Architectural visualizations are crucial to the design and planning phases of a project. They help communicate ideas, gather feedback, and make informed decisions before construction begins.

However, when you compare the finished building with its initial representation, sometimes you don't see the shining sun reflecting in its windows and the greenery around it that's more lush than that in the Garden of Eden.

So to remind you that what we see isn't always what we get, here's a collection of pictures that exemplify the contrast between the promised ideal and reality.

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#1

Design Submitted By The Architect vs. How The Contractor Ends Up Building It

Design Submitted By The Architect vs. How The Contractor Ends Up Building It

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#2

Stanley Milner Library In Edmonton, Alberta

Stanley Milner Library In Edmonton, Alberta

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#3

Such A Big Difference Between The Rendered Photo And Reality. Prisma, Helsingborg, Sweden

Such A Big Difference Between The Rendered Photo And Reality. Prisma, Helsingborg, Sweden

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#4

Vizag International Cruise Terminal In Visakhapatnam, India

Vizag International Cruise Terminal In Visakhapatnam, India

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#5

Växjö's New Municipal Building. Render vs. Real Building

Växjö's New Municipal Building. Render vs. Real Building

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#6

Residence Trea In Istanbul, Turkey

Residence Trea In Istanbul, Turkey

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#7

Located In Central Halmstad

Located In Central Halmstad

In order to sell projects, they brighten up the facades and exaggerate the number of pedestrians and cyclists in their render. They also invent greenery that doesn't exist.

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#8

The So-Called Stadsberget In Piteå. Although It Is A Parking Garage, The Illustration Shows A Car-Free Environment With A Lot Of Cyclists And Pedestrians

The So-Called Stadsberget In Piteå. Although It Is A Parking Garage, The Illustration Shows A Car-Free Environment With A Lot Of Cyclists And Pedestrians

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#9

Spektrum In Nya Hovas. Rendering vs. Actual Result

Spektrum In Nya Hovas. Rendering vs. Actual Result

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#10

Tel Aviv University's "Building Of The Future"

Tel Aviv University's "Building Of The Future"

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#11

I Wonder How The People Who Bought Apartments In This Apocalyptic-Leninist Bunker Nightmare Feel About Their Investment

I Wonder How The People Who Bought Apartments In This Apocalyptic-Leninist Bunker Nightmare Feel About Their Investment

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#12

Vision vs. Reality. Platinan In Gothenburg, Sweden

Vision vs. Reality. Platinan In Gothenburg, Sweden

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#13

Söders Höjder In Helsingborg, Sweden

Söders Höjder In Helsingborg, Sweden

The real building doesn't shine very much, and the reality is painful. Söders Höjder in Helsingborg is Sweden's third ugliest new building in 2023 and also the building with the year's worst fake view.

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#14

The Vision Of This Building Looked Great, But The Reality Is Very Disappointing

The Vision Of This Building Looked Great, But The Reality Is Very Disappointing

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#15

The New Hotel At Halmstad's Travel Center. It Looks Like A Haunted Hotel

The New Hotel At Halmstad's Travel Center. It Looks Like A Haunted Hotel

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#16

The Plans For The Marble Arch Mound On The Left Regarded Spectacular In Comparison With The Way It Had Really Been Constructed

The Plans For The Marble Arch Mound On The Left Regarded Spectacular In Comparison With The Way It Had Really Been Constructed

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#17

This Monstrosity Of Selma Center In Gothenburg, Sweden

This Monstrosity Of Selma Center In Gothenburg, Sweden

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#18

This Is A Building Concept For A Hofbräuhaus (German Beer Garden-Type Restaurant Chain) In Buffalo, But Failed To Be Built Correctly Or Finished At All

This Is A Building Concept For A Hofbräuhaus (German Beer Garden-Type Restaurant Chain) In Buffalo, But Failed To Be Built Correctly Or Finished At All

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#19

The Same, But Different

The Same, But Different

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#20

If You Can't Design A Nice Building, You Can Always Try To Hide The Building Completely. Unfortunately, It's More Difficult In Reality Than In The Picture

If You Can't Design A Nice Building, You Can Always Try To Hide The Building Completely. Unfortunately, It's More Difficult In Reality Than In The Picture

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#21

The New Munch Museum In Oslo Opened, And It Might Not Look Exactly Like The Vision Picture

The New Munch Museum In Oslo Opened, And It Might Not Look Exactly Like The Vision Picture

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#22

Vågen Was Sweden's Fifth Ugliest Building In 2022

Vågen Was Sweden's Fifth Ugliest Building In 2022

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#23

A Different Angle But The Message Is Still Clear - Horrendous

A Different Angle But The Message Is Still Clear - Horrendous

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#24

Royal Ontario Museum: Expectations vs. Reality

Royal Ontario Museum: Expectations vs. Reality

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#25

Sara Cultural Center In Skellefteå, Sweden. In Reality It Looks Very Sad

Sara Cultural Center In Skellefteå, Sweden. In Reality It Looks Very Sad

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#26

Glasiaren, Gothenburg. The Building Turned Into Something That Resembles An Old Refrigerator With Ugly Magnets

Glasiaren, Gothenburg. The Building Turned Into Something That Resembles An Old Refrigerator With Ugly Magnets

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#27

Totalitarian New Box In Kungsängen, Sweden. The Gray Color Looks Way Worse Than It Should Be

Totalitarian New Box In Kungsängen, Sweden. The Gray Color Looks Way Worse Than It Should Be

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#28

The Vision And Reality Of Kv. Poolen The New Bathhouse In Frösunda, Sweden

The Vision And Reality Of Kv. Poolen The New Bathhouse In Frösunda, Sweden

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#29

Malmö's New District Court In Sweden. Vision vs. Reality

Malmö's New District Court In Sweden. Vision vs. Reality

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#30

A Skyscraper In Warsaw, Poland

A Skyscraper In Warsaw, Poland

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#31

Funny How Buildings Just Change Color

Funny How Buildings Just Change Color

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#32

Sven-Harry's Art Museum In Vasaparken, Stockholm

Sven-Harry's Art Museum In Vasaparken, Stockholm

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#33

"Bal Gown" In The Hague, Netherlands. It Had The Potential

"Bal Gown" In The Hague, Netherlands. It Had The Potential

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#34

The Render Of Däcket Car Park And The Reality Of It

The Render Of Däcket Car Park And The Reality Of It

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#35

Planned vs. Actual Pune Metro. Left - Sant Tukaram Metro Station, PCMC. Right - Deccan Gymkhana, Pune

Planned vs. Actual Pune Metro. Left - Sant Tukaram Metro Station, PCMC. Right - Deccan Gymkhana, Pune

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#36

Citygate (Getingboet) In Gothenburg, Sweden. Those Windows Look Really Different

Citygate (Getingboet) In Gothenburg, Sweden. Those Windows Look Really Different

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#37

The Elite Hotel Carolina Tower At Nya Karolinska In Hagastaden, Stockholm, Sweden

The Elite Hotel Carolina Tower At Nya Karolinska In Hagastaden, Stockholm, Sweden

According to the vision, the place would suddenly become much brighter when the hotel will be completed. Unfortunately, they were wrong.

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#38

The Render One Looked Way Better. Scandic Central In Örebro, Sweden

The Render One Looked Way Better. Scandic Central In Örebro, Sweden

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#39

An Expectation Image Of Metropolia's Myllypuro Campus vs. An Image From Reality

An Expectation Image Of Metropolia's Myllypuro Campus vs. An Image From Reality

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#40

Kalmar House Stella In Sweden. At Least They Tried?

Kalmar House Stella In Sweden. At Least They Tried?

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#41

A New Landmark Was Built In Kallhäll, Stockholm

A New Landmark Was Built In Kallhäll, Stockholm

The result angered the residents who had expected a white house. Those responsible replied that they saw no problem with the illustrations: "We have done what we said we would do. Not everyone can love a house."

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#42

From Render To Reality

From Render To Reality

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#43

Vision Picture For Brandbergen Centre. It Didn't Turn Out Exactly As Planned

Vision Picture For Brandbergen Centre. It Didn't Turn Out Exactly As Planned

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#44

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Headquarters: Expectation vs. Reality

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Headquarters: Expectation vs. Reality

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#45

Reality Is Bleak Compared To The Rendering World

Reality Is Bleak Compared To The Rendering World

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#46

The Completed Mast Quay Phase II Built-To-Rent Development Is Substantially Different From The Scheme That Was Originally Permitted

The Completed Mast Quay Phase II Built-To-Rent Development Is Substantially Different From The Scheme That Was Originally Permitted

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#47

An Apartment Building Near Stockholm

An Apartment Building Near Stockholm

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#48

This Disappointing Building In Gothenburg, Sweden

This Disappointing Building In Gothenburg, Sweden

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#49

Elbe Philharmonic Hall. In The Renders Of This Project, Hinged Glass Facade Resembles A Perfect Blanket, Almost Weightless. However, In Reality The Facade Does Not Show The Same Effect

Elbe Philharmonic Hall. In The Renders Of This Project, Hinged Glass Facade Resembles A Perfect Blanket, Almost Weightless. However, In Reality The Facade Does Not Show The Same Effect

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#50

In The Renderings, There Are Significantly More People Than Cars On The Roads, But In Reality It Is The Opposite

In The Renderings, There Are Significantly More People Than Cars On The Roads, But In Reality It Is The Opposite

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