3D printing for urban planning: A physical enhancement of spatial perspective

3D models help in 3D visualization on computer screen which enhances the human understanding of the spatial aspects of a physical environment where many thematic concerns interact. But most of the 3D visualizations are on 2D screen, which has its limitations. 3D printing is the potential next step in this direction to enhance the physical enhancement of spatial perspective. GIS applications for various sectors produce a lot of thematic data which can be 3D printed so that to expedite the process of discussions or negotiations and enhance the mutual understanding among the different stakeholders. This paper investigates the size and the resolution or city model that can be printed as 3D physical models. Considering a sample example from a sub-city Dwarka in Delhi, India, we have tried to show the practical considerations for a small scale city buildings 3D printing on a detailed level as per CityGML specifications.