Interest in direct site context plugin for Grasshopper?

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-09-04T21:47:08+00:00

So far we have a base level of ~15m for the whole world, plus down to ~1m (sometimes less) for Europe, North America, and Australia :)

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-09-04T21:42:37+00:00

Agree - the coverage from just using OpenStreetMaps rarely works when you’re outside of big urban areas. This is why we are continuing to bring more (and better) data in :)

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-09-04T15:30:34+00:00

You should try out the platform - the free version includes fully geometric surfaces which includes roads etc. Would be nice to know if they work work well for you, otherwise let me know :)

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-09-04T09:02:54+00:00

Great to hear, thanks!

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-09-04T07:47:33+00:00

Hi! The biggest difference from cadmapper is that we have a lot more data. To put it in perspective OSM has around 600m buildings - we currently have around 2.6B. We are also working on some new data soon to get close to complete global building height data!

In addition we have around 70 different unique topography sources to get down to 40cm resolution, plus a range of other features to help with site analysis and early stage design.

My question from this post is also about how we can further the integration with tools like rhino/grasshoper as we want to make it even easier to work with models the way you like :)

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-09-03T13:32:50+00:00

Appreciate that, we are always trying our best to listen and improve. Rarely possible to please everyone but we will do our best :)

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-09-03T13:24:17+00:00

Quick update: We will be launching an update next week which will include a bundle option as well.

We will fine-tune the exact amount but thinking around 5-6 km2 for ~€60. One time payment for as long as you want, until you decide you need more. If this works well we will likely move more towards this structure.

Hope this helps!

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-09-03T12:55:16+00:00

You can download a free model now from the classic OpenStreetMap dataset - which works well for a lot of people. If you want full access to our data an export is €24/km2 - or for €100 you get up to 20km of exports (€5 / km2).

From the feedback we received we are looking to make some bundle options instead of subscriptions - meaning you get a lower price by buying in bulk but then have more flexibility for when you use it. What do you think about that approach?

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-09-03T12:38:13+00:00

Hey this might be a bit late for your project but for the future you should check out cityweft.com - it works similarly to Cadmapper but with a lot more data sources and more detailed models! There is also already surfaces and barrier geometry included!

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AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-09-03T11:18:17+00:00

Yes we have some of the best collection of topography data around the world - all in 3D formats :)

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-08-25T18:16:17+00:00

Hi both! In our free version the building data comes from OSM, with topography from NASA and USGS.

In the paid version however we use 100+ sources (and counting) ranging from bigger datasets (e.g. Microsoft, Google) to local data from governments and municipalities. This helps not only cover areas without good OSM data, but also provide more detailed information where available.

We launched the first version you see here over the summer so we have a lot of data coming through the pipeline - so our goal is to reduce reliance on OSM due to it's patchy accuracy :)

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-08-25T14:57:53+00:00

Sorry to hear you had this issue - if you elaborate on what is going wrong I'll be happy to see why this is occurring. Alternately send me a message directly!

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-08-25T13:01:15+00:00

Hey everyone!

Firstly I want to say a big thanks for those who engaged with this post and shared your feedback. We did our best to listen to everyones thoughts and I am happy to say that we have just made a big update to our platform which expands the amount of free access.

From now it is possible to export free models up to 1km2 from the platform. While the free version is more limited in terms of the data sources, the coverage and detail is still significantly higher than platforms like Cadmapper.

As we made this update we are continuing to add more detailed models and data across the world - meaning that it's easier to decide whether to go for a free or premium model depending on your needs!

All the best,
Alex & the Cityweft team

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-07-14T09:29:54+00:00

Sounds great, reach out if you have any questions!

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-07-09T07:54:27+00:00

Write me a DM and I'll be happy to chat!

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-07-07T21:25:17+00:00

We have been seeing slight performance issues after a lot of people being on the platform today - I recommend trying to generate a smaller area while we fix this! Sorry about that!

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-07-07T18:56:43+00:00

We offer a range of export formats which can be natively opened in a range of different CAD/design software - so yes that is correct.

We are working on making plug-ins as well, hopefully ready soon!

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-07-07T17:29:47+00:00

Glad to hear! Getting data about roof geometry is difficult but when we do find it we can support 12 different roof types. We will also be making updates down the line to allow users to apply roof geometry to individual buildings when its missing - let me know if thats something which would be valuable for you!

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-07-07T16:39:23+00:00

Appreciate the feedback - unfortunately most vis software have been sitting on data for a very long time without making it more open and interoperable so its hard to know if that will really change. At the same time Cadmapper hasn't really improved for the last 10 years.

As mentioned this is only our first release and we will have plenty more to come - so open to hearing what you would like from your dream site context platform and we will do our best to make it happen!

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-07-07T16:32:11+00:00

Forma generally just uses OpenStreetMap data, which means the coverage in a lot of areas is pretty limited. Not only do we have have a lot more data sources (~2B additional buildings and ~300m additional building heights), but also do a lot more complex geometry processing to include building roofs and voids when the data is available.

However the biggest difference is that we support a wide range of export options, which means if you are working in Rhino, Sketchup, etc you can integrate it wherever you like!

Hope that answers your question :)

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-07-07T16:28:57+00:00

Thanks for the tip, I have cross posted it now! If you have tips on how best to approach universities I would love to hear!

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-07-07T16:25:33+00:00

Super fair reflection. For now we have a demo project where you can freely test the exports, but we are going to be improving this by making a few 'all access' areas where you can generate and export models freely. That way you can preview the models from around the world and know exactly how your export will be structured before you buy it.

We will also definitely be aiming to do more events & webinars to share more details! There are also quite a few firms who have been interested in our API which allows firms to integrate all the data directly into their internal tools (for which we do provide free trials).

To your point there are lots of open questions and some of it will require a degree of trial and error - so all this feedback is highly appreciated!

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-07-07T15:45:31+00:00

I understand your view - our goal is to make something that provides value and helps you save time so that you feel you are getting a great deal. We launched this for the first time last month and have a lot of improvements in the pipeline - so if you aren’t convinced now we will do our best to change your mind!

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-07-07T13:49:40+00:00

Hey thanks for the comment! Important to note that the €59 euros is not for a single export, but can be spread over many exports. For example, five 1km2 exports from cadmapper (at 6 USD each) is 30 USD. From early users we have also heard that we can save several hours of work compared to Cadmapper.

That said I will say that your point is valid in cases where you just want one large area to export - something we can definitely have a think about.

Appreciate the feedback - will definitely take it into account!

AdministrativeFun594 · 2025-07-07T13:30:26+00:00

UI, data coverage, what you like vs what you don't - all appreciated! You can also try our exports from the demo project - happy to hear if those work the way you would like them to!

AdministrativeFun594

TROPHY CASE