Create a figure-ground plan online
A figure-ground plan shows nothing but the buildings, black on white. Plantaube makes one for any place in the world in seconds, to scale and straight from OpenStreetMap.
Start with this templateOpens Plantaube with the template applied. Free, no sign-up.
What is a figure-ground plan?
The figure-ground plan (known in German as the Schwarzplan) is one of the most basic drawings in architecture and urban design. It reduces the city to built versus open space, revealing grain, density, block structure and public space.
Plantaube loads the building footprints from OpenStreetMap, fills them black and leaves everything else out. A north arrow and scale bar are already in place, so all you pick is the place, paper size and scale.
What it’s for
Competitions & design
Site analysis and placing a design in its existing context.
Studies
Analysis drawings for studio projects, seminars and theses.
Urban analysis
Compare the density and grain of neighbourhoods at the same scale.
How to make it in Plantaube
- 1Search for a place or click the map, then choose paper size and scale.
- 2Click “Continue to Adding Layers” – the buildings load and appear as a figure-ground plan.
- 3Add water, green space or streets and adjust colours if you like.
- 4Export as PDF, SVG, PNG or DXF.
Frequently asked questions
Is the plan to scale?
Yes. You set the paper size and scale, for example 1:1000 or 1:5000, and the export matches that scale exactly.
Where does the building data come from?
From OpenStreetMap. Footprints are very complete in most cities; where something is missing you can add your own data as GeoJSON or from a WFS.
Can I keep working on it in CAD?
Yes. The DXF export opens in common CAD software, and SVG and PDF open in Illustrator, InDesign or Affinity.
What does it cost?
Nothing. Plantaube is free and runs in the browser without sign-up.
More plan types
Site plan
The colourful Plantaube standard: buildings, trees, green space, water and land use.
Public transport map
Metro, rail, tram and bus lines with their stops – around any location.
Aerial photo plan
Official aerial photo with building outlines – to scale.
Parcel map
Official German cadastral parcels (ALKIS) with numbers, buildings and house numbers.
Urban design plan with shadows
Building masses with floor counts and cast shadows – competition style.
Property location map
A neighbourhood map for listings, with the property highlighted.
Dark site plan
Greyscale on a dark ground – for presentations and screens.