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.
Create it now for freeOpens Plantaube with the template applied – right in the browser, no sign-up.
What is a figure-ground plan?
The figure-ground plan – also called a figure-ground diagram or map, in German the Schwarzplan, and a close relative of the Nolli map – 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.
Which scale suits a figure-ground plan?
1:500 or 1:1000 for the immediate surroundings of a site, 1:2000 to 1:5000 for a neighbourhood, and 1:10,000 or smaller for a district or a whole city.
Which cities are covered?
Any place OpenStreetMap covers – London, New York, Berlin, Paris or Tokyo as well as small towns worldwide. You choose the extent freely.
Can I invert the plan?
Yes. Building and background colours are freely adjustable, so white buildings on a black ground work too.
What does it cost?
You can create and export this plan in Plantaube for free – right in the browser, with nothing to install.
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.