Back in 1998 in the Dutch city of Leiden, the Netherlands, two young Dutch computer programmers with a passionate curiosity for 3D computer graphics were taking the first steps toward creating a software company. Act-3D B.V. was about to be born.
In the first couple of years, moving from the attic to a one-room office and picking up a few talented programmers along the way, Act-3D became an early pioneer in building software to make the most of the first 3D graphics acceleration hardware on the market.
The key development during this time was their cutting-edge 3D engine, Quest 3D, which would find its way into numerous applications, ranging from boat simulation to training tools to TV and film, to name a few.
Quest 3D was the crucial stepping stone leading to the insight that architects were missing something: a visualization tool to get them results fast, without the need for a highly technical background or prior experience with 3D graphics.
So in 2007, the small Act-3D team took the bold step of shifting their focus squarely towards architects, with the singular goal of enabling them to harness the power of real-time 3D visualization technology. In December 2010, backed by the idea of making stylish and inviting software, which architects could rely on, the first version of Lumion hit the market. Since then, Lumion has grown to include hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic users in over 180 countries and it can be found in around three-quarters of the top 100 architecture firms in the world.