What Are Verified Views? AVR Levels 0–3 Explained
A verified view is a photomontage that places an accurate 3D model of a proposed development into a surveyed photograph, so planners can judge its visual impact.
Architectural Visualisation
What are AVR Levels 0–3?
Level 0 shows location and size. Level 1 shows massing. Level 2 shows architectural form. Level 3 shows full architectural detail and materials. AVR Levels 0–3 describe representation levels; Landscape Institute TGN 06/19 uses a separate visualisation classification.
When do planning authorities require verified views?
Verified views support assessments of tall buildings, protected views, conservation areas and visual impact. The assessment brief and authority determine the evidence required for the individual scheme.
What does a verified view methodology include?
The methodology includes viewpoint agreement, survey and photography, camera matching, model placement and a methodology report.
Where do AVR Levels 0–3 come from?
AVR Levels 0–3 come from the London View Management Framework representation scale. Level 0 indicates the location and size of a proposal. Level 1 presents a simplified three-dimensional form. Level 2 describes architectural form more fully. Level 3 presents detailed appearance. The scale concerns the information represented about the proposal, not an interchangeable numbering system for every UK visualisation method. State the requested level within the project brief and identify the relevant assessment purpose. A detailed image without a reliable camera-matching method is not verified simply because it resembles a Level 3 representation.
How does Landscape Institute guidance differ?
Landscape Institute TGN 06/19 uses Visualisation Types 1–4, not AVR Levels 0–3. The classifications answer different questions. AVR levels describe proposal information within the London framework; the Landscape Institute guidance addresses visual representation methods and presentation requirements for assessment. Keep the requested representation and the production methodology separate in specifications and captions. Confirm the current guidance and authority requirements for the individual assessment. Do not use a universal statement that every tall building or conservation-area scheme requires the same type, because the evidence depends on the assessment brief and site context.
What information supports camera matching?
Camera matching uses photography, surveyed position and orientation information, lens characteristics and the model reference. The aim is to place the proposal consistently within the photographic scene. The working record needs enough information for the method to be understood and checked. Retain the original photograph and document relevant changes. A camera adjusted by eye provides a different evidence standard from a surveyed camera position. The geometry also needs a current drawing reference: a precisely matched camera does not correct an outdated or incomplete building model.
How are viewpoints selected for assessment?
Viewpoint selection follows the locations and relationships relevant to the assessment. The planning, landscape, townscape or heritage team identifies the questions the images answer. A distant view explains a different relationship from a close street view. Seasonal visibility, intervening vegetation, public access and the surrounding landform affect the selection. Record the agreed viewpoint rather than moving it later to obtain a more attractive composition. If access or obstructions prevent the intended photograph, the assessment team needs to agree the alternative and its implications before the final representation is produced.
What belongs in a methodology record?
A methodology record explains the source photographs, camera information, survey references, model sources, matching process and presentation specification. It distinguishes the original photographic context from the inserted proposal and records significant assumptions. Include the drawing revision and the agreed representation level. Viewing distance, print dimensions and image presentation form part of the output specification when required by the assessment. The record supports interpretation and review; it does not replace the landscape, townscape or heritage assessment itself. Keep these responsibilities explicit within the commission.
Which checks precede final submission?
Final checks compare the representation against the approved camera, geometry and presentation brief. Confirm that the image shows the agreed design revision, correct context and required level of detail. Check that labels identify the viewpoint and scenario, particularly when existing, proposed and cumulative conditions form separate views. Retain the method record with the delivered images. A final visual polish should not silently change the scale or position of the proposal. The assessment team approves the submission set against the evidence standard agreed for the project.
What information belongs in the rendering brief?
A rendering brief records the purpose, audience, approved design information and required deliverables. Start with the decision that the images need to support: review a material palette, explain a proposal to a planning team or present a property to prospective occupiers. These purposes lead to different viewpoints and different standards of evidence. Record the project address, building use, design stage, required view count and delivery dates. Identify the person who approves the work and consolidate feedback through that person. Supply the latest plans, elevations and sections together with the revision register. A coordinated 3D model reduces interpretation, but it still requires a check against the drawings. Include a materials schedule, landscape information and references for finishes. Mark unresolved elements rather than allowing assumptions to enter the final image. Separate existing features, proposed works and future phases. For refurbishment projects, photographs of retained fabric explain conditions that drawings alone do not describe.
What does a first-draft review assess?
A first-draft review assesses geometry, composition and visibility before detailed finishing. The review establishes whether the chosen camera explains the intended subject without hiding important relationships. Check that principal elevations, room proportions, access routes and relevant neighbouring features read clearly. A neutral material or clay review keeps attention on structure and viewpoint. Approving the composition at this stage reduces the risk of rebuilding a finished scene after the camera changes. Feedback works best as one marked-up document with numbered comments. Identify the image, location of the change, intended result and source of the correction. Distinguish a modelling correction from a new design instruction. Use the same drawing revision for every reviewer. A material approval is separate from geometry approval: both need explicit sign-off. Record accepted assumptions so later rounds do not reopen decisions unintentionally. The written quotation defines the number of review rounds and the treatment of additional changes.
Which delivery details need agreement?
Delivery specifications establish image dimensions, aspect ratios, file formats and intended uses. Website images, printed brochures, exhibition boards and large-format hoardings have different requirements. Agree the largest intended print size early, because enlarging a finished low-resolution image does not recover missing detail. Keep a high-resolution master and create optimised web versions from it. Confirm whether the commission includes individual images, a coordinated campaign set or moving and interactive outputs. Usage rights, source-model ownership and third-party asset licences belong in the written agreement. A rendered image is not automatically a licence to redistribute the working scene or every asset within it. Confirm the permitted channels and any restrictions on re-use. Keep filenames and image descriptions consistent with the project and viewpoint. For publication, record which drawings and materials the final output represents, particularly when imagery continues to circulate after the architectural design changes.
Which output matches the purpose?
The output follows the decision, source information and required evidence standard.
| Output | Purpose | Inputs |
|---|---|---|
| CGI still | A fixed design or marketing viewpoint | Coordinated drawings, materials and camera brief |
| Photomontage | A proposal within a site photograph | Design information and agreed photography |
| Verified representation | Documented assessment evidence | Photography, survey references and method |
| Animation | Movement between architectural spaces | Storyboard, model coverage and output specification |
Definition: what is architectural visualisation?
Which sources explain the assessment context?
Commission this work: verified views for planning applications. See architectural visualisation pricing.