show what a space will look like but also to test ideas and go back and forth as we design. Lumion allows us to visualize spaces in real time, helping us make design decisions faster and with more confidence.
I’ve also always found that visualization is one of the best ways for young people to have a voice. A lot of rendering work gets handed off to younger people, and there’s often an opportunity to push the design thinking through that. You don’t have to have a well-articulated argument with tons of sketches, but if you do the renderings and have a visual to show, that image can be a powerful way to influence the design. It’s through visualization that I’ve personally had a ton of success in contributing to the design side of things.
How did Lumion become your go-to rendering software?
Thomas: Initially, we were using other software for most of our visualization. It was powerful but slow, so our renderings would take overnight to process. When we started working on a project with Clemson University, our partner firm was using Lumion. They were able to produce animations quickly, which caught our attention. We decided to invest in Lumion then, and it’s been a game-changer for us. Lumion’s speed allowed us to iterate faster and explore more design options without the lag time. The barrier of waiting hours or days for a rendering was gone. It lets us create multiple iterations, quickly produce images, and integrate visualization deeper into our design process. I think that's Lumion's greatest strength — it’s fast, but it also offers the flexibility to refine your renderings to an impressive level of detail. That’s why we’ve stuck with it.
Thomas Bates
Director of Visualization, VMDO
Lumion’s greatest strength is its speed. We can iterate faster, explore more design options without the lag time, and integrate visualization deeper into our design process.
When working on projects, what specifically about Lumion helps you the most?
Thomas: What really stands out to our clients is how quickly we can populate a site and make it look convincing. Lumion allows us to bring nature into the scenes, which is a huge part of our projects. We're often working on hillsides, surrounded by trees, and having the ability to include that lush landscape with big tree branches in the foreground or stones along the ground is something Lumion does exceptionally well. Other engines are great for quick, basic scenes, but when you're in need of high-detail nature, I can't think of a better option than Lumion. That's where it shines for us.
Lumion handles 95% of what we need it to do; the other 5% are minor things that are specific to the way we work.
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You must face very diverse design expectations from your clients.
Thomas: Precisely so. Expectations vary, especially in higher ed spaces. Some universities are going to be very forward-looking, and they are comfortable with innovative materials and new ideas. Then, we might be working at another university — think one of the oldest colleges in the country — where tradition drives everything. They have a specific brick that you have to use, a specific paint trim color that's been the same for centuries, and it will never change. These kinds of forward-looking universities or traditional universities really drive our approach to design.
Understanding that voice early is what gives us, as designers, the power to push those ideas — to bump up against them and see where we can take them. Or, we understand the rules we have to work within, and we do our best within those parameters to give the client exactly what they're looking for. But higher ed is so varied: it's hard to nail down a single way to design because it’s unique per client. Instead, we’re trying to be flexible and meet our clients where they are. We’re not purely a service firm, nor are we just a design firm; we’re trying to be somewhere in the middle.
How do community voices influence your projects?
Thomas: They can be intrinsic to how we design. Especially with higher ed housing, those projects start to feel like mini versions of K-12, where the whole neighborhood or county weighs in. Several hundred students, and the facilities people who operate the buildings, have a strong voice and know exactly what they like and want. These projects are really fun because students can be so vocal.
Things change fast in terms of what college students want. It’s driven by technology and, honestly, what’s cool to them at the moment. At some point in one of our recent projects, there was a conversation about "Instagram moments" — places where students will take their photos to post online. For a 19-year-old kid, that’s what is going to draw them to a new building. So, higher ed can be an interesting space, but it’s also democratic in how we design. It’s a team approach — a team stays intact from early schematic design all the way through construction administration, and that core team makes sure the design thinking stays consistent.
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Are you optimistic about the future of architecture? What insights have you gathered in the educational space?
Thomas: I’m optimistic. At our firm, we’re aiming to propel sustainability as much as we can with clients who are on board. Not everyone is, and that is okay. But I think it’s important, especially for firms like ours in small towns — I see this in my own life and what spaces I’m drawn to, it’s all about respecting the natural world. I think a lot of firms are doing great work in that area, designing structures that sit lightly on the landscape and enhance it rather than detract from it. It’s not easy, especially with clients who don’t prioritize it, but when we do find the right connection, it’s magic. One of my favorite projects is a building that just slips into the landscape so gently: there’s underground parking, but you’d never know — it feels like a park, with trees, grass, and kids playing. The building itself is purely wood and glass, filled with light. It just feels right. I think as technology starts to lose its novelty, we’ll hopefully move more towards that — a world where our buildings harmonize with nature, where we don’t just marvel at technology but instead focus on how to make things feel meaningful. It’s a bigger cultural shift on a high level, and I’m excited to see it reflected in architecture.
Visualize the future
VMDO Architects continues to embrace a community-centered ethos, and innovation shines through every project they embark on. As shown in their extraordinary work, Lumion can be an important tool that elevates your design process from start to finish.
Embark on a visualization journey of your own with Lumion. Start with a free 14-day trial and discover how you can turn ideas and concepts into reality.
