• Chaos, a global leader in 3D visualization, acquires the Italian company AXYZ design, a leading developer of 3D/4D animation software.
• The acquisition enhances Chaos’ ecosystem of real-time visualization tools, photorealistic renderers, and 3D asset libraries.
• AXYZ’s anima 5 software, used by industry giants like HOK and Gensler, brings dynamic 3D/4D people into architectural visualizations.
Bulgarian-born Chaos, a company known for its professional 3D ecosystem for architects and designers, has announced the acquisition of AXYZ design. AXYZ design, an Italian company established in 2008, has been developing innovative 3D products, particularly focusing on creating realistic human characters for various industries, including architecture, gaming, and animation.
This move is a significant step in Chaos’ ongoing expansion of its ecosystem, which includes real-time visualization tools, photorealistic renderers, and 3D asset libraries. These tools are instrumental in helping teams bring their architectural visions to life.
The acquisition of AXYZ design is the fourth major strategic move by Chaos since the beginning of 2022. This follows the merger with Enscape (a German company developing real-time rendering and design workflow technology) in January 2022, the acquisition of Cylindo (a Danish 3D product visualization platform for commerce) in April 2022, and the acquisition of CGarchitect (a hub for professional architectural visualization where you can share artwork, find jobs, and connect with others) in May 2022.
The collaboration between Chaos and AXYZ started in 2014, as they worked together to integrate AXYZ’s 3D human assets libraries with V-Ray, a rendering software developed by Chaos.
The rising demand for 4D people in architecture
AXYZ’s anima 5 software is a solution for bringing dynamic 3D/4D human characters into architectural visualizations. With a library of over 2,500 scanned characters, anima allows designers to add high-fidelity digital humans to their scenes. These characters can walk, run, laugh, and move, bringing a realistic quality to projects that immerse viewers in the design.
As architects continue to explore new ways to incorporate sustainability and biophilic urbanism into their designs, the need for 4D human characters is becoming increasingly important. AXYZ has responded to this demand by focusing on increasing character diversity, allowing architects to match their designs to the demographics of a city.
“Anyone that’s been in architecture for a while knows how impactful digital humans are to the design and marketing process. 4D people is the next step in our journey”, says Christian Lang, Chaos CEO, in the press release.
Chaos: a story of Innovation
Chaos, founded in the late 90s in Bulgaria by Peter Mitev and Vladimir Koylazov, has grown to become a significant player in the global 3D visualization industry, with over 700 employees and offices in nine countries, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and North Macedonia. The company’s product portfolio includes V-Ray, a physically based renderer that has been honored with an Academy Award and an Engineering Emmy, as we reported last year.
“Visualization is critical to creating the future – both in the real world and the metaverse”, Peter Mitev, co-founder and CEO of Chaos, shared with The Recursive last year, during the merger with Enscape.
Following the acquisition of AXYZ design, Chaos is planning the integration of anima software with its existing products, such as Chaos V-Ray and Chaos Corona.
