/ CASE STUDY: THE LEAF

THE LEAF

DShape, Mariana Urbina Cantu and Luis García, 2020

Director: Felipe Lega & Mariana Urbina Cantu

Production: Mariana Urbina Cantu

Team: Mariana Urbina Cantu, Luis García, Itza Urbina Cantu & Felipe Lega.

Client: Enrico Dini, DShape and Monolite UK

Release Date: June, 2020

Genre: 3D Animation

Synopsis: “The Leaf” is a private 3D Animated Video for the company D-Shape & Monolite UK.Named after the architectural project contrived by the Italian Engineer Enrico Dini. This project was my Bachelor Thesis project, where I designed the garden space, interiors and the lower buildings and Luis García the skyscraper building, with the guidance of our client Mr. Dini and our project adviser, the colombian artist Mr. Felipe Lega.

Role: CoDirection, Producer, Client customer follow-up,Screenwriter, Storyboard artist, Enviroment and Bedrooms Concept Art, 3D Modeling, Shading and Textures (Bedrooms furnitures and outdoors, included vegetation, cars, secondary buildings, props and objects), Water Simulation, Trees simulations and rain, Ground construction Animation, Cinematography (Mis-scene,illumination, camera settings and camera animation), Render, Digital Compositing, Film editing and Sound design.

Production Type: Architectural Video

ABOUT THE CLIENT

Credits: ©Matteo Brogi Photography (2025). Available at https://www.matteobrogi.com/index.php?lang=en&s=2&pid=76

ENG. ENRICO DINI

Enrico Dini is an Italian inventor and pioneer transforming architecture with his groundbreaking D-Shape 3D construction printing technology. A descendant of renowned mathematician Ulisse Dini and son of Piaggio engineer Egisto Dini, he turned his vision of large-scale 3D printing into reality in 2004 by founding Monolite UK and filing the first D-Shape patents. His work made history with the Radiolaria Pavilion, the world’s first 3D-printed architectural structure, and opened new possibilities for construction.

Over the years, Enrico has delivered trailblazing projects, from artificial reefs and pedestrian bridges to lunar base segments. Earning him prestigious awards like the Industry Icon Award and the RILEM Pioneering Achievement Award. Today, he continues to push the limits of design and technology, collaborating with leading architects, research institutes, and organizations such as ESA and Zaha Hadid Architects to shape the architecture of tomorrow.

Did you know? The inventor of the D-Shape 3D printer, Enrico Dini, comes from an extraordinary lineage of innovators! His grandfather, Ulisse Dini, was a renowned Italian mathematician and politician, while his father, Egisto Giovanni Dini, engineered one of Pisa’s most significant bridges, contributed to the iconic Vespa designs, and even developed a prototype helicopter.

DShape (2024) Enrico Dini - Pioneering 3D Construction Printing. D-Shape.com. Retrieved from https://d-shape.com/enrico-dini/

Twigg, M. (Dec 1, 2026). Story of world's first industrial-scale 3D printer is a story of sacrifice. PostMag. Retrieved from https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/2050702/story-worlds-first-industrial-scale-3d-printer

3D GENERALIST CASE STUDY

⚠️This case study is intended for demonstration purposes only and is not intended for commercial use. All rights to the original concept and content belong to DShape.

DShape video created by mariana urbina cantu luis garcia e itza urbina cantu

KEY RESPONSABILITIES

Co-directed and produced the entire project from concept to delivery.
Managed client and customer follow-up to ensure satisfaction and alignment with project goals.
Coordinated teamwork across artists and technical departments to align the creative and technical vision.
Oversaw project iterations, incorporating client and team feedback to refine each production phase.
Wrote the screenplay and created detailed storyboards for visual planning.
Designed concept art for environments and one of the bedrooms.
Modeled, shaded, and textured furniture, outdoor elements, vegetation, cars, secondary buildings, props, and objects.
Assembly animation of the environment.

Simulated water, trees, and rain for realistic environmental effects.
Created ground construction animation sequences.
Developed cinematography, including mise-en-scène, lighting setups, camera settings, and camera animation.
Supervised rendering workflows for high-quality visuals.
Managed rendering processes to produce high-quality outputs.
Executed digital compositing to integrate elements seamlessly.
Edited the final film and designed the soundscape.
Coordinated rendering efficiently, ensuring that final output met the required quality and deadlines.

OVERVIEW

Outcome, Tools & Techniques:

Results & impact: Delivered a cohesive, visually compelling film that met clients expectations; Enhanced client satisfaction through consistent communication and follow-ups; Elevated the project's visual storytelling with well-developed scripts and storyboards; brought detailed, believable enviroments to life thorugh thoughful design and modeling; Created immersive atmospheres with advanced enviromental simulations and effects; Achieved cinematic quiality through precise lighting, camera work and composition; Ensured polished, professional final output with through compositing, editing and sound design; Strenghened the client's brand or message with a high impact visual product.
Software: Photoshop, Autodesk Maya, Arnold Renderer, After effects, Protools, Premiere, Google tools.
Techniques: Project management, Screenwriting and storyboard, concept art, 3d modeling, Shading & texturing, water and foliage simulation, procedural ground and construction, cinematography planning, scene optimization, rendering, Digital compositing, film editing and sound design.