Introducing movement to drawings and diagrams is an excellent way to show the development and progress of ideas fundamental to a project. Animated GIFs can therefore be a useful tool to improve your project presentation, explaining in a lean way a large amount of complex information.

When it comes to architectural drawings, it's fundamental to understand what information needs to be highlighted and what is the best way to show it, getting rid of all the extra data to focus attention on the main asset. With that in mind, here is a list of 7 different types of animated GIF that really show off the best of every project.

1) Context

To show specific environmental characteristics in one drawing could be a very complex task. Even if you manage to put in one drawing all the information needed to understand a project's surroundings, the result can often be messy and over-saturated with information. Animated GIFs are a great tool to show accurate context information in a very clean way.

85 Sheltered Housing Units for Senior and Public Facilities / GRND82

Casa 50.50 / Célula.Urbana

2) Design Concept

To graphically explain the idea behind a project can be a real challenge. Whether you want to focus on the underlying volumetric logic or the process of reasoning that takes you from an existing building to a final proposal, animated GIFs can provide a coherent sequence to communicate your approach to the project.

Armory Wharf / Lahznimmo Architects

Casa Taller Tampiquito / Dear Architects

Totihue Chapel / Gonzalo Mardones Viviani

3) Spatial Relationship Between Levels

Most projects have more than one level. Even in single story constructions, there is always a ground floor and a roof that can relate to each other in multiple ways, with skylights, roof terraces, and so on. When a project has more than one floor, the inter-level interaction becomes more complex and therefore more difficult to explain. Animated GIFs can be used to show different relations between each level and the whole project or between every level.

Attic for an Architect / buro5

CircusBA / It Met

Zamudio / Arqtipo

4) Detail

Architectural details can have very complex junctions and material specification. Sometimes, one element can be turned to another position, or it can be moved or opened or elevated. Think in a light adjustable facade that can change position according to the weather and amount of light. By using animated GIFs you can portray the whole function cycle of one specific piece, making a much more complete detail.

Conjoined Media Towers / REX

CRAFT / Sameep Padora & Associates

5) Program

The program of a project defines a wide network of human relations that develop within the designed space. Diagrams and especially movement can deliver complete information in a simple way.

Soyoo Joyful Growth Center / Crossboundaries

6) Construction and Structure

With an animated GIF the architect can show in one image the complete structure or construction process of the project; from its foundation to the last roof beam, GIFs are a great tool to simply show a building's structural makeup.

EFC Cabin / VOID

SIP m3 House / Ian Hsü + Gabriel Rudolphy

Wooden Structure at Launchlabs / Stereo Architektur

7) General Project View

A general animated view of your project is an excellent way to show different stages of your intervention; you can share an internal journey through a building or show multiple ways of inhabiting your design, among other possibilities.

Home at Intersection / Yushang Zhang

Nautilus / TEN + NGO City Creative Network