Applied professional course

3D Massing and Design Communication

Build quick, honest 3D massing to test and explain a scheme — without implying a level of design resolution that does not exist.

Catalogue status: PlannedProfessional review: Not yet reviewed

Written teaching content: available for review

Video lessons have not yet been recorded. Written teaching content may be available for review below.

Written teaching content only. This course is not yet available: it has not been professionally reviewed, no lesson is recorded, and enrolment, payment, certificates, downloads and protected access are all disabled.

Review Written Course Content

Reading only. This is not enrolment, booking, purchase, account access, a download or protected learning access.

Written content: Available for review
Video lessons: Not recorded
Professional review: Not yet completed
Enrolment: Not available
Payment: Disabled
Certificates: Disabled
Downloads: Disabled
Protected access: Disabled

Written course content

Return to course overview Return to planned curriculum

Client-style brief

A landowner is testing three development capacities on a synthetic mixed-use site beside a low-rise historic street. Two earlier schemes were refused because the visual effect on the street was argued rather than shown. The brief is to build a context massing model, test the three capacity options in three dimensions and produce a communication set that lets a committee see the consequences of each option.

Professional scenario

Synthetic 1.8-hectare urban site with a supplied survey, building footprints and heights for the surrounding blocks, a conservation frontage to the south and three capacity briefs of 120, 180 and 240 homes with ground-floor commercial space.

Planning problem

Capacity arguments collapse when they are made in numbers alone. Height, overshadowing, enclosure and the relationship to an existing street are three-dimensional questions, and a decision-maker who cannot see them will assume the worst. The professional problem is to make the real consequences of density legible and honestly comparable.

Learning objectives

Build an accurate, correctly located context massing model from survey and public data.
Translate written capacity briefs into testable three-dimensional massing options.
Test height, enclosure, overshadowing, daylight relationships and street frontage effects.
Compare options honestly using the same viewpoints, lighting and materials.
Produce a communication set that a non-technical decision-maker can read without guidance.

Modules and lessons

0 of 9 lessons open

Module 1
Module 1 — Building an honest context model
Establish a base model that can be trusted for comparison and scrutiny.
Example data: Synthetic survey with levels, public building-footprint and height data for the surrounding blocks, street-level reference notes and an Ideeplan-owned model setup standard.
Module output: Located, dimensioned context massing model with a recorded data provenance note.
Module 2
Module 2 — Testing capacity in three dimensions
Turn written capacity briefs into comparable spatial options.
Example data: Three synthetic capacity briefs, an Ideeplan-owned typology reference with footprint and storey assumptions, and a synthetic accommodation schedule template.
Module output: Three massing options with matched schedules and a testing record.
Module 3
Module 3 — Communicating the design honestly
Produce material a committee, client or resident can read and trust.
Example data: Agreed viewpoint list, Ideeplan-owned presentation layout template and a synthetic committee report structure.
Module output: Design communication set covering three options with a written comparison.

Project brief

A synthetic 1.8-hectare mixed-use site adjoining a low-rise historic street, with three capacity briefs to test.

Your role: Urban designer producing capacity testing and design communication material.

Information available

Synthetic survey with levels and boundaries.
Public building footprint and height data for surrounding blocks.
Three capacity briefs with unit and floorspace targets.
Ideeplan-owned typology reference and presentation template.

Required analysis

Context height verification with confidence recorded.
Model-derived capacity reconciliation against each brief.
Height, enclosure and step-down assessment at the sensitive frontage.
Comparative shadow study at matched settings.

Required outputs

Located context massing model with provenance note.
Three massing options with derived schedules.
Twelve matched viewpoint images.
Comparative street sections and axonometrics.
Written option comparison and limitations statement.

Presentation standard: Identical viewpoints, lighting and materials across options; every figure derived from the model; and every assumption stated on the face of the drawing or caption.

Marking criteria

Model accuracy: Site and context geometry match the supplied survey and stated data sources.
Capacity integrity: Each option's schedule is derived from the model and reconciles with its brief.
Comparability: Options are shown under identical viewpoint and lighting conditions.
Design reasoning: Edge, height transition and amenity effects are addressed explicitly.
Honesty of communication: Assumptions, inferred data and study limitations are stated clearly.

Quality-assurance checklist

Context heights are labelled as measured or inferred with a source recorded.
Model-derived floorspace and unit figures match the written comparison.
Shadow studies use identical dates, times and settings across options.
No image implies a level of design resolution the stage does not support.
Local height, daylight, amenity, conservation and visual assessment standards are confirmed with the relevant authority before the method is applied to a real site.

Common mistakes and correction tasks

Context heights guessed from an aerial image with no source recorded. Correction: Re-derive heights from stated data or street reference and label confidence.
Options rendered from different camera positions. Correction: Fix camera positions once and re-export every option from the same cameras.
A flat ground plane used on a sloping site. Correction: Rebuild the terrain from survey levels and reissue the affected sections and views.
An illustrative view presented as a verified view. Correction: Label the view illustrative and state the method used to produce it.
Capacity claimed in the report but not derivable from the model. Correction: Regenerate the schedule from the model and correct the report figure.

Final deliverable

Capacity and Design Communication Set with three tested massing options and a written comparison

Audience and role

Urban designers, planners, architectural assistants, development managers and consultants preparing capacity or design-and-access material.

You act as the urban designer producing capacity testing and design communication material for a client and a planning authority.

Prerequisites

Ability to read a survey and a scaled site plan.
Basic familiarity with any three-dimensional modelling application.

Software access and licensing

Ideeplan Consult provides professional instruction, exercises, synthetic practice data and learning resources. It does not provide, purchase or pay for software licences on behalf of learners.

Required software

SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software
Learners or their employers must obtain lawful access from the official software provider.
AutoCAD or QGIS for base data
Learners or their employers must obtain lawful access from the official software provider.
Image editing or layout software
Learners or their employers must obtain lawful access from the official software provider.

Learners or their employers must obtain lawful access to any required software before starting the practical exercises.
Only official software-provider websites are linked from this site. Ideeplan Consult does not host installers.
No shared accounts, passwords, activation keys or cracked software are provided, and software credentials are never collected or stored.
Ideeplan Consult claims no endorsement, partnership or sponsorship by any software provider.
Software licence costs are not included in any Ideeplan course fee, and no trial, student, educational or free licence is promised to be available.
Where a legitimate alternative is suitable, it is identified separately and is not claimed to be identical to the required software.
If a learner lacks the required software, a view-only demonstration or browser-based exercise may be offered where possible; this is never described as full hands-on software training.

Where to obtain project data

Every exercise in this course uses synthetic or Ideeplan-owned training data. This section explains how to replace that training data with lawful local project data in your own jurisdiction when you apply the method to a real site.

Free access and free reuse are different things. A dataset you can view or download is not automatically a dataset you may republish, adapt or use in a paid commercial deliverable.
Confirm the current licence on the source website before you reuse anything. Terms, prices and availability change without notice.
Ideeplan Consult does not host, redistribute or resell any third-party dataset, and links only to official or openly licensed public sources.
Never use private, confidential, pirated, scraped or otherwise unauthorised data. If a source requires a licence or a fee, obtain it properly or use an alternative.
Record the version, extraction date and coverage of every dataset you use, and cite it in the report and in the map credit block.
Ideeplan training coordinates are supplied on a named local grid (IDP-LOCAL-GRID) in metres. Local synthetic training grid in metres: not georeferenced to the Earth and not suitable for overlaying with real-world basemaps without a separately supplied transformation. Never attach an EPSG code, projection file or real-world CRS to training data that has none.
When you move to a real site, obtain the coordinate reference system from the survey or the mapping agency and record it in the drawing and the report. Do not infer or guess a CRS from the numbers.
If a public source becomes unavailable, changes its terms or starts charging, use the alternative listed here — the synthetic training dataset remains available for practice either way.

Data used in this course

Base mapping and street networks
Access: Varies by jurisdiction
What you need: A base map of roads, footways, buildings, water features and place names covering the study area.
Why it is required: Every site plan, constraints plan and analysis drawing needs a locational base so the reader can orient the proposal against real streets, blocks and landmarks.
Preferred source: The national mapping agency of the country in which the site sits — National mapping agency. National mapping agencies publish the most positionally reliable base mapping. Access and licensing differ by country: some publish open products, others license mapping commercially or to registered professionals only. Confirm the terms with the agency before reuse.
Alternative: OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap Foundation and its contributors. Global, openly licensed and editable. Completeness varies sharply between areas.
Alternative: Geofabrik OpenStreetMap extracts — Geofabrik GmbH. Country and region extracts of OpenStreetMap data in GIS-ready formats.
Licence: OpenStreetMap data is published under the Open Database Licence (ODbL) 1.0. National mapping agency products carry their own licence, which is often not open.
Permitted reuse: ODbL permits copying, adaptation and commercial use provided the source is attributed and any distributed derivative database is shared under the same licence. This share-alike condition is a real obligation on consultancy deliverables that distribute data, so read it before use. Agency mapping may prohibit reuse entirely without a licence.
Required attribution: For OpenStreetMap: "© OpenStreetMap contributors", with a reference to the ODbL. Agency mapping must carry the credit wording that agency specifies.
Date, version and coverage: OpenStreetMap is continuously edited, so record the extraction date. Coverage is global. Agency mapping has a stated revision cycle and covers that country only.
Scale, accuracy and limitations: OpenStreetMap has no guaranteed positional accuracy, no consistent capture scale and uneven attribute completeness; building footprints and address data are missing in many areas. It is suitable for context and analysis, not for boundary determination or measured survey.
How to access lawfully: View directly in the browser, or download a regional extract and open it in GIS software. Do not scrape the live map tiles in bulk.
How to cite: OpenStreetMap contributors (year) OpenStreetMap [dataset]. Extracted [date]. Licensed under ODbL 1.0. Available at openstreetmap.org.
Administrative boundaries
Access: Varies by jurisdiction
What you need: Boundaries of the country, state or region, local government area and ward or district containing the site.
Why it is required: Boundaries define which authority determines the application, which policies apply and how statistics are aggregated for the study area.
Preferred source: The national statistical office or national mapping agency of the country concerned — National statistical office. Official boundaries are the only defensible source for reporting, because they match the units used in published statistics.
Alternative: Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) common operational datasets — UN OCHA. Country administrative boundary sets, usually endorsed by the national authority. Licences differ per dataset.
Alternative: Natural Earth — Natural Earth. Small-scale global boundaries in the public domain. Suitable for context maps only.
Licence: Natural Earth is public domain. HDX datasets carry per-dataset licences, commonly Creative Commons. National datasets carry the publishing authority's terms.
Permitted reuse: Public-domain boundaries may be reused freely, including commercially. Creative Commons datasets require attribution and may add conditions. An authority's boundary file may be viewable online yet still not licensed for redistribution — check before including it in a deliverable.
Required attribution: Name the publishing authority and the dataset title in the map credit block, with the licence where one is stated.
Date, version and coverage: Boundaries change through reorganisation, so record the release year and confirm it is the version in force at the assessment date. Coverage is national.
Scale, accuracy and limitations: Generalised boundary files are drawn for cartography, not for legal boundary determination. Coastal and river boundaries are frequently simplified. Never use them to determine ownership or a legal limit.
How to access lawfully: Download from the publishing authority's open-data portal, or from HDX where the authority has released it there.
How to cite: [Publishing authority] (year) [Dataset title], version [x] [dataset]. Accessed [date]. Available at [official URL].
Aerial and satellite imagery
Access: Open access
What you need: Recent imagery of the site and its surroundings for context, land-use reading and change detection.
Why it is required: Imagery evidences existing site conditions, vegetation, access and surrounding development at a known date, which supports the appraisal narrative.
Preferred source: Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery via the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem — European Union / European Space Agency.
Alternative: USGS EarthExplorer (Landsat archive) — United States Geological Survey. Long historical archive, useful for change over decades.
Alternative: OpenAerialMap — Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team. Openly licensed aerial imagery contributed by others. Coverage is patchy.
Licence: Sentinel data is published under the Copernicus open and free data policy. Landsat products from USGS are in the public domain. OpenAerialMap imagery carries the licence chosen by each contributor, commonly CC BY 4.0.
Permitted reuse: Copernicus and USGS products may be reused, adapted and used commercially with attribution. Imagery viewed inside a commercial web-map viewer is a different matter entirely: being able to see it in a browser does not license you to export, trace or publish it.
Required attribution: "Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data [year]" for Sentinel; "Courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey" for Landsat; the contributor credit and licence for OpenAerialMap.
Date, version and coverage: Record the acquisition date of the specific scene, not the download date. Sentinel-2 revisits every few days globally; Landsat covers 1972 onwards.
Scale, accuracy and limitations: Sentinel-2 is 10–20 m ground resolution and Landsat is 30 m, so neither shows individual building detail. Cloud cover, shadow and seasonal vegetation change all affect interpretation. Imagery is not a survey and must not be measured from as though it were.
How to access lawfully: Register a free account with the provider, search by area and date, filter by cloud cover, then download the scene. Do not download tiles from a commercial basemap outside its terms.
How to cite: European Union / ESA / Copernicus (year) Sentinel-2 scene [ID], acquired [date] [satellite image]. Accessed [date].
Elevation and terrain
Access: Open access
What you need: A digital elevation model for slope, aspect, drainage direction and levels context.
Why it is required: Slope and drainage govern developable area, road gradients, earthworks cost and surface-water risk, so terrain shapes the layout before anything is drawn.
Preferred source: Copernicus DEM via the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem — European Union / European Space Agency.
Alternative: NASA SRTM via USGS EarthExplorer — NASA / USGS. Approximately 30 m global elevation, widely used for screening.
Alternative: OpenTopography — OpenTopography Facility. High-resolution lidar where a survey has been flown and released; coverage is limited and per-dataset licences apply.
Licence: SRTM products from USGS are public domain. Copernicus DEM instances are released under the Copernicus licence, which permits reuse with attribution. OpenTopography datasets carry the licence set by each data owner.
Permitted reuse: Reuse, adaptation and commercial use are permitted for the public-domain and Copernicus products with the required credit. Confirm the per-dataset terms on OpenTopography before including a lidar derivative in a paid deliverable.
Required attribution: Credit the mission and steward, for example "Contains modified Copernicus DEM data" or "SRTM data courtesy of NASA/USGS".
Date, version and coverage: SRTM was captured in 2000 and does not reflect later earthworks. Copernicus DEM is compiled from more recent acquisitions. Both are near-global; note the tile version.
Scale, accuracy and limitations: Global DEMs are roughly 30 m horizontal resolution with vertical error typically measured in metres, and they represent surface height including tree canopy and buildings, not bare ground. They are screening tools only and never a substitute for a topographic survey for design levels.
How to access lawfully: Register with the portal, select tiles covering the study area, download, then reproject into the local projected coordinate system before deriving slope.
How to cite: [Mission] (year) [Product name], tile [ID] [dataset]. Accessed [date]. Available at [official URL].
Land cover and land use
Access: Open access
What you need: A land-cover classification showing built-up area, cropland, vegetation, bare ground and water.
Why it is required: Land cover supports constraint mapping, loss-of-agricultural-land arguments, green-infrastructure analysis and the growth narrative in a settlement study.
Preferred source: ESA WorldCover — European Space Agency.
Alternative: Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) — European Commission Joint Research Centre. Built-up surface and settlement layers, useful for urbanisation trends.
Alternative: The land-use record of the local planning authority — Local planning authority. Where published, an authority's own land-use survey is more authoritative locally than any global product.
Licence: ESA WorldCover and GHSL products are published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Local authority land-use records carry the authority's own terms and are often view-only.
Permitted reuse: CC BY 4.0 permits copying, adaptation and commercial use with attribution. A land-use map an authority displays on a public viewer may not be licensed for extraction — ask the authority for a data licence rather than digitising the screen.
Required attribution: Credit the producer, product name, year and the CC BY 4.0 licence in the map credit block.
Date, version and coverage: State the product year, for example WorldCover 2021. Coverage is global at that epoch, so it will not reflect development completed since.
Scale, accuracy and limitations: Global land cover is typically 10–100 m resolution with class accuracy in the region of 75–80 per cent, and it confuses similar classes such as bare ground and low-density development. Verify against imagery and a site visit before relying on any single pixel.
How to access lawfully: Download the tiles covering the study area from the producer's portal, or consume the published web service inside GIS software.
How to cite: [Producer] (year) [Product name] v[x] [dataset]. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Accessed [date].
Transport networks and travel data
Access: Varies by jurisdiction
What you need: Road hierarchy, public transport stops and routes, timetables, walking and cycling networks, and traffic or patronage counts where published.
Why it is required: Accessibility analysis, parking justification, trip generation and active-travel proposals all require an evidenced network and service picture rather than assumption.
Preferred source: The transport authority or transport operator serving the study area — Transport authority. Many authorities publish schedule data in the GTFS format and count data on their open-data portal.
Alternative: OpenStreetMap transport network — OpenStreetMap Foundation and its contributors. Road, footway and cycleway geometry where an authority network is unavailable.
Alternative: Mobility Database — MobilityData. A catalogue of publicly available transport schedule feeds; each feed keeps its publisher's licence.
Licence: OpenStreetMap is ODbL 1.0. Authority feeds carry the publisher's own licence, frequently an open government licence but sometimes restricted to non-commercial or attribution-only use.
Permitted reuse: Check each feed individually. A timetable published for passenger information is not automatically licensed for redistribution inside a consultancy report or a commercial application, and ODbL share-alike applies if you distribute a derived database.
Required attribution: Credit the operator or authority and the feed name, and give the feed date, because services change frequently.
Date, version and coverage: Schedule feeds have an explicit validity period — state it. Count data must be dated and the count location identified.
Scale, accuracy and limitations: Scheduled service is not observed service; reliability, crowding and informal transport are usually absent. Counts represent a specific day and season. Informal and paratransit networks are often entirely unmapped, which materially affects analysis in many cities.
How to access lawfully: Download the published feed or dataset from the authority's open-data page, or extract the network from OpenStreetMap for the study area.
How to cite: [Authority or operator] (year) [Feed or dataset title], valid [dates] [dataset]. Accessed [date].
Planning policy, allocations and application history
Access: Public, view-only
What you need: The adopted development plan and its policies map, supplementary guidance, site allocations and the planning history of the site and its neighbours.
Why it is required: Policy compliance is the test the proposal will be judged against, and nearby decisions show how the authority has actually applied that policy.
Preferred source: The local planning authority with jurisdiction over the site — Local planning authority. Most authorities publish the plan, the policies map and a searchable application register on their own website.
Alternative: The national or regional government planning portal for the country concerned — National or regional planning body. Where a local plan is unpublished, regional policy and national guidance still apply.
Licence: Policy documents are usually published for public inspection under the authority's copyright, with reuse terms that vary and are often limited to non-commercial reproduction with acknowledgement.
Permitted reuse: Quoting a policy with a citation is normal professional practice. Republishing whole documents, policies-map data layers or bulk application records generally requires the authority's permission, and scraping a register is not an acceptable substitute for asking.
Required attribution: Cite the authority, plan title, adoption date and the policy reference for every policy relied on.
Date, version and coverage: Plans are replaced and policies are superseded, so record the adoption date and confirm the plan is the one currently in force. Coverage is that authority's administrative area only.
Scale, accuracy and limitations: A published policies map may be indicative rather than definitive at parcel level, emerging plans carry limited weight, and the register may lag current decisions. Confirm anything decisive with the authority in writing.
How to access lawfully: Download the plan from the authority's website and search the application register by address or reference. Request the policies-map data layer from the authority if you need it in GIS.
How to cite: [Authority] (year) [Plan title], adopted [date], Policy [reference]. Available at [official URL] [accessed date].

Where no suitable public source exists in your jurisdiction, complete the exercise with the synthetic training dataset and record the data gap as a limitation in your report. Stating a limitation honestly is professional practice; inventing data is not.

Method and limitations

Build one trustworthy context model, change only the proposal between options, hold every viewpoint and lighting condition constant, and let the comparison rather than the rendering carry the argument.

The method taught here is jurisdiction-neutral professional practice. Statutory tests, validation lists, density and parking standards, open-space and drainage requirements, accessibility standards, consultation procedures and appeal routes differ by country and by authority. Local laws, policies and standards must be confirmed with the relevant authority before any of this method is applied to a real site. Nothing here is legal advice and no course confers a licence or a right to practise.

All example material is synthetic teaching data, publicly available information or Ideeplan-owned method. No client name, commissioned document, confidential project file or copyrighted third-party course material is used or distributed.

Register Interest is an expression of interest only. It creates no account, enrolment, reservation, payment or course access.

Enrolment status

Enrolment is not currently available. This course is still undergoing content, media and professional review.

Register Interest is an expression of interest only. It works without an account, creates no enrolment, no reserved place and no payment order.

Protected lessons, approved videos and approved resource files are not accessible. No protected file URL, signed link or download entitlement is created.

Payments are disabled. No price, checkout, payment provider, payment order or paid-course claim exists in the Academy.

Outstanding before enrolment could open

Outstanding — Professional content review is complete
Outstanding — Required videos recorded, reviewed and approved, or the course approved as written-only
Outstanding — Required practical resources approved and available
Outstanding — Learner terms approved
Outstanding — Privacy and data-handling requirements approved
Outstanding — Course availability explicitly enabled by an authorised administrator
Outstanding — Payment and refund terms approved (paid courses)
Outstanding — Payment provider configuration complete (where payment is required)
Outstanding — Authentication email delivery configured and tested
Outstanding — Protected content access tested
Outstanding — Approved delivery and support process in place

Review Written Course Content Register Interest Return to Academy Return to Planned Curriculum

Progress, assessment and certificates

Submission access is not currently available

Lesson and course progress tracking is not active. No progress record, completion percentage or completed lesson exists for any account, and no course can record progress until enrolment opens.

Practical assessments cannot be submitted. Submission access is not currently available: there is no active enrolment, no upload configuration and no authorised reviewer workflow in operation.

No assessment has been marked, reviewed, corrected or passed. Reviewer feedback, correction tasks and pass decisions are made by an authorised human reviewer and none exists.

No certificate is issued, approved or pending. A future Academy certificate would be a course-completion certificate only — not a professional licence, statutory qualification, accreditation or government-recognised award.

Certificate verification is disabled until a certificate is genuinely issued. No verification result is produced for any reference.

Assessment formats planned for the Academy

Written briefs, required deliverables and marking criteria are published inside the course content above for open review. None of them can be submitted or marked at present.

Practical planning task
GIS mapping exercise
Site-appraisal task
Feasibility assessment
CAD or drawing task
Revit coordination task
Planning-report task
Policy-assessment task
Transport or access analysis
Environmental or green-infrastructure exercise
Final course project

Outstanding before completion or a certificate could exist

Outstanding — Learner identity verified by an authorised member of staff
Outstanding — Learner holds a valid active or completed enrolment
Outstanding — All required lessons completed
Outstanding — All required practical assessments passed
Outstanding — A recorded assessment decision exists for every required task
Outstanding — All requested corrections completed
Outstanding — Course content professionally reviewed and signed off
Outstanding — Authorised reviewer has approved completion
Outstanding — Course certificate policy approved
Outstanding — Certificate wording approved by Ideeplan Consult
Outstanding — Course is officially available
Outstanding — Unique certificate numbering and a secure verification route configured

Practical resources

Resources for this course

13 resource records · 13 with a written preview · 0 with a file under preparation · Download access not yet enabled.

All demonstration material is synthetic, publicly licensed or owned by Ideeplan Consult and is labelled as demonstration material. No confidential client file, personal information, private agency document or unreleased project drawing is used.

Practical project brief
Sets the professional situation, the role the learner takes and what must be produced.
Written preview available — downloadable file not yet available
Resource type
Brief
Format
Written brief shown on this page
Status
Draft
Data classification
Ideeplan-owned demonstration material
Licence or ownership
Ideeplan Consult-owned teaching material. Free to read on this page; redistribution is not permitted.
Related deliverable
Capacity and Design Communication Set with three tested massing options and a written comparison
Lessons supported
9 — One brief governs the whole course: every lesson exercise contributes to the same final deliverable.
Access
No account required — written preview is public
- A synthetic 1.8-hectare mixed-use site adjoining a low-rise historic street, with three capacity briefs to test.
- Your role: Urban designer producing capacity testing and design communication material.
- Available information: Synthetic survey with levels and boundaries.
- Available information: Public building footprint and height data for surrounding blocks.
- Available information: Three capacity briefs with unit and floorspace targets.
- Available information: Ideeplan-owned typology reference and presentation template.
- Required analysis: Context height verification with confidence recorded.
- Required analysis: Model-derived capacity reconciliation against each brief.
- Required analysis: Height, enclosure and step-down assessment at the sensitive frontage.
- Required analysis: Comparative shadow study at matched settings.
Resource file not yet available. The written instructions on this page are complete and can be followed without any download, account, enrolment or payment.
Client-style instruction and problem statement
Gives the learner the instruction as a practitioner would receive it, and names the problem to be solved.
Written preview available — downloadable file not yet available
Resource type
Brief
Format
Written statement shown on this page
Status
Draft
Data classification
Ideeplan-owned demonstration material
Licence or ownership
Ideeplan Consult-owned teaching material. Free to read on this page; redistribution is not permitted.
Related deliverable
Capacity and Design Communication Set with three tested massing options and a written comparison
Lessons supported
9 — Scenario framing applies to every lesson in the course.
Access
No account required — written preview is public
Module 1 learner worksheet — Module 1 — Building an honest context model
Lists the practical steps the learner carries out in this module, in order.
Written preview available — downloadable file not yet available
Resource type
Worksheet
Format
Written worksheet shown on this page
Status
Draft
Data classification
Ideeplan-owned demonstration material
Licence or ownership
Ideeplan Consult-owned teaching material. Free to read on this page; redistribution is not permitted.
Related deliverable
Located, dimensioned context massing model with a recorded data provenance note.
Lessons supported
3 — Supports the 3 lessons in module 1, which build one shared output.
Access
No account required — written preview is public
- Site, datum and context extents — Import the survey and footprints, set the datum from spot levels and build the terrain surface for the study extent.
- Context heights and the limits of public data — Extrude the context blocks, tag each as measured or inferred and complete the provenance note.
- Model hygiene and reusable structure — Restructure the model into context, terrain and proposal groups against the supplied setup standard.
Resource file not yet available. The written instructions on this page are complete and can be followed without any download, account, enrolment or payment.
Module 2 learner worksheet — Module 2 — Testing capacity in three dimensions
Lists the practical steps the learner carries out in this module, in order.
Written preview available — downloadable file not yet available
Resource type
Worksheet
Format
Written worksheet shown on this page
Status
Draft
Data classification
Ideeplan-owned demonstration material
Licence or ownership
Ideeplan Consult-owned teaching material. Free to read on this page; redistribution is not permitted.
Related deliverable
Three massing options with matched schedules and a testing record.
Lessons supported
3 — Supports the 3 lessons in module 2, which build one shared output.
Access
No account required — written preview is public
- From numbers to massing — Build option A and produce a schedule of footprint, storeys, floorspace and unit count derived from the model.
- Height, enclosure and the street relationship — Test options B and C against the conservation frontage and record the height transition applied in each.
- Sunlight, overshadowing and amenity relationships — Produce matched shadow studies for all three options at the same dates and times and note the amenity effects.
Resource file not yet available. The written instructions on this page are complete and can be followed without any download, account, enrolment or payment.
Module 3 learner worksheet — Module 3 — Communicating the design honestly
Lists the practical steps the learner carries out in this module, in order.
Written preview available — downloadable file not yet available
Resource type
Worksheet
Format
Written worksheet shown on this page
Status
Draft
Data classification
Ideeplan-owned demonstration material
Licence or ownership
Ideeplan Consult-owned teaching material. Free to read on this page; redistribution is not permitted.
Related deliverable
Design communication set covering three options with a written comparison.
Lessons supported
3 — Supports the 3 lessons in module 3, which build one shared output.
Access
No account required — written preview is public
- Viewpoints, verified framing and consistency — Set four fixed cameras and export the same four views for each of the three options.
- Diagrams that carry the argument — Produce one comparative street section and one axonometric per option.
- Assembling and defending the set — Assemble the communication set with a written option comparison and a limitations statement.
Resource file not yet available. The written instructions on this page are complete and can be followed without any download, account, enrolment or payment.
Task checklist
Confirms every required piece of work has been produced before submission.
Written preview available — downloadable file not yet available
Resource type
Checklist
Format
Written checklist shown on this page
Status
Draft
Data classification
Ideeplan-owned demonstration material
Licence or ownership
Ideeplan Consult-owned teaching material. Free to read on this page; redistribution is not permitted.
Related deliverable
Capacity and Design Communication Set with three tested massing options and a written comparison
Lessons supported
9 — A single task checklist tracks progress across all modules.
Access
No account required — written preview is public
- Located context massing model with provenance note.
- Three massing options with derived schedules.
- Twelve matched viewpoint images.
- Comparative street sections and axonometrics.
- Written option comparison and limitations statement.
Resource file not yet available. The written instructions on this page are complete and can be followed without any download, account, enrolment or payment.

Example data and drawing base

Synthetic survey with levels, public building-footprint and height data for the surrounding blocks, street-level reference notes and an Ideeplan-owned model setup standard. GIS exercises are planned around plain, checkable formats: CSV and clearly labelled local-grid JSON on the named grid IDP-LOCAL-GRID. GeoJSON is not used for local-grid training data because the format asserts WGS 84 degrees. No QGIS project file, GeoPackage or raster file is claimed.

Written preview available — downloadable file not yet available

Resource type: GIS exercise pack
Format: CSV and local-grid JSON (planned) — no GeoJSON, QGIS project, GeoPackage or raster file is claimed
Status: Planned
Data classification: Synthetic demonstration data
Licence or ownership: Synthetic demonstration material prepared by Ideeplan Consult. No client file, personal information, private agency document or unreleased project drawing is used.
Related deliverable: Capacity and Design Communication Set with three tested massing options and a written comparison
Lessons supported: 9 — One demonstration data base is used by every lesson so results stay comparable.
Access: No account required — written preview is public

Demonstration data item	What it contains and how it is used
Data ownership and licence	Synthetic training data prepared and owned by Ideeplan Consult. It is fictional: it is not a real client project, a real site or a real location, and it must not be presented as one. Free to study on this page; redistribution is not permitted.
Module 1 input — Module 1 — Building an honest context model	Synthetic survey with levels, public building-footprint and height data for the surrounding blocks, street-level reference notes and an Ideeplan-owned model setup standard.
Module 2 input — Module 2 — Testing capacity in three dimensions	Three synthetic capacity briefs, an Ideeplan-owned typology reference with footprint and storey assumptions, and a synthetic accommodation schedule template.
Module 3 input — Module 3 — Communicating the design honestly	Agreed viewpoint list, Ideeplan-owned presentation layout template and a synthetic committee report structure.
Lawful sourcing where real data is substituted	Where a learner substitutes real data, use only openly licensed or lawfully obtained sources, record the publisher, dataset title, version and access date, and cite them in the final deliverable. Do not use restricted, confidential or personal data.

Resource file not yet available. The written instructions on this page are complete and can be followed without any download, account, enrolment or payment.

Analysis and calculation template
Structures the analysis so assumptions are visible and checkable. Any figures used in a template are teaching assumptions, not market evidence. Local costs, policies, standards and valuation assumptions must be independently confirmed before any of this is applied to a real project.
Written preview available — downloadable file not yet available
Resource type
Suitability matrix
Format
CSV matrix (planned)
Status
Planned
Data classification
Synthetic demonstration data
Licence or ownership
Ideeplan Consult-owned teaching material. Free to read on this page; redistribution is not permitted.
Related deliverable
Capacity and Design Communication Set with three tested massing options and a written comparison
Lessons supported
9 — The same analysis structure is completed progressively through the course.
Access
No account required — written preview is public
- Record every assumption on its own labelled row, with the source or reason beside it.
- Module 1 working section — Located, dimensioned context massing model with a recorded data provenance note.
- Module 2 working section — Three massing options with matched schedules and a testing record.
- Module 3 working section — Design communication set covering three options with a written comparison.
- Required output carried into the analysis — Located context massing model with provenance note.
- Required output carried into the analysis — Three massing options with derived schedules.
- Required output carried into the analysis — Twelve matched viewpoint images.
- Required output carried into the analysis — Comparative street sections and axonometrics.
- Required output carried into the analysis — Written option comparison and limitations statement.
- Check row: totals, units and areas reconcile before the result is carried into the deliverable.
Resource file not yet available. The written instructions on this page are complete and can be followed without any download, account, enrolment or payment.
Final deliverable template
Sets the expected structure and presentation standard for Capacity and Design Communication Set with three tested massing options and a written comparison.
Written preview available — downloadable file not yet available
Resource type
Site plan base
Format
PDF and DXF (planned)
Status
Planned
Data classification
Ideeplan-owned demonstration material
Licence or ownership
Ideeplan Consult-owned teaching material. Free to read on this page; redistribution is not permitted.
Related deliverable
Capacity and Design Communication Set with three tested massing options and a written comparison
Lessons supported
9 — The final deliverable draws on every module output.
Access
No account required — written preview is public
- Final named deliverable — Capacity and Design Communication Set with three tested massing options and a written comparison
- Section 1 — Located, dimensioned context massing model with a recorded data provenance note.
- Section 2 — Three massing options with matched schedules and a testing record.
- Section 3 — Design communication set covering three options with a written comparison.
- Must be present — Located context massing model with provenance note.
- Must be present — Three massing options with derived schedules.
- Must be present — Twelve matched viewpoint images.
- Must be present — Comparative street sections and axonometrics.
- Must be present — Written option comparison and limitations statement.
- Presentation and submission standard — Identical viewpoints, lighting and materials across options; every figure derived from the model; and every assumption stated on the face of the drawing or caption.
- Sources and citations: list every dataset, publisher, version and access date used, and state clearly where synthetic Ideeplan training data was used.
Resource file not yet available. The written instructions on this page are complete and can be followed without any download, account, enrolment or payment.
Quality-control checklist
Professional checks to run before the work is treated as finished.
Written preview available — downloadable file not yet available
Resource type
Checklist
Format
Written checklist shown on this page
Status
Draft
Data classification
Ideeplan-owned demonstration material
Licence or ownership
Ideeplan Consult-owned teaching material. Free to read on this page; redistribution is not permitted.
Related deliverable
Capacity and Design Communication Set with three tested massing options and a written comparison
Lessons supported
9 — Quality control is applied to the whole submission, not to a single lesson.
Access
No account required — written preview is public
- Context heights are labelled as measured or inferred with a source recorded.
- Model-derived floorspace and unit figures match the written comparison.
- Shadow studies use identical dates, times and settings across options.
- No image implies a level of design resolution the stage does not support.
- Local height, daylight, amenity, conservation and visual assessment standards are confirmed with the relevant authority before the method is applied to a real site.
Resource file not yet available. The written instructions on this page are complete and can be followed without any download, account, enrolment or payment.

Marking and review rubric

States what a satisfactory professional standard looks like for each criterion.

Written preview available — downloadable file not yet available

Resource type: Marking rubric
Format: Written rubric shown on this page
Status: Draft
Data classification: Ideeplan-owned demonstration material
Licence or ownership: Ideeplan Consult-owned teaching material. Free to read on this page; redistribution is not permitted.
Related deliverable: Capacity and Design Communication Set with three tested massing options and a written comparison
Lessons supported: 9 — One rubric reviews the final deliverable produced across all modules.
Access: No account required — written preview is public

Criterion	Satisfactory standard
Model accuracy	Site and context geometry match the supplied survey and stated data sources.
Capacity integrity	Each option's schedule is derived from the model and reconciles with its brief.
Comparability	Options are shown under identical viewpoint and lighting conditions.
Design reasoning	Edge, height transition and amenity effects are addressed explicitly.
Honesty of communication	Assumptions, inferred data and study limitations are stated clearly.

Resource file not yet available. The written instructions on this page are complete and can be followed without any download, account, enrolment or payment.

Correction-task sheet
Common professional mistakes and the correction the learner practises.
Written preview available — downloadable file not yet available
Resource type
Correction-task sheet
Format
Written task sheet shown on this page
Status
Draft
Data classification
Ideeplan-owned demonstration material
Licence or ownership
Ideeplan Consult-owned teaching material. Free to read on this page; redistribution is not permitted.
Related deliverable
Capacity and Design Communication Set with three tested massing options and a written comparison
Lessons supported
9 — Correction tasks address mistakes that can appear anywhere in the course.
Access
No account required — written preview is public
- Context heights guessed from an aerial image with no source recorded. — Re-derive heights from stated data or street reference and label confidence.
- Options rendered from different camera positions. — Fix camera positions once and re-export every option from the same cameras.
- A flat ground plane used on a sloping site. — Rebuild the terrain from survey levels and reissue the affected sections and views.
- An illustrative view presented as a verified view. — Label the view illustrative and state the method used to produce it.
- Capacity claimed in the report but not derivable from the model. — Regenerate the schedule from the model and correct the report figure.
Resource file not yet available. The written instructions on this page are complete and can be followed without any download, account, enrolment or payment.
Submission guidance
How the finished work should be assembled and presented for professional review.
Written preview available — downloadable file not yet available
Resource type
Checklist
Format
Written guidance shown on this page
Status
Draft
Data classification
Ideeplan-owned demonstration material
Licence or ownership
Ideeplan Consult-owned teaching material. Free to read on this page; redistribution is not permitted.
Related deliverable
Capacity and Design Communication Set with three tested massing options and a written comparison
Lessons supported
9 — Submission guidance covers the single final deliverable.
Access
No account required — written preview is public

Media status

Video lessons for this course

Video lessons: Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.
Narration: Professional narration — planned, not produced
Captions: Not yet produced
Transcript: Not yet produced
Software demonstration: Genuine screen capture from the real application only — no mockup, simulated interface or AI-generated screen.
Software version and operating system: No software version is published until it has been read from the actual recorded session. Until then the version reads “To be stated from the recorded session”.
Production plan: Prepared for professional review
Enrolment, payment and downloads: Disabled

Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required. The written lesson on this page is complete and can be read in full without a video, an account, enrolment or payment.

Authentic software screen capture only — non-negotiable standard

Applies to every software demonstrated in the Academy, including AutoCAD, QGIS, Revit, ArcGIS, SketchUp, Lumion, Civil 3D, Rhino and any other software used. The final video must accurately represent what a learner sees when using the stated software version.

Every demonstration is a genuine screen recording or screenshot captured from the actual installed software being taught.
The exact software name, version, operating system and relevant workspace are stated on screen and in the lesson notes, as read from the recorded session.
The real interface is shown: menus, panels, toolbars, properties, layer controls, settings and the command line or log.
The real cursor, tool selection, commands, settings and the resulting output are visible.
Capture is 16:9 and readable at 720p, with clear, unhurried cursor movement; the screen stays clear enough for learners to follow.
The view zooms in whenever text, settings, coordinates or field values would otherwise be hard to read.
The exact command, menu path or tool name is shown as it appears in the software.
Useful keyboard shortcuts are shown alongside the menu path, never instead of it.
Differences between software versions or operating systems are stated wherever the interface may display differently.
Steps are numbered on screen, with callouts pointing at the actual control being used.
Any annotation is added only after recording and must never alter or misrepresent the software interface.
Captions and a complete transcript are produced before professional review.
Any presenter window stays small, is positioned clear of technical content, and is hidden on mobile widths and on dense technical screens.

Interface visibility on every recording

The full application interface is shown at the beginning of every demonstration, with the application identity and exact version clearly visible.
The relevant menu bar, ribbon, toolbar or toolbox stays visible while each step is explained; the interface context is never cropped away.
Layers, properties, project browser or data panels are shown wherever applicable.
The command line, status bar or coordinate/CRS information is shown wherever relevant.
Real cursor movement and visible clicks are captured, with visible cursor highlighting or click indicators.
The selected tool and its effect are visible, and complete dialog boxes and settings are shown whenever one is opened.
The resulting drawing, map, model or output is shown in the recording.
Zoom is used only when necessary for small text or settings, always retaining enough context to identify the application and tool in use.
The standard applies to every software course and is verified before any video is marked recorded or approved; if the required authentic interface is not visible, the lesson remains “Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.”

Never used

Generic website mockups standing in for a software workspace.
Simulated, redrawn, reconstructed or redesigned replica interfaces for any software.
AI-generated software screens, panels, dialogs or map canvases.
Generic illustrations replacing the real interface.
Unverified screenshots taken from any source other than the recorded session.
Fake video players, placeholder thumbnails or invented durations.
Invented menus, tool names, command names, dialog options or keyboard shortcuts.
Hiding important controls or covering them with a presenter window.
Annotations that alter or misrepresent the recorded software interface.
Claiming or implying that a simulated screen is an authentic software demonstration.

AutoCAD — what the recording must show

Exact AutoCAD release to be stated from the recorded session. Operating system to be stated from the recorded session; ribbon layout and shortcuts differ between Windows and Mac.

1.Drawing setup: new drawing, template choice and workspace.
2.Units: the UNITS dialog, unit type, precision and insertion scale.
3.Layers: the Layer Properties Manager, layer creation, colour, linetype and lineweight.
4.Object properties: the Properties palette and how an object's layer and overrides are read.
5.Commands: the command line with the exact command typed, including options and prompts.
6.Dimensions: dimension style settings and a dimension placed on real geometry.
7.Layouts: layout tabs, sheet size and page setup.
8.Viewports: viewport creation, scale setting and viewport locking.
9.Title blocks: title block insertion and completion of the sheet fields.
10.Plot settings: the PLOT dialog, plot style, paper size, scale and preview.
11.Final drawing checks: audit, purge, layer check and a measured check against the plotted scale.

QGIS — what the recording must show

Exact QGIS version to be stated from the recorded session. Operating system to be stated from the recorded session; menu positions and file dialogs differ between systems.

1.Project CRS: Project Properties, the CRS tab and the selected coordinate reference system.
2.Layer loading: the Data Source Manager or Browser panel and the layer added to the canvas.
3.Layer properties: the Layer Properties dialog and each tab used in the lesson.
4.Symbology: the Symbology tab with the real renderer, classes and colour settings.
5.Attribute tables: the attribute table, field values, selection and expression use.
6.Processing tools: the Processing Toolbox with the tool searched and opened by its real name.
7.Analysis settings: every parameter in the tool dialog, including output location.
8.Map layout: the Print Layout window, page setup and map item.
9.Legend, scale and north arrow: each item added from the real layout toolbar.
10.Export and quality checks: the export dialog settings and a check of the exported file.

No authentic software recording or screenshot exists yet. Every software lesson remains “Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.”

Real professional classroom experience — every lesson

Applies to every future Academy lesson, software-based or not. The finished lesson presents as authentic professional training, professionally narrated and screen-led: video + written guide + supporting data + practical task + quality checklist + final named deliverable.

Lesson structure

1.Professional introduction.
2.Realistic project situation.
3.Learner role within that situation.
4.Problem statement.
5.Learning objectives.
6.Required software and data.
7.Step-by-step demonstration.
8.Explanation of the professional reasoning behind each action.
9.Practical learner task.
10.Checkpoint or pause activity.
11.Common mistake and its correction.
12.Quality-control review.
13.Final recap.
14.Named learner deliverable.

Video requirements

Professional narration that is clear, natural and paced for instruction, synchronised with the screen action.
Authentic screen recording from the actual software, with visible menus, tools, panels, commands, settings and outputs.
Natural cursor movement and deliberate pacing, with a clear explanation of why each action is taken.
Realistic corrections and troubleshooting shown, not edited away.
Clear 16:9 screen capture.
Captions and a complete transcript.
Chapter titles and lesson sections.
A small presenter window only where useful; it never covers technical content and is hidden on mobile or dense technical screens.

Never produced as a lesson

Automated slideshows.
Generic screen tours.
Silent software demonstrations.
Marketing videos presented as lessons.
AI-avatar presentations.
Simulated software tutorials.
Fast montages without explanation.
An invented tutor, instructor identity, voice, recording, thumbnail or completion status.

Lessons use only synthetic, publicly licensed or Ideeplan-owned examples. No confidential client information is used.

No genuine professional recording exists yet. Until one does, every lesson remains “Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.” Enrolment, payments, certificates and protected learner access stay disabled during this production stage.

Professional narration and screen-first production

Every Academy lesson is planned as a professionally narrated, screen-led practical lesson with captions and a complete transcript.
No AI avatar, virtual presenter or artificial talking head is used, and no named person is imitated. No lesson is described as human-narrated, instructor-led by a named person or personally presented unless that is factually true.
No instructor identity is published until a real, named professional has recorded and approved the lesson.
Recordings are screen-first: the GIS view, planning drawing, AutoCAD or Revit workspace or document remains the main subject of the frame.
Any presenter picture-in-picture normally occupies about 8–10% of the frame, never covers technical content, and is reduced or hidden on small screens.
The Principal Consultant portrait is reserved for approved introductions and conclusions. It is never used as a repeated course thumbnail, and the Academy remains company-first.

No lesson has been recorded and no narration has been produced. Scripts exist as production plans only, and every lesson video status remains “Not recorded”.

Demonstration material is synthetic, publicly licensed or owned by Ideeplan Consult. No confidential client file, unauthorised agency dataset or private project information is used.

Methods are jurisdiction-neutral. Learners must confirm local laws, policies and technical standards before applying them to a real project.

A production plan describes how a lesson would be recorded. It is not a recording, and it does not create an enrolment, account, payment or reserved place.

9 lesson production plans · suggested recording time about 90 minutes in total (a planning estimate, not a recorded duration) · every lesson video status: Not recorded.

Lesson 1 · Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.
Site, datum and context extents
Learning objective
Choosing a study extent wide enough to hold the visual relationships that matter, importing survey and footprints at true coordinates, setting a ground datum from levels rather than a flat plane, and modelling terrain simply but truthfully.
Narration focus
Establish a base model that can be trusted for comparison and scrutiny.
Screen action
Import the survey and footprints, set the datum from spot levels and build the terrain surface for the study extent.
Required software
SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software
Example data
Synthetic survey with levels, public building-footprint and height data for the surrounding blocks, street-level reference notes and an Ideeplan-owned model setup standard.
Expected learner output
Three measured distances and two spot levels match the survey record.
Suggested length
About 8 minutes (planning estimate)
Captions and transcript
Required before professional review
Narration
Professional narration — not yet produced
Demonstration sequence
1. 1.Choosing a study extent wide enough to hold the visual relationships that matter, importing survey and footprints at true coordinates, setting a ground datum from levels rather than a flat plane, and modelling terrain simply but truthfully.
2. 2.Import the survey and footprints, set the datum from spot levels and build the terrain surface for the study extent.
3. 3.Three measured distances and two spot levels match the survey record.
Quality review checklist
- Technical content (map, drawing, model or document) fills the majority of the frame and stays legible at 720p.
- Presenter picture-in-picture, if used, stays at roughly 8–10% of the frame, never covers legends, dimensions, labels or annotations, and is hidden on mobile widths and dense technical screens.
- Software shown is limited to SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software, with no suggestion of provider endorsement.
- Capture is a genuine screen recording from the real application — no mockup, simulated interface, AI-generated screen or unverified screenshot.
- The exact software name, version and, where relevant, operating system are read from the recorded session and stated on screen.
- Menus, panels, toolbars, layer controls and the command line or log are visible and legible; the view zooms in wherever text, settings or coordinates would be hard to read.
- The full application interface is shown at the beginning; menus, tools and panels stay visible throughout and the interface context is never cropped away, with zoom retaining enough context to identify the application and tool.
- Real cursor movement with visible highlighting or click indicators is captured; the selected tool, its effect, complete dialogs and the resulting output are all shown.
- The exact command, menu path or tool name is shown as it appears in the software, with useful keyboard shortcuts alongside it and alternative locations explained for other versions.
- Numbered on-screen steps and callouts point at the real controls being used; no menu, tool or command is invented.
- Until an authentic recording exists the lesson reads: “Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.”
- All data on screen is synthetic, publicly licensed or Ideeplan-owned, and is labelled as demonstration data.
- Narration states that methods are jurisdiction-neutral and that local laws, policies and standards must be confirmed.
- Captions and a transcript are produced before the recording can move to professional review.
- No client name, confidential file or private project information appears on screen at any point.
Lesson 2 · Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.
Context heights and the limits of public data
Learning objective
Deriving storey heights from public data and street reference, distinguishing measured from inferred heights, recording confidence, and stating uncertainty rather than hiding it in a rendered image.
Narration focus
Establish a base model that can be trusted for comparison and scrutiny.
Screen action
Extrude the context blocks, tag each as measured or inferred and complete the provenance note.
Required software
SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software
Example data
Synthetic survey with levels, public building-footprint and height data for the surrounding blocks, street-level reference notes and an Ideeplan-owned model setup standard.
Expected learner output
Every context block carries a height source and a confidence label.
Suggested length
About 10 minutes (planning estimate)
Captions and transcript
Required before professional review
Narration
Professional narration — not yet produced
Demonstration sequence
1. 1.Deriving storey heights from public data and street reference, distinguishing measured from inferred heights, recording confidence, and stating uncertainty rather than hiding it in a rendered image.
2. 2.Extrude the context blocks, tag each as measured or inferred and complete the provenance note.
3. 3.Every context block carries a height source and a confidence label.
Quality review checklist
- Technical content (map, drawing, model or document) fills the majority of the frame and stays legible at 720p.
- Presenter picture-in-picture, if used, stays at roughly 8–10% of the frame, never covers legends, dimensions, labels or annotations, and is hidden on mobile widths and dense technical screens.
- Software shown is limited to SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software, with no suggestion of provider endorsement.
- Capture is a genuine screen recording from the real application — no mockup, simulated interface, AI-generated screen or unverified screenshot.
- The exact software name, version and, where relevant, operating system are read from the recorded session and stated on screen.
- Menus, panels, toolbars, layer controls and the command line or log are visible and legible; the view zooms in wherever text, settings or coordinates would be hard to read.
- The full application interface is shown at the beginning; menus, tools and panels stay visible throughout and the interface context is never cropped away, with zoom retaining enough context to identify the application and tool.
- Real cursor movement with visible highlighting or click indicators is captured; the selected tool, its effect, complete dialogs and the resulting output are all shown.
- The exact command, menu path or tool name is shown as it appears in the software, with useful keyboard shortcuts alongside it and alternative locations explained for other versions.
- Numbered on-screen steps and callouts point at the real controls being used; no menu, tool or command is invented.
- Until an authentic recording exists the lesson reads: “Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.”
- All data on screen is synthetic, publicly licensed or Ideeplan-owned, and is labelled as demonstration data.
- Narration states that methods are jurisdiction-neutral and that local laws, policies and standards must be confirmed.
- Captions and a transcript are produced before the recording can move to professional review.
- No client name, confidential file or private project information appears on screen at any point.
Lesson 3 · Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.
Model hygiene and reusable structure
Learning objective
Naming, grouping and layering so options can be swapped without rebuilding, keeping context separate from proposal, unit and scale discipline, and file organisation that survives a second author.
Narration focus
Establish a base model that can be trusted for comparison and scrutiny.
Screen action
Restructure the model into context, terrain and proposal groups against the supplied setup standard.
Required software
SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software
Example data
Synthetic survey with levels, public building-footprint and height data for the surrounding blocks, street-level reference notes and an Ideeplan-owned model setup standard.
Expected learner output
A proposal option can be hidden or replaced without touching context geometry.
Suggested length
About 12 minutes (planning estimate)
Captions and transcript
Required before professional review
Narration
Professional narration — not yet produced
Demonstration sequence
1. 1.Naming, grouping and layering so options can be swapped without rebuilding, keeping context separate from proposal, unit and scale discipline, and file organisation that survives a second author.
2. 2.Restructure the model into context, terrain and proposal groups against the supplied setup standard.
3. 3.A proposal option can be hidden or replaced without touching context geometry.
Quality review checklist
- Technical content (map, drawing, model or document) fills the majority of the frame and stays legible at 720p.
- Presenter picture-in-picture, if used, stays at roughly 8–10% of the frame, never covers legends, dimensions, labels or annotations, and is hidden on mobile widths and dense technical screens.
- Software shown is limited to SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software, with no suggestion of provider endorsement.
- Capture is a genuine screen recording from the real application — no mockup, simulated interface, AI-generated screen or unverified screenshot.
- The exact software name, version and, where relevant, operating system are read from the recorded session and stated on screen.
- Menus, panels, toolbars, layer controls and the command line or log are visible and legible; the view zooms in wherever text, settings or coordinates would be hard to read.
- The full application interface is shown at the beginning; menus, tools and panels stay visible throughout and the interface context is never cropped away, with zoom retaining enough context to identify the application and tool.
- Real cursor movement with visible highlighting or click indicators is captured; the selected tool, its effect, complete dialogs and the resulting output are all shown.
- The exact command, menu path or tool name is shown as it appears in the software, with useful keyboard shortcuts alongside it and alternative locations explained for other versions.
- Numbered on-screen steps and callouts point at the real controls being used; no menu, tool or command is invented.
- Until an authentic recording exists the lesson reads: “Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.”
- All data on screen is synthetic, publicly licensed or Ideeplan-owned, and is labelled as demonstration data.
- Narration states that methods are jurisdiction-neutral and that local laws, policies and standards must be confirmed.
- Captions and a transcript are produced before the recording can move to professional review.
- No client name, confidential file or private project information appears on screen at any point.
Lesson 4 · Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.
From numbers to massing
Learning objective
Converting homes and floorspace into footprint, storeys and depth using stated typology assumptions, testing plot coverage, and keeping the arithmetic visible so the massing can be checked against the brief.
Narration focus
Turn written capacity briefs into comparable spatial options.
Screen action
Build option A and produce a schedule of footprint, storeys, floorspace and unit count derived from the model.
Required software
SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software
Example data
Three synthetic capacity briefs, an Ideeplan-owned typology reference with footprint and storey assumptions, and a synthetic accommodation schedule template.
Expected learner output
Model-derived floorspace matches the option brief within the stated tolerance.
Suggested length
About 8 minutes (planning estimate)
Captions and transcript
Required before professional review
Narration
Professional narration — not yet produced
Demonstration sequence
1. 1.Converting homes and floorspace into footprint, storeys and depth using stated typology assumptions, testing plot coverage, and keeping the arithmetic visible so the massing can be checked against the brief.
2. 2.Build option A and produce a schedule of footprint, storeys, floorspace and unit count derived from the model.
3. 3.Model-derived floorspace matches the option brief within the stated tolerance.
Quality review checklist
- Technical content (map, drawing, model or document) fills the majority of the frame and stays legible at 720p.
- Presenter picture-in-picture, if used, stays at roughly 8–10% of the frame, never covers legends, dimensions, labels or annotations, and is hidden on mobile widths and dense technical screens.
- Software shown is limited to SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software, with no suggestion of provider endorsement.
- Capture is a genuine screen recording from the real application — no mockup, simulated interface, AI-generated screen or unverified screenshot.
- The exact software name, version and, where relevant, operating system are read from the recorded session and stated on screen.
- Menus, panels, toolbars, layer controls and the command line or log are visible and legible; the view zooms in wherever text, settings or coordinates would be hard to read.
- The full application interface is shown at the beginning; menus, tools and panels stay visible throughout and the interface context is never cropped away, with zoom retaining enough context to identify the application and tool.
- Real cursor movement with visible highlighting or click indicators is captured; the selected tool, its effect, complete dialogs and the resulting output are all shown.
- The exact command, menu path or tool name is shown as it appears in the software, with useful keyboard shortcuts alongside it and alternative locations explained for other versions.
- Numbered on-screen steps and callouts point at the real controls being used; no menu, tool or command is invented.
- Until an authentic recording exists the lesson reads: “Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.”
- All data on screen is synthetic, publicly licensed or Ideeplan-owned, and is labelled as demonstration data.
- Narration states that methods are jurisdiction-neutral and that local laws, policies and standards must be confirmed.
- Captions and a transcript are produced before the recording can move to professional review.
- No client name, confidential file or private project information appears on screen at any point.
Lesson 5 · Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.
Height, enclosure and the street relationship
Learning objective
Height-to-width ratios and perceived enclosure, transition and step-down to a sensitive frontage, setbacks and upper-storey recesses, and how corner and gap conditions change a street more than average height does.
Narration focus
Turn written capacity briefs into comparable spatial options.
Screen action
Test options B and C against the conservation frontage and record the height transition applied in each.
Required software
SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software
Example data
Three synthetic capacity briefs, an Ideeplan-owned typology reference with footprint and storey assumptions, and a synthetic accommodation schedule template.
Expected learner output
Each option states its edge condition and step-down strategy explicitly.
Suggested length
About 10 minutes (planning estimate)
Captions and transcript
Required before professional review
Narration
Professional narration — not yet produced
Demonstration sequence
1. 1.Height-to-width ratios and perceived enclosure, transition and step-down to a sensitive frontage, setbacks and upper-storey recesses, and how corner and gap conditions change a street more than average height does.
2. 2.Test options B and C against the conservation frontage and record the height transition applied in each.
3. 3.Each option states its edge condition and step-down strategy explicitly.
Quality review checklist
- Technical content (map, drawing, model or document) fills the majority of the frame and stays legible at 720p.
- Presenter picture-in-picture, if used, stays at roughly 8–10% of the frame, never covers legends, dimensions, labels or annotations, and is hidden on mobile widths and dense technical screens.
- Software shown is limited to SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software, with no suggestion of provider endorsement.
- Capture is a genuine screen recording from the real application — no mockup, simulated interface, AI-generated screen or unverified screenshot.
- The exact software name, version and, where relevant, operating system are read from the recorded session and stated on screen.
- Menus, panels, toolbars, layer controls and the command line or log are visible and legible; the view zooms in wherever text, settings or coordinates would be hard to read.
- The full application interface is shown at the beginning; menus, tools and panels stay visible throughout and the interface context is never cropped away, with zoom retaining enough context to identify the application and tool.
- Real cursor movement with visible highlighting or click indicators is captured; the selected tool, its effect, complete dialogs and the resulting output are all shown.
- The exact command, menu path or tool name is shown as it appears in the software, with useful keyboard shortcuts alongside it and alternative locations explained for other versions.
- Numbered on-screen steps and callouts point at the real controls being used; no menu, tool or command is invented.
- Until an authentic recording exists the lesson reads: “Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.”
- All data on screen is synthetic, publicly licensed or Ideeplan-owned, and is labelled as demonstration data.
- Narration states that methods are jurisdiction-neutral and that local laws, policies and standards must be confirmed.
- Captions and a transcript are produced before the recording can move to professional review.
- No client name, confidential file or private project information appears on screen at any point.
Lesson 6 · Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.
Sunlight, overshadowing and amenity relationships
Learning objective
Running comparative shadow studies at consistent dates and times, reading overshadowing of gardens and public space, separation distances and overlooking, and the difference between an indicative study and a formal daylight assessment.
Narration focus
Turn written capacity briefs into comparable spatial options.
Screen action
Produce matched shadow studies for all three options at the same dates and times and note the amenity effects.
Required software
SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software
Example data
Three synthetic capacity briefs, an Ideeplan-owned typology reference with footprint and storey assumptions, and a synthetic accommodation schedule template.
Expected learner output
Shadow studies share identical settings and the difference between options is attributable to massing alone.
Suggested length
About 12 minutes (planning estimate)
Captions and transcript
Required before professional review
Narration
Professional narration — not yet produced
Demonstration sequence
1. 1.Running comparative shadow studies at consistent dates and times, reading overshadowing of gardens and public space, separation distances and overlooking, and the difference between an indicative study and a formal daylight assessment.
2. 2.Produce matched shadow studies for all three options at the same dates and times and note the amenity effects.
3. 3.Shadow studies share identical settings and the difference between options is attributable to massing alone.
Quality review checklist
- Technical content (map, drawing, model or document) fills the majority of the frame and stays legible at 720p.
- Presenter picture-in-picture, if used, stays at roughly 8–10% of the frame, never covers legends, dimensions, labels or annotations, and is hidden on mobile widths and dense technical screens.
- Software shown is limited to SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software, with no suggestion of provider endorsement.
- Capture is a genuine screen recording from the real application — no mockup, simulated interface, AI-generated screen or unverified screenshot.
- The exact software name, version and, where relevant, operating system are read from the recorded session and stated on screen.
- Menus, panels, toolbars, layer controls and the command line or log are visible and legible; the view zooms in wherever text, settings or coordinates would be hard to read.
- The full application interface is shown at the beginning; menus, tools and panels stay visible throughout and the interface context is never cropped away, with zoom retaining enough context to identify the application and tool.
- Real cursor movement with visible highlighting or click indicators is captured; the selected tool, its effect, complete dialogs and the resulting output are all shown.
- The exact command, menu path or tool name is shown as it appears in the software, with useful keyboard shortcuts alongside it and alternative locations explained for other versions.
- Numbered on-screen steps and callouts point at the real controls being used; no menu, tool or command is invented.
- Until an authentic recording exists the lesson reads: “Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.”
- All data on screen is synthetic, publicly licensed or Ideeplan-owned, and is labelled as demonstration data.
- Narration states that methods are jurisdiction-neutral and that local laws, policies and standards must be confirmed.
- Captions and a transcript are produced before the recording can move to professional review.
- No client name, confidential file or private project information appears on screen at any point.
Lesson 7 · Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.
Viewpoints, verified framing and consistency
Learning objective
Selecting viewpoints that answer the objection rather than flatter the scheme, matching camera position, height and lens across options, the difference between an illustrative view and a verified view, and disclosure of method.
Narration focus
Produce material a committee, client or resident can read and trust.
Screen action
Set four fixed cameras and export the same four views for each of the three options.
Required software
SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software
Example data
Agreed viewpoint list, Ideeplan-owned presentation layout template and a synthetic committee report structure.
Expected learner output
All twelve images share identical camera and lighting settings.
Suggested length
About 8 minutes (planning estimate)
Captions and transcript
Required before professional review
Narration
Professional narration — not yet produced
Demonstration sequence
1. 1.Selecting viewpoints that answer the objection rather than flatter the scheme, matching camera position, height and lens across options, the difference between an illustrative view and a verified view, and disclosure of method.
2. 2.Set four fixed cameras and export the same four views for each of the three options.
3. 3.All twelve images share identical camera and lighting settings.
Quality review checklist
- Technical content (map, drawing, model or document) fills the majority of the frame and stays legible at 720p.
- Presenter picture-in-picture, if used, stays at roughly 8–10% of the frame, never covers legends, dimensions, labels or annotations, and is hidden on mobile widths and dense technical screens.
- Software shown is limited to SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software, with no suggestion of provider endorsement.
- Capture is a genuine screen recording from the real application — no mockup, simulated interface, AI-generated screen or unverified screenshot.
- The exact software name, version and, where relevant, operating system are read from the recorded session and stated on screen.
- Menus, panels, toolbars, layer controls and the command line or log are visible and legible; the view zooms in wherever text, settings or coordinates would be hard to read.
- The full application interface is shown at the beginning; menus, tools and panels stay visible throughout and the interface context is never cropped away, with zoom retaining enough context to identify the application and tool.
- Real cursor movement with visible highlighting or click indicators is captured; the selected tool, its effect, complete dialogs and the resulting output are all shown.
- The exact command, menu path or tool name is shown as it appears in the software, with useful keyboard shortcuts alongside it and alternative locations explained for other versions.
- Numbered on-screen steps and callouts point at the real controls being used; no menu, tool or command is invented.
- Until an authentic recording exists the lesson reads: “Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.”
- All data on screen is synthetic, publicly licensed or Ideeplan-owned, and is labelled as demonstration data.
- Narration states that methods are jurisdiction-neutral and that local laws, policies and standards must be confirmed.
- Captions and a transcript are produced before the recording can move to professional review.
- No client name, confidential file or private project information appears on screen at any point.
Lesson 8 · Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.
Diagrams that carry the argument
Learning objective
Axonometric and sectional massing diagrams, before-and-after street sections, layered explanatory diagrams for access, frontage and open space, and restraint in colour and material so massing is read as massing.
Narration focus
Produce material a committee, client or resident can read and trust.
Screen action
Produce one comparative street section and one axonometric per option.
Required software
SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software
Example data
Agreed viewpoint list, Ideeplan-owned presentation layout template and a synthetic committee report structure.
Expected learner output
Each diagram makes a single point that can be stated in one sentence.
Suggested length
About 10 minutes (planning estimate)
Captions and transcript
Required before professional review
Narration
Professional narration — not yet produced
Demonstration sequence
1. 1.Axonometric and sectional massing diagrams, before-and-after street sections, layered explanatory diagrams for access, frontage and open space, and restraint in colour and material so massing is read as massing.
2. 2.Produce one comparative street section and one axonometric per option.
3. 3.Each diagram makes a single point that can be stated in one sentence.
Quality review checklist
- Technical content (map, drawing, model or document) fills the majority of the frame and stays legible at 720p.
- Presenter picture-in-picture, if used, stays at roughly 8–10% of the frame, never covers legends, dimensions, labels or annotations, and is hidden on mobile widths and dense technical screens.
- Software shown is limited to SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software, with no suggestion of provider endorsement.
- Capture is a genuine screen recording from the real application — no mockup, simulated interface, AI-generated screen or unverified screenshot.
- The exact software name, version and, where relevant, operating system are read from the recorded session and stated on screen.
- Menus, panels, toolbars, layer controls and the command line or log are visible and legible; the view zooms in wherever text, settings or coordinates would be hard to read.
- The full application interface is shown at the beginning; menus, tools and panels stay visible throughout and the interface context is never cropped away, with zoom retaining enough context to identify the application and tool.
- Real cursor movement with visible highlighting or click indicators is captured; the selected tool, its effect, complete dialogs and the resulting output are all shown.
- The exact command, menu path or tool name is shown as it appears in the software, with useful keyboard shortcuts alongside it and alternative locations explained for other versions.
- Numbered on-screen steps and callouts point at the real controls being used; no menu, tool or command is invented.
- Until an authentic recording exists the lesson reads: “Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.”
- All data on screen is synthetic, publicly licensed or Ideeplan-owned, and is labelled as demonstration data.
- Narration states that methods are jurisdiction-neutral and that local laws, policies and standards must be confirmed.
- Captions and a transcript are produced before the recording can move to professional review.
- No client name, confidential file or private project information appears on screen at any point.
Lesson 9 · Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.
Assembling and defending the set
Learning objective
Sequencing a presentation from context to constraint to option to recommendation, writing captions that state assumptions, anticipating the three hardest questions, and recording limitations so the set is not over-read.
Narration focus
Produce material a committee, client or resident can read and trust.
Screen action
Assemble the communication set with a written option comparison and a limitations statement.
Required software
SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software
Example data
Agreed viewpoint list, Ideeplan-owned presentation layout template and a synthetic committee report structure.
Expected learner output
A reader outside the project can state each option's capacity and main visual consequence unaided.
Suggested length
About 12 minutes (planning estimate)
Captions and transcript
Required before professional review
Narration
Professional narration — not yet produced
Demonstration sequence
1. 1.Sequencing a presentation from context to constraint to option to recommendation, writing captions that state assumptions, anticipating the three hardest questions, and recording limitations so the set is not over-read.
2. 2.Assemble the communication set with a written option comparison and a limitations statement.
3. 3.A reader outside the project can state each option's capacity and main visual consequence unaided.
Quality review checklist
- Technical content (map, drawing, model or document) fills the majority of the frame and stays legible at 720p.
- Presenter picture-in-picture, if used, stays at roughly 8–10% of the frame, never covers legends, dimensions, labels or annotations, and is hidden on mobile widths and dense technical screens.
- Software shown is limited to SketchUp, Blender or equivalent 3D modelling software, AutoCAD or QGIS for base data, Image editing or layout software, with no suggestion of provider endorsement.
- Capture is a genuine screen recording from the real application — no mockup, simulated interface, AI-generated screen or unverified screenshot.
- The exact software name, version and, where relevant, operating system are read from the recorded session and stated on screen.
- Menus, panels, toolbars, layer controls and the command line or log are visible and legible; the view zooms in wherever text, settings or coordinates would be hard to read.
- The full application interface is shown at the beginning; menus, tools and panels stay visible throughout and the interface context is never cropped away, with zoom retaining enough context to identify the application and tool.
- Real cursor movement with visible highlighting or click indicators is captured; the selected tool, its effect, complete dialogs and the resulting output are all shown.
- The exact command, menu path or tool name is shown as it appears in the software, with useful keyboard shortcuts alongside it and alternative locations explained for other versions.
- Numbered on-screen steps and callouts point at the real controls being used; no menu, tool or command is invented.
- Until an authentic recording exists the lesson reads: “Video lesson: Not recorded — authentic professional recording required.”
- All data on screen is synthetic, publicly licensed or Ideeplan-owned, and is labelled as demonstration data.
- Narration states that methods are jurisdiction-neutral and that local laws, policies and standards must be confirmed.
- Captions and a transcript are produced before the recording can move to professional review.
- No client name, confidential file or private project information appears on screen at any point.

Course production standard

Recordings are screen-first: the planning drawing, GIS view, AutoCAD or Revit workspace stays the main subject of the frame.
Any presenter picture-in-picture normally occupies no more than about 8–10% of the frame and never covers maps, legends, drawings, dimensions or annotations.
On mobile and on dense technical screens the presenter window is reduced further or hidden entirely.
The Principal Consultant portrait is reserved for approved introductions, explanations and conclusions. It is not used as a generic thumbnail for every course.
Narration is planned for professional human delivery. No AI narration, AI presenter or recorded lesson exists today.

No lesson has been recorded. Every lesson media status is “Not recorded”.

Any example data used in teaching is synthetic, publicly licensed or owned by Ideeplan Consult, and is clearly labelled as demonstration data. No client file, confidential document or unauthorised project material is used.

Want this course finished first?

Registering interest is not an enrolment. It tells Ideeplan Consult which subjects to complete and review first.

Discuss a Project

3D Massing and Design Communication

Written teaching content: available for review

Written course content

Client-style brief

Professional scenario

Planning problem

Learning objectives

Modules and lessons

Module 1 — Building an honest context model

Site, datum and context extents

Context heights and the limits of public data

Model hygiene and reusable structure

Module 2 — Testing capacity in three dimensions

From numbers to massing

Height, enclosure and the street relationship

Sunlight, overshadowing and amenity relationships

Module 3 — Communicating the design honestly

Viewpoints, verified framing and consistency

Diagrams that carry the argument

Assembling and defending the set