AMIN member agency SJM TECH is exploring how 3D Gaussian Splatting, an emerging visual technology, can transform the way properties are showcased, moving beyond traditional photography and virtual tours toward fully explorable, photorealistic digital spaces.

As part of its ongoing research, the team created digital reconstructions of two residential properties, a penthouse and an apartment, converting them into interactive three-dimensional environments that can be explored directly through a web browser, with no special software required.

Explore the reconstructions:

• Penthouse – Interactive 3D visualisation
• Apartment – Interactive 3D visualisation

The penthouse was captured using an Insta360 X5 with 8K footage, while the apartment was captured using a 5.7K HDR panoramic video workflow at 60 fps.

A new way to showcase properties

3D Gaussian Splatting reconstructs real-world environments while preserving the geometry and proportions of a space, its furniture and materials, reflective and transparent surfaces, natural and artificial lighting, and the visual continuity between rooms.

Unlike traditional photography or virtual tours built from separate panoramic viewpoints, the technology lets users move freely through the reconstruction and view the space from any perspective, creating a more natural and engaging experience that immediately conveys a property’s layout, atmosphere, and distinctive features.

Fast to produce, cost-effective to implement

One of the workflow’s biggest advantages is speed. Capture can be completed quickly with high-resolution panoramic cameras, and the processing pipeline generates an interactive 3D reconstruction in a fraction of the time required by traditional 3D modelling. Because it reduces the need for manual modelling, complex texturing, and large production teams, the approach also helps keep costs down, giving real estate professionals a way to produce immersive, visually striking presentations with shorter turnaround times and a more accessible investment.

Why it matters for real estate

The quality of a property presentation can make a real difference in a competitive market. Photorealistic 3D reconstructions let potential buyers, investors, and tenants explore a property remotely while gaining a clear sense of room dimensions and the relationship between spaces.

Potential applications include:

• Virtual tours of apartments, penthouses, and villas
• Presentations of luxury properties
• Promotion of hotels and hospitality venues
• Enhancement of retail, office, and commercial listings
• Documentation of existing conditions
• Visual updates on construction and renovation projects
• Immersive presentations for investors and international clients

Scenes can be shared through a simple link or embedded directly into websites, real estate platforms, and commercial presentations, with no app downloads needed.

From photography to an explorable environment

The process starts with visual capture using high-resolution panoramic images or video. That material is then processed into millions of three-dimensional elements, known as Gaussian splats, each carrying information about position, size, colour, orientation, and opacity. Together, these elements reconstruct the space with a high level of realism, preserving details that are often difficult to achieve with traditional 3D modelling.

An evolving experiment

These first tests are helping SJM TECH assess the quality, performance, and integration potential of 3D Gaussian Splatting for real estate services. The agency’s goal is to develop new, more immersive and accessible ways of showcasing properties, narrowing the gap between physical and digital visits, with further tests and use cases to be shared soon.

Contributed by Jorma Ferino, SJM TECH