←Back to the experience
Case study · 03

Obalero

3D packaging platform · 2020—2025

Five-year greenfield build of a 3D packaging platform connecting instant browser previews with production rendering.

The Obalero landing page: an iMac on a studio desk showing one drinks can as a bare wireframe beside the same can fully rendered — the platform’s whole promise in one frame.
Open project →
Project overview

Turn an ambitious greenfield idea into a working packaging platform while the product, priorities and feature scope were still being invented. The technical challenge spanned browser 3D, production rendering, real-time communication, authentication and Adobe tooling.

Year
2020—2025
Duration
5 years
Team size
4 core / 6 total
Delivery model
partner led
Outputs
06
Solution

I turned the original concept into a working architecture and prototype within days, then built the platform through five years of changing scope — a real-time Next.js/Three.js editor, glass and material shaders, custom socket communication, payments, an Illustrator plugin, Maya automation and a cloud rendering pipeline. It is live, and in pilot testing with an industrial customer.

My role

Technical architecture and product engineering across the complete development: frontend and WebGL, API integration, authentication, caching, custom sockets, Maya scripting, rendering automation and end-to-end Illustrator plugin development and store deployment; I also introduced stand-ups, Git flow and a more reliable delivery process.

Team & collaboration

Core product team: Václav Štrobl as technical architect and frontend/3D lead, a backend developer, a 3D artist and the company director; project and commercial management joined the wider team.

Constraints
  • A greenfield product evolved under continuously changing priorities, requirements and feature scope.
  • The architecture had to connect browser 3D, backend services, real-time communication, Maya rendering and an Illustrator plugin.
  • Delivery required introducing technical workflow and development discipline while the product was already growing.
Obalero’s pitch — “New platform for packaging design. By designers, for designers.” — beside a photorealistic render of a chilled 500 ml can.
Deliverables
  1. 013D packaging configurator
  2. 02Real-time browser preview layer
  3. 03Adobe Illustrator plugin workflow
  4. 04Real-time API / socket communication
  5. 05Maya scripting and render-server communication
  6. 06Automated render pipeline and tutorial website
Evidence & results
  • Live product website
  • Archived tutorial video
  • Product interface screenshots
Stack
  • Next.js
  • React
  • Three.js
  • Node.js
  • WebGL
  • Firebase
  • WebSockets
  • Stripe
  • REST API
  • Adobe Illustrator SDK
  • Autodesk Maya
  • V-Ray / Chaos render pipeline
Selected screens
The Obalero sign-in screen: cans, bottles and cups rendered together as a group, beside an email, Google and Apple login card.
The Obalero editor itself: a 440 ml can standing in the real-time 3D viewport, with the texture panel and the Adobe Illustrator plugin install on the left.