3D Awards 2023

The “official rules” for CGarchitect 3D Awards 2023.

No purchase necessary to enter or to win.
The 2023 CGarchitect 3Dawards Contest (the "Contest") is sponsored by CGarchitect Digital Media Corp. (the “Sponsor”).

Sep 01 - Oct 01
Submissions are opened
Oct 01 - Oct 29
Judging round
Nov 13
Official nominees announced
Dec 06
Winners announced

Submission Deadlines / Important Dates

Call for Submissions: September 01 – September 30 (23:59 Brasília Time / UTC/GMT -3)
Judging Round: October 1 – October 21
Official Nominees Announced: November 13
Online Awards Ceremony: December 6

This year the 3D Awards will be announced during a special online event to be broadcasted live on YouTube on December 6, 2023.

Winners Announced Online: December 6

Category Types

The CGarchitect 3Dawards have 7 separate categories: Image, Film/Animation, Interactive, AI, Student and Viz Pro of the Year. Within the Film/Animation and Image categories, there are also two sub-categories for Professional and Student work. It is very important that you submit your work to the correct category to ensure your entry is not disqualified.

Image & Animation/Film Categories

Professional: This sub-category is meant ONLY for work created by a professional (company or individual) that may or may not have been commissioned by someone who has paid for or otherwise obtained your services to create the piece you are submitting. This type of work is likely to have been created by a professional either for a personal or commercial project. This might be in the capacity of a visualization studio, or an in-house visualization artist working on an in-house project.

Student: This category is meant for images of film/animation work created by a student as part of their studies or educational program. Even if the work was not specifically required as part of your program, if it was created for a school project, please submit it to this category. If you are a student, but created the work outside of your program and were not specifically for a school project, please submit to the appropriate Professional category above.

Works created by students for this category must have been completed entirely by the student. No assistance from school staff or other professionals is allowed other than providing basic general guidance. Pre-made scenes provided by the school, scenes that are used as part of a teaching plan or curriculum, and scenes that are not an original creation of the student are not allowed. Scenes found to be in violation of these criteria will be disqualified.

In order to submit to the student category, you can not have worked professionally in any field or any capacity where you were being paid to create visualizations, prior to your submission being created. This includes working as an instructor or professor. The sole exception to this rule is paid internships as part of your education. The intent and spirit of this rule are to ensure you have not gained an unfair advantage over other competitors. As a student in this category, you should be a novice to the visualization side of the industry.

Interactive/AR/VR/Emerging Technologies

This category is meant for any project that uses interactive technologies to communicate architecture, architectural design or architectural marketing. This category is meant for interactive kiosks, augmented reality, virtual reality, mobile applications, interactive web applications, real-time apps or any new technology (hardware or software) that is used to communicate design and architecture.

Images created with AI tools

This category is dedicated to images that are entirely generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) using specified platforms, such as MidJourney. Participants are required to create images that portray an architectural scene consistent with a given project or design.

Submission Requirements:

Images must be original and not sourced from pre-existing materials.
Participants must choose an architectural project or design as the subject of their images. (the project/design might be requested by the Jury at any time)

Each submission should include:

The final AI-generated image portraying the chosen project/design.
At least three (3) "Work in Progress" (WIP) images, showcasing the creative process and the artist's effort.
The final prompt or instructions used to generate the AI image.

General Rules

By submitting you agree that CGarchitect Digital Media Corp. (CGarchitect.com/CGarchitect) and its designated sponsors may use your submission(s), fully credited, for promotional purposes on their websites and/or marketing collateral. You will retain all copyrights to your work.
As a condition of awarding a Prize, winners grant to Sponsor the right to use his/her full name (first and last), image and likeness, voice, and comments for advertising, publicity, and promotional purposes without territorial, time or use limitations, including without limitation online announcements, without additional compensation or notice, unless prohibited by law.
Any submission must have been created in 2022 or 2023 or made public in 2022 or 2023. There are no restrictions on submitting entries that have been submitted to other competitions or previously published in public.
By submitting to the 2023 CGarchitect 3Dawards Contest, you warrant that you have obtained permission to submit the works for public display. If your submissions are selected they will not be displayed publicly until November 13, 2023.
Any award category that does not receive sufficient applicable entries will be removed from the competition or merged with another applicable category at the Sponsor's sole discretion.
By entering this Contest, entrants agree to abide by these Official Rules. The decisions of the Sponsor and its appointed judges with respect to all aspects of the Contest are final and binding.
By entering the Contest, entrants thereby release the Sponsor, their parent and affiliated companies, their advertising and promotional agencies, and their employees, representatives, agents, partners, shareholders, officers and directors (the “Releasees”) from all liability including responsibility for any loss, damage or injury, caused by participating or their attempt to participate in the Contest or resulting from acceptance of the Prize or participation in the Event.
The Releasees assume no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. The Releasees are not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or telephone lines, computer on-line systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any entry to be received by the Sponsor on account of technical problems, human error or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Web site, or any combination thereof, including any damage to participant’s or any other person’s computer and other property relating to or resulting from participation in this Contest or from downloading any materials in this Contest.
CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS CONTEST MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, CGARCHITECT DIGITAL MEDIA CORP. RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. Any attempt to circumvent any of the competition rules or voting systems will result in you and your company being disqualified and permanently banned from all future awards.
The Sponsor reserves the right at all times at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest, in whole or in part, in the event of any cause beyond the reasonable control of the Sponsor that interferes with the proper conduct of the Contest as contemplated by the Official Rules, including, without limitation, any error, technical problem, computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failure, or any other cause including the cancellation or postponement of the Event.
The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who (i) tampers with, or attempts to tamper with, the entry process; (ii) enters the Contest or tries to do so by any means contrary to these Official Rules or which would be unfair to the other entrants; or (iii) violates any of these Official Rules.
By entering this Contest, each entrant consents to the collection, use, and disclosure, by the Sponsor, of the following personal information: full name (first and last), submitted entry information, and contact information (telephone number, address, and email address) for the administration of this Contest including, but not limited to, the announcement of winners and awarding and delivery of a Prize. No commercial or other communications unrelated to the Contest will be sent to entrants unless they have otherwise agreed to receive such communications.
This Contest is subject to all applicable laws and regulations and void where prohibited. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of the Official Rules or the rights and obligations as between the entrant and the Sponsor in connection with the Contest will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the province of Alberta, including procedural provisions, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of any other jurisdiction’s laws. If a section of the Official Rules is declared illegal, unenforceable or invalid by a competent court, that section shall be considered invalid, but all unaffected sections will be applied within the limits of the law.
By submitting to the 2023 CGarchitect 3Dawards Contest you agree to create a "Making Of" article for the Sponsor if requested.

How to Enter and be Eligible for a Prize

To enter the Contest and be eligible for a Prize you must have a CGarchitect account and submit an image or film to one of our seven (7) categories or any special categories. Participants may submit up to 5 submissions per category.
Competition judges or their respective companies may submit to the competition, however, they will not be able to vote on their own submissions. In the event that a judge's submission is selected as a category nominee, all of their competition votes for that category will be removed from consideration. In the event that more than three judges' submissions are selected as category nominees, replacement judges may be selected to vote in their place.
All submissions must be received no later than September 30 (12:00 Mountain Daylight Time / UTC-7). In the event of technical issues during the submission process, CGarchitect at its sole discretion may accept submissions up to 24 hours past the submission deadline. Once submissions have been released to the judges, all incomplete submissions are disqualified from consideration.

Prizes

The prizes awarded to each winner, nominee and participant are detailed on our prizes page. In some cases, prize values are listed as the cumulative total and not the individual prize total for any given category or winner. Prize values are approximate.
Prizes must be accepted as awarded, are not transferable or convertible to cash. The Sponsor reserves the right at any time to substitute a Prize or a component thereof for any reason with a Prize or a prize component of equal or greater value, or the value of the Prize in cash as indicated in these Official Rules.
Due to embargoes and import rules, some prizes may not be shipped to the winner's country of residence. You will be notified if you reside in an embargoed country. In such an event, there will be no cash or alternate prize awarded.
Some physically shipped prizes may incur taxes or import duties depending upon the winner's country of residence. The winner is responsible for all such fees and duties. Should the winner elect not to pay those fees, the prize will not be shipped and no cash or equivalent prize will be awarded.
Some prizes are awarded randomly as indicated on the prizes page.

Winner Selection

Winners are selected based on scoring and shortlisting performed by the panel of expert judges and the Sponsor. Their decision is final and binding. Shortlisted submissions will be scored on the following criteria:

The image categories have two scoring criteria: “Originality” and “Overall Impression”. Originality reflects the artist's originality in approaching the composition, lighting, mood, and overall approach to the presentation of the subject matter The Overall Impression takes into consideration composition, lighting, mood, modelling, texturing, technical difficulty and overall impression and impact of the work.
The film categories have three scoring criteria: “Originality”, “Editing” and “Overall Impression”. Originality reflects the artist's originality in approaching the cinematography, theme, lighting, story, music, editing and overall approach to the presentation of the subject matter. Editing is a score reflecting the editing quality of the film including but not limited to: cuts, music, timing and how the editing contributes to the overall story and film. The Overall Impression takes into consideration cinematography, lighting, mood, modelling, texturing, technical difficulty, editing and overall impression and impact of the work.
The Interactive category is scored on three criteria: "Originality", "Overall Impression" and "User Interface/User Experience (UI/UX)". Originality reflects the artist's originality in approaching the overall user experience, communication of important project information, user interaction and user interface. The Overall Impression takes into consideration the overall impact of the project as a whole including the use of technology in the execution and delivery of the project. User Interface/User Experience takes into consideration the design of an intuitive and appropriate UI and the logical, intuitive and informative design of the user experience.

The Artificial Intelligence category has in two criteria: "Visual Quality" and "Innovation". Visual Quality reflects the image's fidelity to the original design/project as well as the overall visual result. Innovation is a score that reflects how unique and interesting the final image is, taking into consideration the difference between traditional media and AI.

Originality Scoring & Nominee/Winner Selections

Originality is scored on all submissions in all categories and counts for 25-50% of the overall score. The CGarchitect 3D Awards have been designed from inception to reward works that elevate and inspire the industry through originality, which is why it heavily contributes to the overall score.

Since the 2021 awards there is the requirement to document all sources of inspiration and influence (including links to the sources being referenced) if your submission is substantively similar to other artistic works regardless of their origin or medium. The following is a non-exclusive list of examples where you must document your sources of inspiration or influence:

Replication, duplication or copying of an existing photo, film or CGI in its entirety or in a way that would be interpreted as having been copied.
Substantive copying of colour grading, composition, editing, or content of existing artistic work.
Borrowing unique and recognizable elements of existing artistic works.
Submitting non-original works that were provided as part of a school project are not allowed to be submitted. For example: you were provided all or parts of the scene being submitted or most or all of the settings/setups/materials/shaders were provided to you. YOU must create your scene.

If you are unsure, it is better to document influences and references, with links, so our judges can establish the originality of your submission.

If any submission is determined to have substantively borrowed from another artistic work and it has not been documented, all of your submissions will be disqualified from the competition in all categories.

Winner Notification

Sponsors will attempt to contact each selected winner, nominee, entrant by email in December 2023/January 2024.

Any winner found not in compliance with these Official Rules; will be disqualified and will forfeit the Prize and, at the Sponsor’s sole discretion, an alternate entrant may be selected until the selected entrant meets all the qualifications outlined in these Official Rules and can be declared a winner. The Sponsors will not be responsible for failed attempts to contact a selected entrant. Any prize not collected by March 2024, will be considered forfeited.

Image (including Student) Submissions Rules

Submission Limit: Each company, person, or group may submit a maximum of 5 images.
Creation Date Requirement: Images must have been created in 2022 or 2023 or made public in 2022 or 2023. Any images determined to have been created before this period will be disqualified.
Variations of the Same Project: Do not submit multiple views of the same project unless they are significantly different from one another.
Image Size: Images must be a minimum of 1500 pixels in the smallest dimension.
Watermarks and Logos: Images must not be watermarked with recognizable company logos or names. If the creator is discernible in a watermark, the image will be disqualified.
Multiple Images from the Same Source: If multiple images from the same company, person, or group are scored in the top 5 nominees for the image category, only the highest scoring image will be selected.
Sub-Categories: There are two sub-categories for the Image category: Professional and Student work. If an image is submitted to the incorrect category, it will be disqualified. Please see the category description at the top of this page for more detailed information.
Professional Work Category: Any work created by a professional (company or individual), either paid or personal. If you are a student, but you were commissioned or paid to create the image, you must submit to the Professional category.
Student Category Eligibility: Any work created by a student for a school project (regardless if it was required as part of the educational curriculum) should be submitted to the student Image category. You cannot be paid or compensated for any work submitted to the student category. In order to qualify for the student category, you cannot be working professionally in the visualization industry or have worked professionally at any time in the past within the field.
Student-Generated Work: Works created by students for the student category must have been completed entirely by the student. No assistance from school staff or other professionals is allowed other than providing basic general guidance. Pre-made scenes provided by the school, scenes used as part of a teaching plan or curriculum, and scenes that are not an original creation of the student are not allowed. Scenes found to be in violation of these criteria will be disqualified.
Professional Work History: In order to submit to the student category, you cannot have worked professionally in any field or any capacity where you were being paid to create visualizations, prior to your submission being created. This includes working as an instructor or professor. The sole exception to this rule is paid internships as part of your education. The intent and spirit of this rule are to ensure you have not gained an unfair advantage over other competitors. As a student in this category, you should be a novice to the visualization side of the industry.

Animation/Film (including Student) Submission Rules

Submission Limit: Each company, person, or group may submit a maximum of 5 film/animations.
Creation Date Requirement: Films/animations must have been created in 2022 or 2023 or made public in 2022 or 2023. Any films/animations determined to have been created before this period will be disqualified.
Submission Format and Resolution: All submissions must be submitted in QuickTime MOV or MP4 format. The minimum resolution should be Full HD format (1920 x 1080). If your footage was not rendered in HD, we will accept it; however, during the judging, HD resolution entries may be given preference.
Single Project Per Submission: Demo reels or compilations of multiple projects will not be accepted. Only one project or animation can be included per submission.
Watermarks and Logos: Submissions must not be watermarked with company logos or names. (Credits/logos at the beginning or end are accepted but discouraged.)
Multiple Projects from the Same Source: If multiple films/animations from the same company, person, or group are scored in the top 5 nominees for the Animation/Film category, only the highest scoring film/animation will be selected.
Sub-Categories: There are two sub-categories for the Animation/Film category: Professional and Student work. If a film is submitted to the incorrect category, it will be disqualified. Please see the category description at the top of this page for more detailed information.
Professional Work Category: Any work created by a professional (company or individual), either paid or personal. If you are a student, but you were commissioned or paid to create the film/animation, you must submit to the Professional category.
Student Category Eligibility: Any work created by a student for a school project (regardless if it was required as part of the educational curriculum) should be submitted to the student Animation/Film category. You cannot be paid or compensated for any work submitted to the student category. In order to qualify for the student category, you cannot be working professionally in the visualization industry or have worked professionally at any time in the past within the field.
Student-Generated Work: Works created by students for the student category must have been completed entirely by the student. No assistance from school staff or other professionals is allowed other than providing basic general guidance. Pre-made scenes provided by the school, scenes used as part of a teaching plan or curriculum, and scenes that are not an original creation of the student are not allowed. Scenes found to be in violation of these criteria will be disqualified.
Professional Work History: In order to submit to the student category, you cannot have worked professionally in any field or any capacity where you were being paid to create visualizations, prior to your submission being created. This includes working as an instructor or professor. The sole exception to this rule is paid internships as part of your education. The intent and spirit of this rule are to ensure you have not gained an unfair advantage over other competitors. As a student in this category, you should be a novice to the visualization side of the industry.

Interactive/AR/VR/Emerging Technologies Submission Rules

Project Submission Limit: Each company, person, or group may submit a maximum of 5 projects.
Creation Date Requirement: Projects must have been created in 2022 or 2023 or made public in 2022 or 2023. Any projects determined to have been created before this period will be disqualified.
Submission Format: Submissions must be sent as QuickTime MOV or MP4 Videos. You should use software like Camtasia or other screen recording software to record the interface and navigation of any real-time scenes, VR/AR experiences, or installations. All projects must use video to showcase the use of the technology in use.
Multiple Projects from the Same Source: If multiple Interactive projects from the same company, person, or group are scored in the top 5 nominees for the Interactive category, only the highest scoring project will be selected.

Artificial Intelligence Image Submission Rules

Image Submission Limit: Each company, person, or group may submit a maximum of 5 images.
Creation Date Requirement: Images must have been created in 2022 or 2023 or made public in 2022 or 2023. Any images determined to have been created before this period will be disqualified.
Variations of the Same Project: Do not submit multiple views of the same project unless they are significantly different from one another.
Image Size: Images must be a minimum of 1500 pixels in the smallest dimension.
Watermarks and Logos: Images must not be watermarked with recognizable company logos or names. If the creator is discernible in a watermark, the image will be disqualified.
Multiple Images from the Same Source: If multiple images from the same company, person, or group are scored in the top 5 nominees for the "Artificial Intelligence Image" category, only the highest scoring image will be selected.
AI Tools Requirement: Submitted images must have been generated using AI tools (e.g., MidJourney, Stable Diffusion, etc.). Images created with traditional 3D software and treated using AI tools (e.g., Photoshop generative tools) will be disqualified.
Post-Production Allowed: Images may be manually retouched using post-production tools such as Adobe Photoshop, as long as they retain most of the original AI output.
Work in Progress (WIP) Images: Submitted works must include at least three (3) 'Work in Progress' (WIP) images, showcasing the creative process and the artist's effort, along with the final prompt used to produce the final image. Our team may request these additional WIP images at any time. Failure to provide them will disqualify the entry.
Original Design/Project Requirement: The original design/project on which the submitted image is based shall be required by the Jury to ensure the final result matches the design. If an image is found to be the result of a random prompt not resembling an actual design, it will be disqualified.

Viz Pro of the Year Rules

Image Submission Limit: Each company, person, or group may submit a maximum of 5 images.
Creation Date Requirement: Images must have been created in 2022 or 2023 or made public in 2022 or 2023. Any images determined to have been created before this period will be disqualified.
Eligibility Criterion: To be eligible in the "Viz Pro of the Year" category, the submitted image must have been selected as "Viz Pro of the Week" in 2022 or 2023. Images that were not selected as such will be disqualified.
Image Size: Images must be a minimum of 1500 pixels in the smallest dimension.
Watermarks and Logos: Images must not be watermarked with recognizable company logos or names. If the creator is discernible in a watermark, the image will be disqualified.
Multiple Images from the Same Source: If multiple images from the same company, person, or group are scored in the top 5 nominees for the "Viz Pro of the Year" category, only the highest scoring image will be selected.