CityEngine 2016: Model an Entire City in a Collaborative Environment

A CityEngine-generated map of Vancouver, British Columbia. (Image courtesy of CityEngineTV.)

A CityEngine-generated map of Vancouver, British Columbia. (Image courtesy of CityEngineTV.)

Designed to be used independently or as a part of existing workflows, Esri CityEngine has been a useful tool for professionals ranging from architects and urban planners and even to those in Hollywood looking to create 3D cities and buildings with relative ease.

The cloud-based design and modeling tool is intended to enable quick generation of 3D terrain and city models using imported satellite imagery. It allows users to trace existing 2D or 3D GIS data and build up streets and buildings with 3D extrusion tools before applying various design elements to simulate true-to-life architectural styles—which is a useful feature for project pitches. Users can then work collaboratively to update and maintain cityscapes as projects evolve.

This month, Esri has released the latest version of CityEngine in the form of CityEngine 2016.

While the new release sees a number of notable workflow and efficiency improvements, one of the more significant new features is integration with Esri’s ArcGIS, a collaborative online tool for building, storing, and sharing georeferenced maps. To make this content easier and faster to view, Esri is also introducing support for scene layer packages for viewing the 3D content at any scale and with unlimited extent.

CityEngine is used in multiple industries for generating 3D terrain and city models in minutes.

While the support for data via ArcGIS…

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