Rhumb Studio Builds Immersive 3D Sites with Baked Scenes
Two-person studio crafts atmospheric 3D web experiences using Blender baking for performance, custom shaders for depth, and client-friendly stacks like Next.js + React Three Fiber or Webflow, prioritizing curiosity over growth.
Create Atmosphere with Baked 3D Scenes
Rhumb Studio designs websites that evoke physical spaces using 3D for light, depth, and substance—hard to achieve on flat pages. Model full scenes in Blender: texture, light, and bake offline so browser loads stay fast and lean. Layer custom shaders for dynamic specular highlights, normal mapping, and ambient occlusion to add real-time depth without performance hits. This turns sites into navigable environments around content, like their homepage: exterior building opens to warm interior room linking studio sections via spatial navigation. Result: sites feel alive and substantial, pulling users into brand worlds beyond standard builds.
Deliver Manageable Sites via Flexible Stacks
Match stack to project needs for speed and client control. Complex sites use Next.js with React Three Fiber and headless CMS—clients edit content without code access. Simpler projects leverage Webflow with custom Vite template to inject code/features while keeping no-code flexibility. Trade-off: stacks evolve, but focus stays on owner-manageable results post-handoff. Experiment outside clients (e.g., physical-feeling interactions, 3D spaces) to hone skills, feeding directly into polished work.
Thrive as a Lean, Curiosity-Driven Team
Two people minimize friction: direct communication, shared references/experiments, no translation losses—one contact owns details. Backgrounds (freelance, agencies like Tambien/Crafted) + podcast chats built trust into weekly problem-solving. Resist industry hype/rapid trends; select caring clients for sustainable pace with experiment space. Avoid scaling—stay small for focus, craft, and pride in output. Early stage means iterating on studio identity, but curiosity + craft pulls forward.