Foster + Partners host debut UK user event. Find out more — and see how to get involved with the next one.
The sprawling Foster + Partners campus in Battersea, London, formed an apt setting for our inaugural UK V-Ray User Group on March 30. About 150 people gathered in the company’s Hub space, drank free beer, ate free pizza, and listened to our stellar line-up of presenters.
After an introduction from co-organizer Joep van der Steen, creator of End User Event, our first speaker was Gamma Basra. As head of visualization at Foster + Partners, Gamma demonstrated how the company tackled a VFX project for Nissan motors. It presented a convincing vision of a futuristic city powered by sustainable electricity, in which cars acted as self-filling batteries as well as conventional vehicles.
Chaos Group’s own Corey Rubadue followed with a guide to how easy it is to learn and use V-Ray, whether you’re rendering from Rhino, SketchUp or 3ds Max. The evening's presentations finished on a high, with an enthusiastic talk from Hrvoje Cop and Dean Niskota of Studio Niskota. This ingenious Croatian arch viz company has developed a pipeline which generates stunning imagery without any post-production in software such as Photoshop.
The first ever V-Ray London User meeting was everything we hoped for. Foster + Partners made a great effort in hosting us in their amazing Hub, and made it work like clockwork. The talks were diverse and interesting for all the visitors, and the atmosphere was relaxed and inspiring.
As the crowd finished off the beer and food, there was a chance to mingle and get to know one another. It’s a welcoming community, and even the biggest stars of arch viz and VFX are approachable and friendly. Some attendees brought their portfolios and a sense of wide-eyed eagerness—and one even came with a box of shoes. A few were simply there to find out what V-Ray is and how it’s used.
Joep is already planning the another V-Ray London User Group. “The next one is already in the pipeline for mid-June at another amazing location," he says. "We’ll keep you posted.”
Join our Meetup page for more information and updates. And we’ll see you at the next User Group!
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