A visionary architectural concept project created by Ahmed Abd El Mohsen and Khaled Awad — architectural visualizers based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The design explores the poetic interaction between desert landscapes and contemporary architectural forms, creating a dynamic vision that speaks both to nature and innovation. Let’s take a closer look at how this atmospheric visual narrative came together from concept to final image!
Intro.
Hello 3d community,
and welcome to our “Making of” for the Dunes' Whisper project.
Concept and Inspiration.
The project was driven primarily by visual storytelling. Our objective was to convey a feeling — a simple, mysterious memorial that visually represents the spirit of the desert and the life of constant movement within it.
To reach this visual language, we began with extensive image research. We collected references of desert landscapes across different times of day — sunrise, midday, and sunset — observing how light, color, and shadows transform the same terrain into entirely different emotional states. Alongside this, we studied visual references related to nomadic journeys, caravans, footprints in the sand, and traces left behind by travelers.
This research phase helped us shape the overall mood and atmosphere of the project. Rather than overloading the scene with details, we focused on simplicity, scale, and silence — allowing emptiness and contrast to play a key role in the visuals. The ambiguity of the forms and the vastness of the environment were intentional, reinforcing the idea of transience and impermanence.
Through lighting, composition, and camera framing, we aimed to create images that feel less like documentation and more like visual memories — moments that suggest a story without fully revealing it.
Software Used.
The project was created in Autodesk 3ds Max 2024 and rendered in Chaos Corona Renderer 14. For postproduction we used Adobe Photoshop.
Materials & Texturing.
From the beginning, material choices were driven by their connection to sand across time. Stone-like textures represent the material of the past — shaped from sand through time and erosion — while glass symbolizes the material of the present, also born from sand but transformed by human intervention.
This contrast helped reinforce the project’s visual narrative of time, transience, and desert identity.
The glass material required careful development due to its complex color gradients and subtle distortions, which were essential to achieve the desired sense of movement and visual depth.
What is 3d & What is PS.
After defining the camera angles, we focused on developing realistic lighting setups, closely matching real-world desert references. This helped keep the renders clear and natural, ensuring smooth and effective compositing during the Photoshop post-production stage.
Next, we rendered the images and composited them in Photoshop with real desert photos. We added artistic touches and enhancements, and as shown in the images below, there’s a noticeable difference between the raw render and the final product.
Summary.
From the very beginning, the goal was to create a simple project that conveys the spirit of the desert. The building itself existed only as a 3D model, while everything else — atmosphere, and final touches — was crafted in Photoshop with minimal effort, emphasizing storytelling over complexity.
Final Images.
Thank you for joining us on this making-of journey. If our work resonates with you or sparks ideas or questions, feel free to reach out through our social media. You are always welcome!
Wishing you all the best,
Ahmed Abd El Mohsen & Khaled Awad.
About the artists
Ahmed Abd El Mohsen and Khaled Awad are architectural visualizers based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Their work focuses on conceptual storytelling, where architecture serves as a medium for conveying emotion, atmosphere, and narrative rather than purely functional design. With a strong emphasis on mood, composition, and visual symbolism, they explore the balance between simplicity and depth, often blending precise 3D workflows with expressive post-production techniques. Through projects like “Dunes’ Whisper,” they aim to create imagery that feels timeless, capturing fleeting moments, silent landscapes, and the subtle dialogue between built form and nature.
