# A World Rendered Beautifully: The Making of the BFCM 3D Data Visualization

DevFeed: [A World Rendered Beautifully: The Making of the BFCM 3D Data Visualization](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/a-world-rendered-beautifully-the-making-of-the-bfcm-3d-data-visualization-1305.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://shopify.engineering/bfcm-3d-data-visualization>)

Author: Mikko Haapoja

Published: 2020-12-04T15:20:30Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Shopify Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/shopify-engineering.md>), [Shopify Engineering - Shopify Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/shopify-engineering-shopify-engineering.md>)

Topics: [Data visualization](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/data-visualization.md>), [Three.js](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/threejs.md>), [3D](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/3d.md>), [PBR materials three.js](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/pbr-materials-three-js.md>), [Web](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/web.md>)

Tags: [3d](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/3d.md>), [data-visualization](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/data-visualization.md>), [js](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/js.md>), [lighting](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/lighting.md>), [models](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/models.md>), [performance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/performance.md>), [three-js](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/three-js.md>), [visualization](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/visualization.md>), [web](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/web.md>)

## AI overview

Shopify engineers describe the making of the BFCM 3D data visualization and its Live View Globe. The article covers rapid prototyping with three.js, a layered architecture designed for encapsulation and code reuse, and the use of artist-created 3D models, physically based rendering, 32-bit EXR environment maps, and image-based lighting to achieve realistic performance and visuals.

## Source excerpt

By Mikko Haapoja and Stephan Leroux 2020 Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) is over, and another BFCM Globe has shipped. We're extremely proud of the globe, it focused on realism, performance, and the impact our merchants have on the world. The Black Friday Cyber Monday Live Map We knew we had a tall task in front of us this year, building something that could represent orders from our one million merchants in just two months.