berlin3D OpenData
mmmm 3D Buildings……

 

Have a look at what Berlin has done! Releasing 3D textured building data in six different formats!  I’m currently downloading some of the CityGML data (there’s a lot), but this along with the Toronto data set should give you some great real world data for playing with in CityEngine!   It looks like the data is available in the following formats:

Textured

  • CityGML
  • 3DS

Un-textured

  • CityGML
  • 3DS
  • 2D Shape
  • DXF
  • ESRI PGDB
  • 3D Shape
  • KMZ

The lack of choice in the textured version is a product I guess of the limitations in the fileformats but also processing time and file size.   When we do CityEngine projects we almost always use untextured buildings they are easier to download and view on other peoples PCs, and lets face it textures don’t always add anything to your scene.

 

Berlin plays a leading role throughout Europe in the digital economy – as of today a 3D city model of the German capital is available to the public as Open Data. Until now Internet users have had the opportunity to explore the city of Berlin online by using the Business Location Center’s realistic model from Berlin Partner for Business and Technology – now they can also use the data. Regardless of whether for scientists, game developers, city planners, architects or graphic designers, the large-scale model of Berlin is available as a free download.

You can read the press release here.

Better yet go and download the data here.