Sumidori Bar & Store – Low-Poly 3D Environment for AR Experience
Concept / Idea
The Sumidori Bar & Store Project was developed as part of an augmented-reality retail experience in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, produced for KDDI and Sturfee.
The project involved transforming a real-world bar interior into a low-poly, game-optimized 3D model and later adapting the same environment into a virtual clothing store, enabling users to explore and shop interactively through AR.
The main goal was to create accurate, lightweight, and visually authentic 3D environments directly aligned with LiDAR scans and photo references, allowing real-time rendering on mobile and web-based AR platforms without compromising realism.
Objectives
- Build a low-poly, optimized 3D environment from LiDAR scans and photographic references.
- Maintain precise alignment and scale within global coordinates for VPS integration.
- Deliver two versions of the same space — the original Sumidori Bar and the Pop-Up Store variant.
- Create game-ready PBR materials (metallic, roughness, AO) for efficient rendering.
- Reduce polygon count for mobile performance while preserving architectural and material realism.
Process
- Converted LiDAR scan data and photo sets into a clean SketchUp + Blender-based model.
- Modeled key architectural components: bar counter, seating, ceiling fixtures, signage, doors, and façade.
- Aligned the interior model to the client’s exterior reference file (Align_sumidori_exterior.glb) for global positioning within Tokyo’s AR map grid.
- Iteratively refined the environment based on client feedback:
- Adjusted geometry, lighting, and texture depth.
- Added and removed props (plants, bottles, lights) per performance needs.
- Re-textured logo signage and wood displacement for higher fidelity.
- Developed a second version transforming the rear section into a virtual apparel store:
- Added tables, racks, and mannequins under 1.5K triangles.
- Simulated hanging clothes via front/back photo projection textures and optimized UV mapping.
- Incorporated 3D-scanned clothing and ceiling detail updates for the final iteration.
- Exported and verified assets in GLB/GLTF, FBX, and OBJ, ensuring accurate alignment and compression for mobile integration.
Outcome / Key Features
- Two complete low-poly environments — the original bar and the retail store version.
- Seamless integration with Sturfee’s AR platform and KDDI’s online shopping system.
- Lightweight model architecture enabling high performance on iOS/Android AR apps.
- Accurate alignment with exterior scan data for real-world coordinate mapping.
- Custom-textured PBR materials and optimized UV layouts for visual realism at minimal size.
- Featured in Japanese national TV coverage as part of the official KDDI x Sturfee virtual shopping demo in Shibuya, Tokyo.
- https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6993269415794413568?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAClKGq4BkwIAUFUEelM4kMnTjAGfJGv-Y48
Tools
- Modeling: SketchUp, Blender
- Texturing: Adobe Photoshop, Substance Painter
- Rendering / Export: GLTF / FBX / OBJ
- References: LiDAR scans, on-site photos, 3D alignment maps
Visuals
- Interior render previews of Sumidori Bar — showing low-poly geometry, signage, and material detail.
- AR store version — apparel displays, racks, mannequins, and store branding integrated into the same physical layout.
- Alignment and GLB screenshots demonstrating precise spatial positioning.
Project completed in Tokyo, Japan (2022) — a pioneering low-poly AR environment uniting LiDAR precision, visual fidelity, and mobile performance for Sturfee’s VPS retail platform.
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