LogInIhor Fridman shared a detailed write-up discussing the production project behind BLACK THORN, a UE5-powered 3D scene that merges two distinct architectural styles – Brutalism and Art Deco.
Hello everyone! My name is Ihor Fridman, and I'm a Senior Technical Artist/Senior Technical Environment Artist. Today, I'd like to share a brief blog post about my new work, BLACK THORN, which combines elements of two striking architectural styles: Brutalism and Art Deco.
I drew inspiration for this project from the works of such renowned photographers as Roberto Conte, Stefano Perego, and Margaret Bourke-White. Their photographs emphasize the monumentality, geometric clarity, and dramatic nature of buildings, which inspired me to create this location.
Brutalism, which emerged in the 1950s, captivated me with its austere beauty, massive forms, clear lines, and focus on concrete textures. In this work, I specifically emphasized the severity of lines, the symmetry of the composition, and the interplay of light and shadow characteristic of this style.
On the other hand, Art Deco, which originated in the 1920s, added an element of luxury and elegance to my work. This style is characterized by symmetry, graphical clarity, and a rhythmic visual dramatic effect. In my scene, you can see the use of expensive materials – glass, metal, and marble – that highlight the decorative and refined nature of Art Deco.
By combining the best features of both styles – Brutalism and Art Deco – I managed to create an atmospheric location that appears monumental, aesthetically pleasing, and profound all at once.
Why combine these two styles?
You might be wondering. Indeed, there are many other architectural directions one could choose from. However, my main goal was to emphasize the significance, origins, and spirit of this particular location – a training center belonging to a 1970s institute. I wanted not just to create a standalone building but also to give it a story, provide the structure with context and depth, and show that it's an essential part of a broader architectural and functional system.
By blending Brutalism and Art Deco, I sought to convey the idea of architectural thought evolving over time, lending the building a sense of authenticity and historical continuity. The structure doesn't merely exist in space; it's an integral link in the wider history and culture of its surroundings.
In my work, I paid close attention to the details and the atmosphere of the space. The choice of colors, lighting, and textures helped underscore the interaction between the styles. The upper part of the interior clearly expresses the monumentality of Brutalism – high ceilings, rough-textured concrete surfaces, and massive structural elements complemented by neat lighting lines.
The middle and lower levels of the location embody the ideas of Art Deco: decorative metal panels, sophisticated geometric patterns, glossy floor surfaces, marble stair elements, and contrasting red accents that create drama and rhythmic composition. Every aspect of the interior is designed to reinforce the impression of this place's significance, as though it preserves many stories and memories from bygone days.
Details such as scattered papers on the floor lend a sense of realism and the passage of time, as if life here has always been active. Overall, I've created an interior that is not only aesthetically striking but also tells its own story, which can be discovered through a close look at the details and atmosphere of the space.
Technical Art
Now let's delve into the technical side. I want to emphasize that the project is still in progress, and I'm gradually adding new elements and features. I'm currently using Unreal Engine 5.5.4, which was current at the time this post was published.
First of all, I decided to build the entire material system based on Substrate. This has been a new and, frankly, challenging experience for me because the system is still quite unstable, crashes often, and comes with virtually no documentation. Nevertheless, the potential of Substrate is tremendous: with the right setup, you can achieve highly realistic results when rendering surfaces of almost any type.
Over the course of a year, I tested this system, weighing all its advantages and disadvantages. In parallel with creating the location, I focused on developing the game world, where Substrate helped me implement complex material combinations and elevate them to a new level of quality. Unfortunately, due to a lack of free time, progress hasn't been as fast as I'd like. Still, every new detail adds a unique character to the project.
Thank you all for your attention, and see you soon! I hope my experience and this brief blog post inspire you to conduct your own experiments and make new discoveries in the world of DCC in Unreal, design, and architecture. I look forward to sharing more with you in future publications!