OpenBuildingModels repository

Hi all,

a first prototype of the OpenBuildingModels platform is finally online.
OpenBuildingModels aims to be a free-to-use online repository for architectural 3D building models. These models can be referenced in OpenStreetMap and are also displayed in the OSM-3D globe. However, the models can just as well be freely used for any other purpose (ODbL license).

Try it out yourself at http://openbuildingmodels.uni-hd.de

More information can be found in the Wiki:
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OpenBuildingModels

Please note that the platform is still in Beta stage. Any kind of feedback is welcome!

Cheers,
Matthias

the models wich I can find look verry nice. But they are not in a real map. You need to install a program to view only some houses on white ground.
I think this may only be a way to get some information for expose if you want by or rent a flat or house. But you don’t see the buildings around or the street. If you want to find your way this models can’t help you verry much. Or is there any possibility to integreate them in am Map like osm to world or Kendzi3D?

Hi Matthias!

IMHO VRML is obsolete format. Looking forward to Collada support

Congratulations. It’s good to see another link in the 3D chain come to life.

@viw: the models are already included in the OSM3D browser, which runs in a Java plugin. Including the models in osm2world or other 3D models is a decision / work for the developers of those services, but I am sure they are thinking about it. As noted in the wiki, they need an API first.

@Matthias: Is there a way to facilitate “collaborative editing”? The current way the system works suggests that there is only one definitive model for each building. It would be nice to encourage people to improve models. This can currently be done by downloading, editing, reuploading, although it’s not clear whether a second upload will be possible. A nice feature would be to use something like git to track differences, allow side-by-side comparison, reverting and so on.

A couple of quick usability points: the ‘more’ links in the popups sometimes open a new browser tab, sometimes don’t. The header on the detail pages doesn’t link to home, it links to the page already open. Both of these can be confusing!

Maybe a good example to use the VRML-X3D to XML3D-Converter and make use of the WebGL-Capabilities of current browsers?