# 3D Building Visualizer: See what can be built on any property in Chicago The 3D Building Visualizer is an interactive tool that shows the maximum building size allowed on any property in Chicago based on the zoning regulations applicable to that property. It creates a three-dimensional representation of the "building envelope" – the theoretical maximum volume a building can occupy given zoning constraints like height limits, setbacks, and floor area ratio (FAR).  *Screenshot of a stripped down view of the visualizer. Most views will include the surrounding buildings.* ## How to access the 3D Building Visualizer 1. Search for an address in Chicago and select its PIN to open a Property Report. 2. In the Property Report, look for the "3D Building Visualizer" link in the Zoning Assessment section, or navigate directly to `chicagocityscape.com/buildingvisualizer.php?pin=YOURPIN`. 3. The visualizer will load and display the property's lot and the maximum building envelope allowed by zoning. **Try a sample:** View a [sample visualization of a vacant lot in McKinley Park](https://chicagocityscape.com/buildingvisualizer.php?pin=17314120040000) to see how the tool works. **Note:** The 3D Building Visualizer is currently in beta testing and is open to all users. Access will be limited to Chicago Cityscape members only in the future. ## What the visualizer shows The 3D Building Visualizer displays several key elements: ### Building envelope (blue) The semi-transparent blue shape represents the maximum building volume allowed by the property's zoning district. This takes into account: - **Maximum height** based on the zoning district - **Floor Area Ratio (FAR)** which limits total floor area relative to lot size - **Required setbacks** from front, side, and rear property lines - **Lot coverage** restrictions ### Lot (green) The green ground plane shows the property's lot boundaries as defined by the parcel geometry. ### Parapet (darker blue) If applicable, the darker blue section at the top shows the allowed parapet height above the main roof. ## Adjusting the visualization ### Setback controls Use the sliders in the left sidebar to adjust front, side, and rear setbacks. This helps you see how different setback choices affect the buildable area. Note that reducing setbacks below the zoning minimum will show a warning. ### Building type (R districts only) For properties in R-Residential zoning districts, you can toggle between: - **Attached building** – assumes the building shares walls with neighbors (no side setbacks required) - **Detached building** – requires side setbacks on both sides ### Number of stories Adjust the assumed number of stories to see how the building envelope changes. The visualizer calculates a default story height of 11 feet per story. ### Height override For properties with unlimited or high height limits, you can override the maximum building height: 1. Use the **Height Override** slider to set a custom height in feet 2. The number of allowed stories will automatically update based on the new height 3. The slider will prevent you from setting a height that would exceed the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) limit 4. If you try to set a height that would violate FAR constraints, the slider will automatically cap at the maximum allowed height ### Maximize dimension (when FAR limits apply) When FAR limits the building size, you can choose which dimension to maximize: - **Maximize depth** (default) – Building extends to the rear setback, reducing width as needed - **Maximize width** – Building uses the full lot width, reducing depth as needed - **Maximize footprint** – Available only for lots with 0 side setback; uses the full buildable area and reduces the number of stories to stay within the floor area limit - **Maximize height** – Increases the building to the maximum default height allowed while still staying within the floor area limit The maximize footprint option creates wider, deeper buildings with fewer stories, useful for understanding ground-level coverage on zero-lot-line properties. ### Building orientation If the building's front-back orientation appears incorrect: 1. In the Lot Dimensions section, click the **Rotate Building 180°** button 2. All elements (building, setbacks, garage, yard, driveway) will rotate together by 180 degrees 3. The parcel outline and existing buildings remain fixed as reference 4. Click the button again to return to the original orientation This is useful when the automatic orientation detection places the building's front where the rear should be. ### Canvas controls The 3D visualization canvas includes several control buttons to help you navigate, view, and export the visualization. Refer to the screenshot below while reading through which controls are available.  *Screenshot of the canvas showing the controls on the upper left and upper right* #### Export menu (upper left) Click the **Export** dropdown to save the visualization in various formats: - **PDF Report** – A document containing the 3D view, property statistics, and zoning information - **PNG Screenshot** – An image of the current view with all labels visible - **glTF 3D Model** – A 3D model file for use in modeling software like Blender or SketchUp - **DXF (CAD)** – A CAD drawing format for use in AutoCAD and other CAD applications - **SVG (2D Plan)** – A vector graphic showing the top-down view of the lot and building footprint #### Camera and view controls (upper right) The buttons in the upper right corner help you navigate the 3D view: - **Reset view** (circular arrow icon) – Returns the camera to the default perspective angle and zoom level - **Camera help** (info icon) – Shows tips for camera controls, including how to pan the view by holding Shift while dragging - **Top view** (down arrow icon) – Positions the camera directly above the lot looking straight down, useful for seeing the building footprint and lot coverage - **Street view** (person icon) – Moves the camera to eye level (approximately 5.5 feet above ground) at the front of the property, showing how the building would appear from the sidewalk - **Toggle labels** (eye icon) – Shows or hides all labels on the canvas (setback labels, dimension labels, footprint labels). Click once to hide all labels for a cleaner view, click again to show them - **Fullscreen** (expand icon) – Expands the visualization to fill your entire screen for a larger, more immersive view. Press Escape or click the button again to exit fullscreen #### Interactive camera movement In addition to the preset views, you can freely move the camera: - **Rotate** – Click and drag to orbit around the property - **Zoom** – Use your mouse scroll wheel or pinch gesture to zoom in and out - **Pan** – Hold Shift while clicking and dragging to move the camera position horizontally ### Zoning district override Test what-if scenarios by overriding the property's zoning district: 1. In the Zoning Info section, find the "Override Zoning District" input field 2. Enter a different Chicago zoning class (e.g., "B1-1.5", "RT-4", "DX-16") 3. Click **Apply** or press Enter to reload the visualization with the new zoning rules 4. The zone class display will show "(Override)" to indicate you're viewing custom zoning 5. Click the **Reset button** (undo icon) to return to the property's actual zoning This feature is useful for: - Exploring upzoning scenarios ("What if this RS-3 lot were rezoned to RT-4?") - Comparing different zoning districts on the same parcel - Understanding how zoning rules vary across districts - Testing development feasibility under different regulatory scenarios ## Existing Buildings layer The visualizer automatically displays existing buildings near the property using Microsoft's GlobalMLBuildingFootprints dataset. This helps you understand the context of surrounding development. ### What the existing buildings show When you load a property in the visualizer, nearby buildings within 250 feet are automatically displayed: - **Orange buildings** represent existing structures detected from satellite imagery - **Building heights** are included when available from the Microsoft dataset, showing the actual height of each structure - Buildings without height data are shown at an estimated 30-foot height - **Small structures filtered** – Buildings smaller than 400 square feet (such as sheds, small garages, and accessory structures) are excluded from the visualization to focus on primary structures This layer helps you compare the theoretical building envelope with what's actually built in the neighborhood, providing context for the surrounding built environment. ## Limitations - The visualizer uses parcel geometry which may not perfectly match surveyed lot boundaries - Building envelope calculations are based on standard zoning rules and may not account for all special conditions, overlays, or planned developments - The existing buildings layer from Microsoft uses machine learning-detected footprints which may have some inaccuracies - Height data for existing buildings is not available for all structures ## Related articles - [[Zoning Assessment]], which includes detailed zoning information - [[Housing calculator]], which calculates allowed dwelling units - [[Unused zoning capacity]], which explains how to determine if more can be built - [[Exporting for AutoCAD]]