3D Context Exporter (Calgary)
PLACE / Arts/Culture/Other
TYPE / GIS & Cartography
YEAR / 2026 [WIP]
Using Calgary’s 3D buildings open data API, users could only extract buildings as “fill-extrusions” that lacks high-fidelity details such as roof and facade geometry.
By hosting the high-fidelity LiDAR 3D file, and serving it in geographic chunks, the FAAS design staff could extract high-fidelity 3D contexts such as buildings, DEM, power poles, trees, etc. applicable during feasibility and schematic design studies as well as architectural visualizations.
Check it out at https://3d-exporter.vercel.app/
Disclaimer
Project is currently a Work In Progress
[October 2026]
QGIS;
Qgis2threejs (QGIS Plugin);
Threebox (ThreeJS for Mapbox);
Mapbox GLJS;
Google Earth;
Blender;
Sketchup;
Python;
The Goal
To systematically extract 3D geospatial contexts at high resolution, for feasibility & schematic design.
The Context Exporter
vs. Traditional Exporters
Users can load 3D buildings from Calgary’s Open Data API (in chunks, based on the extent of the viewport), then export them as OBJ (Blender 3D file format).
Results in Sketchup
Exploring Methodologies
This works, but it requires someone who uses QGIS to perform.