Rhys
Muirhead

Drafting · 3D Modelling · Rendering · Design Automation

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Portfolio

Cafe Interior ArchiCAD Render 2023

Cafe Renders - Interior 1 - 2023 | Archi-Rendering | ArchiCAD/Blender/StableDiffusion/AdobeSuite ▼

A rendering project producing extremely accurate depictions of the architect's vision including all dimensions and materials. The final visualisations were informed by material lists, incomplete and untextured ArchiCAD files, and verbal descriptions. The project heavily utilised a custom workflow I'd put together using a locally run instance of Stable Diffusion. This workflow has now been mostly superseded by more efficient processes but still offers advantages in speed and flexibility compared to current standard rendering methods.

Cafe Interior 2a ArchiCAD Render

Cafe Renders - Interior 2a - 2023 | Archi-Rendering | ArchiCAD/Blender/StableDiffusion/AdobeSuite ▼

Alternate cafe interior view used to verify sightlines, lighting, joinery and material continuity against the ArchiCAD model.

Cafe Exterior ArchiCAD Render

Cafe Renders - Exterior 1 - 2023 | Archi-Rendering | ArchiCAD/Blender/StableDiffusion/AdobeSuite ▼

Exterior render checking facade composition, entry visibility and material transitions from the street.

Cafe Render Mesh Comparison

Cafe Renders - Mesh Comparison - 2023 | Archi-Rendering | ArchiCAD/Blender/StableDiffusion/AdobeSuite ▼

Viewport and mesh comparison used to align the AI-assisted render with the underlying ArchiCAD geometry.

Cafe Render Mesh Comparison 2

Cafe Renders - Mesh Comparison - 2023 | Archi-Rendering | ArchiCAD/Blender/StableDiffusion/AdobeSuite ▼

Second mesh comparison showing how surface detail and proportions were preserved through the rendering workflow.

Cafe Renders - AI Animation Test - 2023 | Archi-Rendering | ArchiCAD/Blender/StableDiffusion/AdobeSuite ▼

Short animation test generated from the same scene to evaluate motion, lighting consistency and temporal artefacts.

SlowZone Site Analysis CloudCompare

SlowZone - 1 - 2023 | Site Analysis | CloudCompare/Blender/StableDiffusion/AdobeSuite ▼


ARBE 6233 Design Studio 9, an investigation into using blockchain assets to allow for fractional purchase and effective phytoremediation of industry contaminated land. The creature_itch and Bloc projects seen below informed a lot of the decisions in Slowzone.

SlowZone Site Analysis 2

SlowZone - 2 - 2023 | Site Analysis | CloudCompare/Blender/StableDiffusion/AdobeSuite ▼

Second CloudCompare/Blender analysis view used to compare contaminated-site conditions and staging opportunities.

Bloc Sectional Model Rhino3D

Bloc - 2021 | Sectional Model (Group) | Rhino3D, Laser Cut MDF, White Card, Foam Core ▼


"As a response to the Australian dream of leasing property to others and the very poor quality of social housing in Newcastle, our group GARD proposes the 'bloc' model of social housing and ownership. Bloc uses the blockchain as an accurate, transparent digital ledger to heavily fractionalise property, profiting the thousands of owners, but leaving stability and development decisions in the hands of tenants. This shift in development costs and interests allows for the creation of low-income housing geared towards diverse phenomenological experience."

Bloc Site Model Rhino3D

Bloc - 2021 | Site Model (Group) | Rhino3D, Laser Cut MDF, White Card, Foam Core ▼

Physical site model exploring massing, context and tenant shared spaces for the Bloc proposal.

Bloc Multi-projection Perspective Rhino3D

Bloc - 2021 | Multi-projection Perspective (Group) | Rhino3D, AdobeSuite ▼

Composite projection drawing comparing plan, section and perspective relationships within the Bloc housing model.

Bloc Plan ArchiCAD

Bloc - 2021 | Plan (Group) | ArchiCAD, AdobeSuite ▼

ArchiCAD plan documenting the proposed housing layout, circulation and modular tenancy arrangement.

Person Burner Site Analysis CloudCompare

Person Burner - 2022 | Site Analysis | CloudCompare/Blender/AdobeSuite ▼


ARBE 6231, Studio 7. A satirical research based project looking at the Hunter Valley Coalmines through a lens of decarbonisation and consideration of the concept of the Carbocene.
Regarding the sanctification of power generation in Australia, we asked:
1. Can we create a more mindful attitude toward energy use in Australia through the use of human corpses in power generation?
2. Is divination (the projection of self in understanding the non-human) inherent in our interactions with all objects?
3. To what extent can the human body be adaptively re-used in the creation of everyday spaces?

Person Burner Site Section Rhino3D

Person Burner - 2022 | Site Section | CloudCompare/Rhino3D/Blender/AdobeSuite ▼

Sectional study mapping the proposed power-generation process against site levels and visitor circulation.

Person Burner Plan Wallacei Diagram

Person Burner - 2023 | Plan/Evolutionary Solver Veils Diagram | Rhino3D/Grasshopper/Wallacei/AdobeSuite ▼

Plan and Wallacei solver output used to test veil geometry, coverage and spatial variation across the site.

creature_itch Bee with Sunflowers Gold Rhino3D

creature_itch - 2021 | Bee with Sunflowers Gold | Rhino3D/Grasshopper/AdobeSuite ▼


creature_itch (an anagram of "architecture") is a personal project I've used over the years as a way to practice and explore parametric modeling concepts within Rhino3D and its plugin Grasshopper. Its core is a large Grasshopper script and 2 accompanying Python scripts which are able to produce 3D models, apply materials, render, and export (obj+webp) a batch of any number of unique creatures at the click of 3 buttons. In its current form, the attributes of the creatures include 20 animal forms, 6 types of leaves, 6 types of flowers, and more, all of which can be set to appear within the greater collection at a desired frequency/rarity (see "Grasshopper Script with Example").

creature_itch Turtle with Sunflowers Gold

creature_itch - 2021 | Turtle with Sunflowers Gold | Rhino3D/Grasshopper/AdobeSuite ▼

Parametric turtle variation generated by the Grasshopper/Python pipeline with sunflower and gold material attributes.

creature_itch Possum with Hardenbergia Gold

creature_itch - 2021 | Possum with Hardenbergia Gold | Rhino3D/Grasshopper/AdobeSuite ▼

Parametric possum variation combining Hardenbergia foliage with gold finish attributes.

creature_itch Kangaroo with Wattle and Gum

creature_itch - 2022 | Kangaroo with Wattle and Gum | Rhino3D/Grasshopper/AdobeSuite ▼

Parametric kangaroo variation using wattle and gum attributes within the same generative system.

creature_itch 108/1111 Monkey Render

creature_itch - 2022 | 108/1111 | Rhino3D/Grasshopper/AdobeSuite ▼

One output from the 1,111-piece generative series, showing trait frequency and rarity controls.

creature_itch Grasshopper Script Example

creature_itch - 2024 | creature_itch Script with Example (creature 311 of 1111) | Rhino3D/Grasshopper ▼

Grasshopper script and example output used to automate modelling, materials, rendering and export.

Plan Elevations Exploded Axonometric ArchiCad

Plan, Elevations, Exploded Axonometric - 2019 - Studio Granny Flat | ArchiCad/AdobeSuite ▼


Response to ARBE1103, Digital Communications. The Digital Communications course at UoN introduces architecture students to ArchiCAD as a drafting/modeling program. I went on to be the only in-person tutor for the course during 2021 and 2022, running in-person interactive tutorials, handling marking, and fielding student questions/emails.

VR Gallery Charcoal Sketch ComfyUI

VR Gallery Proof of Concept- 2023 | Rendered Charcoal Sketch 2 | ComfyUI/AdobeSuite/Unity ▼


A rendering and VR gallery project looking at producing accurate and highly extrapolated depictions of the artist's vision including themes, styles, and materials. The final visualisations were informed by sketches, poetry, and verbal descriptions. The project heavily utilised a custom workflow I'd put together using a locally run instance of Stable Diffusion through ComfyUI. This project was a proof of concept and involved creating an environment using Unity.

VR Gallery Rendered Charcoal Sketch 3

VR Gallery - 2023 | Rendered Charcoal Sketch 3 | ComfyUI/AdobeSuite ▼

Second charcoal-style render testing whether the artist's tone and linework could be carried into the VR environment.

VR Gallery Unity Environment Screenshot

VR Gallery - 2023 | Screenshot of Unity Environment 1 | ComfyUI/AdobeSuite ▼

Unity environment screenshot showing the translated gallery space, navigation and lighting setup.

VR Gallery HDRI Environment

VR Gallery - 2023 | HDRI for VR Gallery | ComfyUI/AdobeSuite ▼

Custom HDRI built for the gallery to control reflections, ambient light and mood.

VR Gallery Topologically Optimised Structure

VR Gallery - 2023 | Iteration of VR Gallery Structure using Topologically Optimised Forms | ComfyUI/AdobeSuite/Rhino3D/Grasshopper/Ameba ▼

Rhino3D/Grasshopper iteration using topologically optimised forms for the gallery structure.

Kinetic Watching Wall Dynamic Elevation Rhino3D

Kinetic Watching Wall - 2021 | Dynamic Elevation | Rhino3D/Grasshopper/AdobeSuite ▼


Response to ARBE2222, Architecture Design Studio 4. This project used analysis of site patterns to establish areas of high littering along the Honeysuckle waterfront and deter this with responsive kinetic structures. The DLA algorithm was used to mimic life-forms of the site and directly inform panel positioning. An Arduino system was designed and modelled to trigger a slow turn of the panels when detecting nearby motion. This project led into a second group assessment which used many of the ideas from the solo Kinetic Watching Wall. I was responsible for 3D modeling, video creation, and Arduino (see video).

Kinetic Watching Wall Exploded Elevation

Kinetic Watching Wall - 2021 | Exploded Elevation | Rhino3D/Grasshopper/AdobeSuite ▼

Exploded elevation documenting panel layers, structure and kinetic mechanism.

Kinetic Watching Wall Prototype Model

Kinetic Watching Wall - 2021 | Proto-type Model | Rhino3D/Grasshopper/Lasercut MDF ▼

Laser-cut MDF prototype used to test panel movement, spacing and Arduino-triggered motion.

Eames Variations Product Render Blender

Eames Variations - 2024 | Product Renders | Blender/ComfyUI/AdobeSuite ▼


A project that focused on improving the efficiency of standard workflows in visualising and texturing 3D models with a wide range of finishes.

Eames Variations Wood Leather Render

Eames Variations - 2024 | Product Renders | Blender/ComfyUI/AdobeSuite ▼

Wood and leather finish variant testing texture scale, reflection and upholstery response.

Eames Variations Green Render

Eames Variations - 2024 | Product Renders | Blender/ComfyUI/AdobeSuite ▼

Green finish variant comparing colour accuracy and material response across the chair and ottoman.

Eames Variations Textured Render

Eames Variations - 2024 | Product Renders | Blender/ComfyUI/AdobeSuite ▼

Textured finish variant evaluating bump, grain and contact-shadow detail.

Eames Variations Dark Wood Render

Eames Variations - 2024 | Product Renders | Blender/ComfyUI/AdobeSuite ▼

Dark wood variant checking contrast, edge definition and specular highlights.

Stable Diffusion to Mesh Tile Blender

SD to Mesh - 2024 | Tile | Stable Diffusion(ComfyUI)/Blender ▼


A personal project looking into creating and texturing 3D forms from single 2d images. The video was made from individual webp frames by asking a locally stored Large Language Model to produce a video at a certain framerate from the frames (After Effects and Photoshop weren't available). The whole process of video creation from frames (inluding making the script) was faster than if I'd used Adobe software.

SD to Mesh - 2024 | Video | Stable Diffusion(ComfyUI)/Blender ▼

Generated frame sequence assembled into video to test temporal consistency of the mesh/texturing process.

Architectural Drafting

Command of texture/material pipelines, lineweights, and document publishing using various software tools including ArchiCAD, Revit, Sketchup, Rhino3D, and the Adobe Creative Suite. Automated solutions using parametricism, scripting, and LLMs. Complex organic forms, non-standard stairs, custom objects and hatching.


3D modelling

Precise, detailed, and dynamic environment, structure, and object models using a range of software tools such as ArchiCAD, Revit, Rhino3D/Grasshopper, Blender, official spatial data resources and more. Parametric modeling, evolutionary solvers, topological optimisation. Automated generation of batches of thousands of 3D assets with unique attributes of set frequency/rarity (3D NFTs).


Rendering + textures

Photorealistic or stylised images of 3D and 2D models that communicate the desired message and aesthetic. Cutting-edge rendering techniques including the combined use of Stable Diffusion, AI-powered tools, and more traditional rendering software. Engaging and impactful custom texture maps/tiles and HDRIs providing depth and visual interest to rendered images.


About me

I'm Rhys Muirhead, an Australia based designer and architecture graduate with a passion for visual communication and problem-solving. I create captivating and effective solutions that connect with audiences and drive results. My proficiencies extend beyond traditional design, and I thrive on optimising workflows and integrating new software and technology to solve complex problems. I'm always eager to learn and apply the latest industry trends and best practices, delivering highly innovative and efficient solutions.

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