Guide • Site diagrams
Figure-ground map generator for any site
A figure-ground map shows buildings as solid shapes and everything else as empty space, so the grain of the city is easy to read. Atlasly can make one for any site with building data, either as a ready diagram or as a layered file you finish in Illustrator or AutoCAD.
Use this overview to plan your research. Verify current requirements and site-specific conditions against the relevant primary sources. Read our data sources, coverage and limits guide.
Two ways to make one in Atlasly
- Figure-ground diagram: open your project in Atlasly Vision and choose the figure-ground tool (it uses the project's building data, so run the site analysis first). Set a radius from 150 to 800 m, pick a style (Ink, Inverted, Blueprint or Editorial) and download SVG, PNG or PDF.
- Layered export: in Export Map, keep only the Buildings layer (add roads if you want a street outline), then download SVG, PDF or DXF. Free up to 1 km².
Step by step with the export
- Open Export Map and search for the site.
- Draw a square area. 500 m to 1 km across usually shows enough of the urban grain for a studio board.
- Turn off every layer except Buildings.
- Choose SVG for Illustrator or Inkscape, DXF for AutoCAD or Rhino, or PDF to print.
- Download and fill the buildings black (see below).
Fill the buildings
- Illustrator: select the buildings layer, set the fill to black and the stroke to none. The SVG keeps each layer as a separate Illustrator layer.
- AutoCAD: building outlines on A-BLDG are closed polylines. Run HATCH with a SOLID pattern and select them.
- Rhino: select the building curves and use PlanarSrf, or make a hatch with a solid pattern.
- Invert it for a Nolli-style plan: fill the background black and the buildings white.
Make it readable on a board
- Mark your site with a red outline so it stands out in the grain.
- Add a north arrow and a scale bar; the SVG and PDF exports already include both.
- Use the same extent and scale for your other maps (roads, green space, land use) so they can be compared side by side.
- Credit the data: "© OpenStreetMap contributors".
Limits
Map data is mainly from OpenStreetMap and its contributors, with other open building sources added at the higher data levels. It is community data: check it against a survey or official mapping before you rely on dimensions. Courtyards, back extensions and small outbuildings are often missing or merged. Compare the map with satellite imagery for your site block and add what is missing by hand.
Questions
Is the figure-ground map generator free?
Yes. The layered export of buildings is free up to 1 km² as SVG, PDF or DXF. The figure-ground diagram in Atlasly Vision draws from your project's building data; the optional AI-styled version counts as one of your images.
Can I make a figure-ground map of any city?
Yes, if OpenStreetMap has building outlines for the area. Most large cities in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia are well mapped; some smaller towns and informal areas are not.
What file should I use for Illustrator?
SVG. Each map layer opens as its own layer in Illustrator, so you can restyle buildings, roads and water separately.
Can I add roads and green space?
Yes. Turn on the Roads, Water and Green space layers in the export to make a set of matching maps from the same area.
Make your figure-ground map
Search for your site, keep the Buildings layer and download an SVG or DXF ready to fill.
Open Export MapReview current plans and usage and source coverage for your project.