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Playlist "State of the Map 2021"

3D Rendering with OSM2World

Tobias Knerr

The open-source 3D renderer OSM2World turns OpenStreetMap data into detailed 3D models of the world around us.

The mission of OSM2World is to build a realistic 3D representation of the physical world using open data and open-source software. This is made possible by two trends: The increasing level of detail captured by the OpenStreetMap database, and the growing availability of open technologies for high-quality 3D rendering.

Creating 3D models from OpenStreetMap wouldn't be possible without the impressive effort of the mapper community. One of the goals of OSM2World is comprehensive support for the rich landscape of tagging, such as Simple 3D Buildings and Simple Indoor Tagging. Besides the outside and inside of buildings, the rendering displays lane mapping for roads as well as a large number of other OSM features – likely more than any other open-source 3D renderer.

In addition to the ongoing work to support a larger share of the OSM data model, OSM2World is being updated to make good use of modern technologies, including physically based rendering (PBR), the glTF format, and WebGL. These make it easier than ever to export visually appealing 3D models for use in many modelling tools or engines, and to display them on the web.

This talk introduces the capabilities of OSM2World, with a particular focus on features which were added recently. As such, the session is intended to be suitable for visitors learning about OSM2World for the first time as well as those interested in staying up-to-date about new developments.