Key Takeaways

• ‍Reduced render time by up to 80%, cutting animation rendering from 12 hours to just 2–3 hours.
• ‍Enabled proactive client acquisition through rapid visioning proposals, even before tenders.
• ‍Empowered a growing team with user-friendly real-time rendering — even new visual artists adapted quickly.

About Alien DC

• ‍Location: Jakarta, Indonesia (across 2 offices)
• ‍Team Size: 210+
• ‍Studio Type: Full-service multidisciplinary design studio (Architecture, Interior, Landscape, Masterplan)
• ‍Project Types: Government buildings, state-owned enterprise (SOE) headquarters, national banks, transport hubs, international hotels, private sectors
• ‍Modeling Tools: SketchUp and Blender

In today’s high-stakes design environment, speed is no longer optional — it’s essential. For architecture firms handling large-scale projects and fast-track deadlines, having the right architectural rendering software can mean the difference between winning and missing out.

Alien DC, one of Indonesia’s fastest-growing design studios, understands this reality well. With 210+ team members working across architecture, interior, landscape, and urban design, they serve some of the most demanding clients — from government ministries to national banks and international developers.

To meet these expectations, Alien DC turned to D5 Render — an architectural visualization tool that delivered the speed, quality, and control their workflow demanded.

The Challenge: Traditional Rendering Tools Weren’t Built for Today’s Speed

Alien DC takes on some of the most ambitious projects in the region — national bank headquarters, government institutions, transport hubs, and international hotels. With clients demanding fast turnarounds, the team’s visualization pipeline had to deliver quickly, consistently, and at scale.

Yet their traditional setup couldn’t keep up.

• ‍12+ hours to render a 30-second animation
• Delays in revision cycles, risking missed tender deadlines
• ‍Heavy reliance on third-party vendors for final polish
• ‍Fragmented tools and handoffs that slowed collaboration

With complex public projects and strict timelines, Alien DC needed an architectural rendering solution that supported real-time decision-making — not one that delayed it.

“In our field, speed is essential—every single day drives progress.” shares Ridho from Alien DC’s visual team.

The Turning Point: Discovering the Right Architectural Rendering Software

In mid-2023, the team discovered D5 Render — a real-time rendering software designed specifically for architectural visualization. What began as a trial quickly became a studio-wide transformation.

Why They Switched:

✅ Real-time rendering with photoreal previews — immediate client-ready visuals
✅ 80% faster animation rendering — from 12 hours down to 2–3
✅ User-friendly interface — new team members upskilled within hours
✅ Smooth integration with SketchUp and Blender
✅ Stable performance on large-scale projects
✅ Scalable animation layers for more dynamic storytelling

“With D5, we can render fast enough to lead conversations, not just follow them,” says Ridho, Alien DC’s visual team.

By switching to D5 Render, Alien DC gained both speed and flexibility — and began scaling faster than ever.

Restructuring for In-House Agility

To keep up with demand, Alien DC restructured their workflow — creating a dedicated in-house visualization division that could move faster and respond instantly to design updates.

D5 Render became the backbone of this transformation.

• Visualizers and architects now collaborate in real time
• Review cycles are tighter, with less back-and-forth
• Client approvals are faster thanks to clear, cinematic visuals
• External outsourcing has dropped — saving both time and budget

Real Project Spotlight: Mandiri Financial Center, PIK 2

One of Alien DC’s flagship projects, the Mandiri Financial Center, showcases the full potential of D5 Render. This 100,000 sqm complex includes three towers — the tallest reaching 21 stories — and is set to meet Platinum certification from the Green Building Council Indonesia (GBCI).

With D5:

• The architecture and interior teams modeled the project in just 3–4 days
• The visualization team delivered all stills and animations in the following 3–4 days
• Real-time previews ensured minimal backtracking or rework
• Every visual told a clear, compelling design story

This project highlights how the right architectural rendering tools can compress timelines and elevate design quality — simultaneously.

“D5's real-time viewport lets us finalize visuals with confidence — we don't second-guess the result anymore,” shares Ridho.

From Production Tool to Business Accelerator

What started as a tool to meet deadlines quickly became a growth strategy.

Alien DC now uses D5 Render to produce pre-tender proposals — visualizations that help the firm start conversations before tenders are even released. By proactively creating compelling visioning materials, they stay ahead of the curve and unlock new opportunities.

“We don’t wait for opportunities — we create them. D5 helps us do that,” says Qeis, Alien DC’s digital team,.

By using high-quality architectural visualization software, Alien DC turns speed into strategy — expanding faster and engaging clients earlier.

Conclusion

Alien DC proves that speed and quality can go hand-in-hand — if you have the right tools.
With D5 Render, they’ve built a rendering pipeline that not only keeps up with pressure, but turns speed into strategy.

D5 isn’t just another architectural rendering software — it’s a catalyst for growth.