Urban planning and design are critical components of creating livable, sustainable cities. In recent years, software has become an essential tool for urban planners and designers to conceptualize and plan urban environments. There are now many software options available to help urban planners and designers create and visualize their designs. In this blog post, we'll explore 5+ of the best urban planning design software options that are available in 2023 and discuss their features and benefits.
3D City Planner
Newfoundr's Software Review:
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4.2
out of 5
3D city planning is a software solution designed to help urban planners and cities develop a more accurate and realistic view of existing cities, towns, and areas. 3D city planning software goes beyond traditional 2D city planning software. By utilizing three-dimensional modeling, planners are able to create a realistic view of the world around them. This is especially beneficial for urban planners because it allows them to develop a better understanding of the needs of their communities, including how much work is required to bring new buildings up to code or make repairs on existing structures.
- Automatically generates 2D and 3D maps of urban environments.
- Enables you to add new objects by dragging them from the object palette into the map or model. (You can also remove objects by dragging them back into the palette.)
- It's driven by machine learning, which means you can quickly take the data you have and convert it into a 3D model of your city.
- With 3D City Planner, you can also perform analyses on the impact of different types of infrastructure changes. For example, if you're building a new subway line and wanted to understand how that will affect the ability of people in certain neighborhoods to access the rest of their city, 3D City Planner could help you do that.
- 3D City Planner allows you to generate reports that can be used in processes around urban planning: zoning requests and reports, city council reports, and more.
- User-friendly interface: The software's interface is easy to navigate, and users can quickly create and modify 3D models of cities and urban areas.
- Realistic visuals: 3DCityPlanner provides realistic visualizations of urban areas, which can help urban planners and designers get a better sense of what a development or project might look like.
- Collaboration and data sharing: The software allows multiple users to work on the same project simultaneously, and users can also share their models and data with others.
- Limited functionality: Compared to more comprehensive urban planning software, 3DCityPlanner may have limited functionality, which could limit its usefulness for certain types of projects.
- Data limitations: The accuracy of the models created with 3DCityPlanner will depend on the quality and availability of data. If data is outdated or incomplete, the models may not be as accurate or useful as desired.
- Cost: While the basic version of 3DCityPlanner is free, more advanced features may require payment. The cost of using this software could be a limiting factor for some users or organizations.
Pricing for UniSignIn is not currently listed on their website, therefore, is not publicly known. The team at UniSignIn customizes each solution for their customers, so you'll need to contact their sales team to obtain a proper and accurate quote!
Best Fit For:
small and medium sized business
Free Trial Offered?
YES
NO
Pricing Plan 1:
$45/month
Pricing Plan 2:
$225/month
- Custom
- Custom
- Custom
LotWorks is a cloud-based solution that allows planners to easily organize, manage and share large amounts of spatial data. The software integrates with the client's existing GIS system, allowing the planner to develop maps and perform analysis directly in the client's GIS environment. The data and analysis can then be exported to LotWorks' web service, where they can be shared with other users in real time, while being tracked by LotWorks' automated workflow system.
- Automatically generate lots, including all relevant data points, such as house types and lot sizes.
- Manage documents and approvals within the application.
- Design lots with drag-and-drop functionality using auto-generated road templates.
- Create shareable links to allow clients, contractors, and other stakeholders to view and comment on plans before they're finalized.
- Its facility management tool can calculate square footage per floor, so that users can estimate how much space each floor will take up.
- Comprehensive features: GetLotWorks offers a range of features, including bid management, project scheduling, progress tracking, change orders, and document management, among others.
- Collaboration and communication: The software provides a centralized platform for collaboration and communication between teams and stakeholders, allowing for greater visibility and transparency throughout the project lifecycle.
- Integration: GetLotWorks integrates with a range of other software applications, such as accounting software and CAD software, among others, allowing for seamless data exchange and workflow automation.
- Cost: GetLotWorks is a paid software application, and the cost of a subscription could be a limiting factor for some users or businesses.
- Learning curve: The software can have a learning curve, particularly for users who are new to construction project management software or have limited experience with workflow automation.
- Customization complexity: While GetLotWorks offers a high degree of customization, the customization process can be complex and time-consuming, particularly for users who are not familiar with the software.
Best Fit For:
small and medium sized business
Free Trial Offered?
YES
NO
Pricing Plan 1:
CUSTOM
Pricing Plan 2:
CUSTOM
- Google Maps
- Custom
- Custom
So what exactly is SketchUp, and how does it work? In a nutshell, SketchUp is an intuitive 3D modeling program that lends itself to fast visualizations. Think of it as a miniature version of AutoCAD for the non-tech savvy, or more aptly, "the pencil" for architects and urban planners. Certain intricate details need to be left out for the sake of quickness when using SketchUp, but many key architectural components can still be realized.
- Sketchup is best known among urban planners as a way to visualize city plans without resorting to expensive computer modeling or hiring out artists just so they can make models of what their vision looks like.
- For collaborative projects, SketchUp provides a variety of useful tools. You can easily share models and solicit feedback from colleagues, clients and friends via email, Dropbox or Google Drive.
- SketchUp excels as a tool for helping you communicate your ideas effectively from the very beginning of the project. As an example, I’ll walk you through how it was used in my most recent project: designing a bike path through an urban neighborhood for community use.
- Sketchup is a cost-efficient option for urban planning because it's free to use for at least 30 days, and it's priced much lower than other software on the market today.
- Sketchup is used by many professionals in the AEC industry because of its ability to simulate a real world environment and test out designs from any perspective. As a planner, you can show what ideas look like to relevant stakeholders or visualize a project in 3D before committing resources to it.
- User-friendly interface: SketchUp has a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate, allowing users to quickly create and modify 3D models.
- Wide range of features: SketchUp offers a wide range of features, including 3D modeling, drafting, rendering, and animation tools, among others.
- Integration: SketchUp integrates with a range of other software applications, such as CAD software and 3D printing software, among others, allowing for seamless data exchange and workflow automation.
- Learning curve: SketchUp can have a learning curve, particularly for users who are new to 3D modeling software or have limited experience with 3D design.
- Cost: While the basic version of SketchUp is free, more advanced features may require payment. The cost of using this software could be a limiting factor for some users or organizations.
- Limited precision: SketchUp is not designed for precision engineering or manufacturing applications, and the level of precision may be limited compared to other 3D modeling software.
Best Fit For:
small and medium sized business
Free Trial Offered?
YES
NO
Pricing Plan 1:
$9.91/month
Pricing Plan 2:
$58.25/month
- Shapr3D
- Third Light
- Tekla Structures
ArcGIS CityEngine
Newfoundr's Software Review:
4.8
out of 5
ArcGIS CityEngine software is an advanced modeling solution for the efficient design and planning of urban environments. It is used by urban planners, architects, game developers and 3D artists to create smart 3D city models that are based on real-world GIS data. With CityEngine, you can import, prepare, and analyze multiple sources of data in one step and visualize the resulting 3D city model in real time.
- Access to large amounts of data: ArcGIS CityEngine has access to a variety of different data sets that help urban planners to visualize the cities they are working with.
- Variety of tools for creating 3D models; ArcGIS CityEngine provides users with a wide range of tools they can use in order to create 3D models of cities and other urban spaces.
- Real-time feedback from stakeholders: Urban planners can share their models with other stakeholders in order to get real-time feedback during the planning process.
- ArcGIS CityEngine Software provides access to real-time data from various sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S Geological Survey (USGS).
- Convert that 2D data into 3D models so you can manipulate those models to model new infrastructure based on future plans.
- Realistic 3D models: Esri ArcGIS CityEngine provides high-quality 3D models of urban environments that can help urban planners and designers visualize and understand complex urban spaces.
- Data integration: The software integrates with a variety of data sources, such as GIS data, CAD data, and BIM data, allowing users to incorporate existing data into their models and analyses.
- Easy to use: Esri ArcGIS CityEngine has an intuitive user interface that is easy to navigate, allowing users to quickly create and modify 3D models.
- Cost: Esri ArcGIS CityEngine is a paid software application, and the cost of a subscription could be a limiting factor for some users or organizations.
- System requirements: Esri ArcGIS CityEngine requires a relatively powerful computer system, which could be a limiting factor for users with older or less powerful computers.
- Learning curve: The software can have a steep learning curve, particularly for users who are new to 3D urban modeling or have limited experience with GIS software.
Best Fit For:
small and medium sized business
Free Trial Offered?
YES
NO
Pricing Plan 1:
$183/month
Pricing Plan 2:
CUSTOM
- Puma
- Maya
- Houdini
Lumion software is a program that allows architects and urban planners to create immersive 3D architectural visualizations. Whether you're working on a large project with a team of people or a small project by yourself, Lumion lets you build high-quality 3D renders in minutes rather than hours or days. The idea behind the software is simple: add content to your scene, adjust the light and atmosphere, apply effects and hit render. Lumion does all the hard work in the background so you can focus on the more creative aspects of your projects.
- Easy-to-use interface: You don’t have to be an expert at creating complex 3D models to use Lumion. It has an easy-to-use interface with intuitive controls and a very short learning curve. It also offers a variety of training resources for those who need them.
- Realistic results: Lumion’s built-in library of thousands of materials and objects allows you to create realistic renderings that look as if they were created by professional architects and designers. You can also import your own 3D models into the program to achieve the exact look you want.
- Fast rendering: Whereas other programs may take hours or days to complete a single rendering, Lumion is able to produce stunning results in just minutes! This means you can dedicate more time to working on your project designs instead of waiting around for the computer to finish rendering your image.
- Scenes: You can also create scenes and add effects like rain, snow, or fog easily with Lumion Software. These are especially useful for creating atmospheres for different building types or locations.
- Another key feature of Lumion software is that it allows urban planners to incorporate videos into their presentations. They can incorporate video from an aerial perspective, showing what their proposed construction would look like from above.
- Realistic visuals: Lumion provides high-quality 3D renderings and visualizations of buildings and other structures, which can help designers and architects communicate their ideas more effectively.
- Ease of use: Lumion has a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate, allowing users to quickly create and modify 3D models and renderings.
- Integration: Lumion integrates with a range of other software applications, such as CAD software and 3D modeling software, among others, allowing for seamless data exchange and workflow automation.
- Cost: Lumion is a paid software application, and the cost of a subscription could be a limiting factor for some users or businesses.
- System requirements: Lumion requires a relatively powerful computer system, which could be a limiting factor for users with older or less powerful computers.
- Learning curve: The software can have a learning curve, particularly for users who are new to 3D rendering software or have limited experience with workflow automation.
Best Fit For:
small and medium sized business
Free Trial Offered?
YES
NO
Pricing Plan 1:
$54.08/month
Pricing Plan 2:
$108.25/month
- Custom
- Custom
- Custom
