Ever wanted to create a quick site model but felt overwhelmed by GIS data? Don’t worry—you don’t need to be a GIS expert to do this! With the Heron plugin in Grasshopper, you can pull in OpenStreetMap (OSM) data, bring in terrain info, and build a simple 3D site model in no time.
I recorded this tutorial to help the architecture students I teach to quickly import site data from any location into their model. The sites are based in multiple locations across the global south, so digimap was not an option here.
I am sharing it here because This tutorial is perfect for architecture students and designers who want to work with real-world data but don’t want to spend hours manually tracing maps or wrestling with complex GIS software.
What You’ll Learn
By the end of these quick tutorials, you’ll know how to:
✅ Import OSM building footprints, 3D buildings (if available), and roads directly into Grasshopper
✅ Get terrain model and use it in your 3D model
✅ Put it all together to create a basic 3D site model
What is Heron?
Heron is a Grasshopper plugin that lets you import and work with GIS and mapping data directly inside Rhino. It allows you to pull in building footprints, road networks, and terrain information from real-world sources like OpenStreetMap and others. It’s a great tool for quickly importing urban contexts and generating site conditions without needing specialized GIS software.
Watch the Tutorials
What You Need to Get Started
No fancy GIS skills required! Just make sure you have:
- Rhino + Grasshopper installed
- The Heron plugin (get it from the Rhino Package Manager)
- An internet connection to pull in data
you can download the script I use in the tutorial here: