Scenes and View Management: Consistent Architectural Views for Design Reviews

Why scenes matter in design reviews

In SketchUp, a Scene is a saved snapshot of how you want to view and present the model. A reliable scene set lets you compare options, review proportions, and communicate intent without re-framing the camera every time. The goal is repeatability: the same camera position, the same projection, the same visible information, and the same graphic style—every review, every export.

Think of scenes as your “view management system.” When they are built consistently, you can: (1) flip between options without losing orientation, (2) print/export sheets with predictable framing, and (3) avoid accidental changes that make comparisons meaningless.

What a scene should store (and what to avoid)

A scene can store multiple properties. For design review consistency, prioritize saving only what you need, and keep it intentional.

• Camera location + target (where you stand and what you look at)
• Projection: Perspective, Two-Point Perspective, or Parallel Projection (axonometric)
• Field of View (FOV) (your lens choice)
• Visible Tags (what information is on/off)
• Active Section Cut (which cut is active for plans/sections)
• Style (linework, edges, profiles, shadows, etc.)

Avoid saving “extra” properties in scenes unless you have a reason (for example, saving shadow settings for a sun study set). The more a scene stores, the easier it is to accidentally change something and not notice.

Scene-building sequence (build once, reuse forever)

Build your scene set in a deliberate order. The sequence below creates a standard camera library: exterior eye-level, interior eye-level, and axonometric. Then it adds presentation-ready two-point views and section/diagram scenes.

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Step 1 — Create a baseline “Working” scene

This is your safe default: a general view you can always return to.

1. Orbit to a clear overall view of the project (not too close).
2. Set a neutral style you use for modeling review (clean edges, minimal effects).
3. Turn on only the Tags you typically need for coordination.
4. If you use section cuts, ensure none are active (unless your workflow requires one).
5. Create a new scene and name it 01_Working.
6. In the Scenes panel, confirm which properties are saved for this scene (camera, visible tags, style). Keep it minimal and consistent.

Tip: Keep 01_Working as your “do not touch” anchor. If a later scene drifts, you can always return here and rebuild from a stable starting point.

Step 2 — Standard exterior eye-level perspective

Exterior eye-level views are the fastest way to judge massing, entry hierarchy, and street presence. The key is a consistent eye height and lens.

1. Position the camera at a believable pedestrian height (commonly ~1.5–1.7 m / 5–5.5 ft above grade).
2. Use Perspective (not parallel) for realism.
3. Choose a consistent FOV (see “Lock field of view choices” below).
4. Frame the building with a repeatable composition (e.g., corner view showing two facades).
5. Save as 10_OptionA_Exterior_Eye (or similar, depending on your option naming).

Practical lens guidance: For architectural exteriors, a moderate wide angle is common. Too wide exaggerates perspective and makes comparisons misleading. Pick one FOV and stick to it across options.

Step 3 — Standard interior eye-level perspective

Interior scenes are about scale, daylight impression, and circulation clarity. Consistency is even more important because small camera changes can dramatically alter the perceived size of a room.

1. Enter the space and place the camera at eye level (similar height as exterior).
2. Aim at a stable reference (e.g., a doorway centerline, a window mullion, or a key focal point).
3. Use a slightly narrower FOV than exteriors if you want less distortion (but keep it consistent across interior comparisons).
4. Save as 10_OptionA_Interior_Living_Eye (or room-specific naming).

Tip: If you compare multiple interior options, keep the camera position identical and change only the design. This is where scenes are most valuable.

Step 4 — Axonometric (parallel projection) for clear form comparison

Axonometric views remove perspective distortion, making them ideal for comparing massing moves, setbacks, and roof geometries.

1. Switch to Parallel Projection.
2. Choose a standard axon angle (commonly a 3/4 view showing two sides and the top).
3. Frame the model so it sits consistently in view (leave similar margins around the building).
4. Save as 10_OptionA_Axon.

Note: Axon scenes are also excellent for diagram overlays (program, circulation, structure) because linework reads cleanly.

Two-point perspective for presentation scenes

Two-point perspective keeps verticals vertical, which reads more “architectural” and avoids the leaning-building effect. Use it for exterior and interior presentation scenes where you want a composed, credible view.

Step-by-step: convert a perspective scene to two-point

1. Activate your existing exterior or interior perspective scene.
2. Switch the camera to Two-Point Perspective.
3. Reframe minimally (avoid changing the camera position more than necessary).
4. Save as a separate scene (do not overwrite your working perspective unless that is your standard).
5. Name it clearly, e.g., 10_OptionA_Exterior_2PP or 10_OptionA_Interior_Living_2PP.

Practice rule: Use one “analysis” scene (regular perspective) and one “presentation” scene (two-point) if your team needs both. Keep them separate to prevent accidental switching.

Lock field of view choices (lens discipline)

Field of View is your lens. If you change it between scenes or between options, comparisons become unreliable: a wider FOV can make spaces feel larger, and a narrower FOV can flatten depth.

Recommended approach

• Pick a small set of FOV standards (for example: one for exteriors, one for interiors, one for close-ups).
• Write them down in your office template notes or in a reference scene description.
• Do not “zoom to fit” by changing FOV; instead, move the camera position or adjust framing while keeping FOV constant.

Step-by-step: enforce FOV consistency

1. Activate a scene you trust (your reference exterior or interior).
2. Set the FOV to your standard value.
3. Immediately save/update that scene so it becomes the “source of truth.”
4. When creating new scenes, copy composition by moving the camera, not by changing FOV.

Tip: If multiple people touch the file, agree on the FOV standards early and treat them like drawing scale standards.

Save scenes with camera + visible tags + active section cut

For review sets, the most useful scenes combine three things: (1) a fixed camera, (2) the correct visible Tags for that view type, and (3) the correct active section cut when needed. This ensures that when you click a scene, you get the right information without manual toggling.

Working views (camera + tags)

Typical: exterior eye-level, interior eye-level, axon. These usually store camera + visible tags + style.

Section views (camera + tags + active section cut)

Section scenes must store the active cut, otherwise you risk exporting the wrong cut or no cut at all.

1. Activate the section plane you need (plan cut, longitudinal section, transverse section).
2. Set the camera to a clear orthographic/parallel view if you want a drawing-like output, or keep perspective if you want spatial section perspective.
3. Turn on only the Tags needed for that section (structure, cores, grids, etc.).
4. Save a scene that includes Active Section Cut.
5. Name it under your sections block, e.g., 20_Sections_PlanCut_Level01 or 20_Sections_Longitudinal_AA.

Tip: If you use multiple section cuts, keep one scene per cut. Don’t rely on “whichever cut was last active.”

Scene naming scheme (repeatable and sortable)

A good naming scheme sorts automatically, groups similar views, and makes it obvious what a scene is for. Use numeric prefixes to force order.

Option naming tip: Keep option identifiers short and consistent (OptionA, OptionB, OptionC). If you later rename options, you can batch-rename scenes without breaking the numeric structure.

Checklist: prevent scene drift (the most common failure)

Scene drift happens when a scene slowly stops matching its intended camera/style/tags because it was updated accidentally. Use this checklist to keep scenes trustworthy.

Before updating any scene

• Confirm you are on the correct scene (name and thumbnail).
• Ask: Am I changing the model, or changing the view definition? Only update scenes when you intend to change the view definition.
• If you only needed to orbit temporarily, return to the scene before doing anything else.

While working in a scene

• Avoid accidental camera moves: orbit/pan/zoom changes the scene camera if you later update it.
• If you must navigate, do it from 01_Working, not from a presentation scene.
• Keep a habit: presentation scenes are for viewing/exporting, not for modeling.

When updating scenes (only when intended)

• Update scenes one at a time—never “update all” as a shortcut.
• After updating, click away to another scene and back to confirm it behaves as expected.
• Verify the three critical properties for review scenes: camera, visible tags, active section cut (if applicable).

Quick diagnostic: a scene feels “wrong”

• If the framing is off: check whether FOV changed versus camera position.
• If elements are missing: check visible Tags saved in the scene.
• If a section is missing/wrong: confirm the correct section plane is active and that the scene stores the active cut.
• If linework looks different: confirm the style saved with the scene (and that you didn’t overwrite it).

Practical mini-workflow: build a review-ready scene set in 10 minutes

1. Create 01_Working with your neutral style and typical visible Tags.
2. Create 10_OptionA_Axon (Parallel Projection) with consistent framing.
3. Create 10_OptionA_Exterior_Eye (Perspective) with your exterior FOV standard.
4. Create 10_OptionA_Exterior_2PP (Two-Point Perspective) for presentation.
5. Create 10_OptionA_Interior_Living_Eye with your interior FOV standard.
6. Create 20_Sections_PlanCut_L01 with the correct active section cut saved.
7. Create 30_Diagrams_Program by saving a scene that stores the diagram Tags + a simplified style.