Method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by means of layer-wise application and selective solidification of a pulverulent building material comprising the steps of: applying a layer of the pulverulent building material onto a build area by means of an application device, wherein the application device comprises a recoating unit (14a-c) movable across the build area in an application direction, selectively solidifying the applied powder layer at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be manufactured, and repeating the steps of applying and selectively solidifying until the object is completed, wherein the pulverulent building material to be applied onto the build area is preheated locally by means of a radiant heater (17, 47) prior to being applied, wherein the radiant heater (17, 47) heating the pulverulent building material to be applied onto the build area in the application device before being applied comprises a locally effective radiant heater (17, 47) which is substantially dimensioned so as to perform heating of the pulverulent building material in the application device, and which is preferably operated in addition to a non-locally effective radiant heater, wherein the latter is dimensioned so as to heat the pulverulent building material two-dimensionally by means of radiation after it has been applied onto the whole build area, wherein the application device comprises a preheating module arranged in at least one operational position according to the intended use between a recoating unit (14a-c) of the application device and the radiant heater (17, 47), wherein the radiant heater (17, 47) and the preheating module are arranged stationary, wherein the preheating module receives a portion of the pulverulent building material, wherein the pulverulent building material is at least also heated in the preheating module by means of the radiant heater (17, 47), wherein the recoating unit (14a-c) is moved to the location of the radiant heater (17, 47) before applying a powder layer, and wherein the heated pulverulent building material is transferred from the preheating module to the recoating unit (14a-c). applying a layer of the pulverulent building material onto a build area by means of an application device, wherein the application device comprises a recoating unit (14a-c) movable across the build area in an application direction, selectively solidifying the applied powder layer at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be manufactured, and repeating the steps of applying and selectively solidifying until the object is completed, wherein the pulverulent building material to be applied onto the build area is preheated locally by means of a radiant heater (17, 47) prior to being applied, wherein the radiant heater (17, 47) heating the pulverulent building material to be applied onto the build area in the application device before being applied comprises a locally effective radiant heater (17, 47) which is substantially dimensioned so as to perform heating of the pulverulent building material in the application device, and which is preferably operated in addition to a non-locally effective radiant heater, wherein the latter is dimensioned so as to heat the pulverulent building material two-dimensionally by means of radiation after it has been applied onto the whole build area, wherein the application device comprises a preheating module arranged in at least one operational position according to the intended use between a recoating unit (14a-c) of the application device and the radiant heater (17, 47), wherein the radiant heater (17, 47) and the preheating module are arranged stationary, wherein the preheating module receives a portion of the pulverulent building material, wherein the pulverulent building material is at least also heated in the preheating module by means of the radiant heater (17, 47), wherein the recoating unit (14a-c) is moved to the location of the radiant heater (17, 47) before applying a powder layer, and wherein the heated pulverulent building material is transferred from the preheating module to the recoating unit (14a-c).