Work with ArcGIS Urban integration

 

ArcGIS Urban and ArcGIS CityEngine provide a collaborative urban planning system for City Planners, Designers, GIS Analysts, and 3D Visual Artists who seek the ability to make impactful sustainable changes for urban communities worldwide. In this workflow, you will use the ArcGIS Urban integration toolset in CityEngine to enhance the parcels and terrain of an ArcGIS Urban plan within the Boston model.

Before you start, verify that you have the following:

• An adequate system that adheres to the CityEngine requirements and ArcGIS Urban requirements.
• An ArcGIS Urban license. See set up ArcGIS Urban and get a trial license for more information.

Work with ArcGIS Urban plan scenarios in CityEngine

Plans in ArcGIS Urban are used to design and evaluate long-range urban planning scenarios. Plans may cover study areas at a scale that encompasses multiple street blocks up to a whole district to depict the built potential within regulatory zoning parameters. Scenarios allow for comparison and analysis using different versions of the plan. You can work with these plan scenarios in CityEngine.

Create a copy of the ArcGIS Urban plan

First, create a copy of the ArcGIS Urban plan.

1. Go to ArcGIS Urban and sign in.
2. Scroll to the Try out an example button and click Open Example to open the Example Boston, MA USA model.
3. In the overview search menu, click Plans to see the options available:

   

4. Click the South Boston Dot Ave plan to open it.
5. Click Create a copy to create your own copy to explore the full functionality:

   

6. In the Save plan as menu, change the Name box to South Boston Dot Ave - ArcGIS Urban Integration.
7. Ensure the Save plan to another Urban model option is unchecked:

   

8. Click OK.

   Wait for the plan to be copied successfully and leave ArcGIS Urban open to reference changes you will make later in the tutorial.

   Note:

   You will be the owner of this new plan which means you have a copy in your online content. After following this tutorial, remember to delete your old plans if you don’t need them anymore to maintain good data management practices.

Sign in to CityEngine for web sharing

Next, sign in to CityEngine for web sharing.

1. Open CityEngine.
2. Click Sign in to sign in to ArcGIS Online (or your enterprise account) that contains the ArcGIS Urban plan you will open in CityEngine:

   

3. Provide your username and password to sign in.

   Note:

   Once signed in, the icon appears green and you can connect to the ArcGIS Online hosted items including all of ArcGIS Urban plans that you own or have access to.

   Tip:

   To switch to dark mode in CityEngine, click Edit > Preferences > Appearance > Theme: Dark in the main menu.

Import the ArcGIS Urban plan into CityEngine

Import the ArcGIS Urban plan into CityEngine.

1. In CityEngine, click Window > Layout > Default Layout in the main menu.

   This gives you the CityEngine layout needed for this tutorial.

2. In the Navigator window, click ArcGIS Urban .
3. Click My content in the drop-down menu:

   

4. Right-click the South Boston Dot Ave – ArcGIS Urban Integration plan and click Import as new Scene.

   The plan is imported into CityEngine and South Boston Dot Ave – ArcGIS Urban Integration scene opens in the Viewport window. The ArcGIS_Urban_Example Boston, MA USA model is now represented as a CityEngine project in the Navigator window. You will use this later.

5. In the Scene Editor window, click to explore the different scenarios.

   Existing Conditions (Exis) is the default scenario selected. The Scene Editor window, lists the different scenarios that have been developed in ArcGIS Urban. Future development scenarios are generated based on zoning code requirements, metrics, and other regulatory criteria:

   

Update camera and Viewport settings

You may have noticed that the floor edges are not automatically rendering to show separate spaces. In CityEngine, you have the flexibility to change your view preferences on the fly in the Viewport window. This allows you to explore the predefined edge geometry of your ArcGIS Urban plan with the View settings tool .

1. In the Scene Editor window in CityEngine, click to activate the Refined scenario.

   Your default view appears with a generalized view of the facades by color:

   

2. Click the View settings tool .
   1. Click Wireframe on shaded/textured or press 7 to display the floors.
   2. Click Compass or press D+C to display the compass.
   3. Click Grid or press D+G to turn off the grid.

   

3. Explore the different options and copy the view settings above.

   The scene now shows the floor edges as it is shown in the ArcGIS Urban model:

   

Navigate and set bookmarks

A few shortcuts and bookmarks can help you navigate when performing parcel editing workflows. Use the following tips to set up the Viewport window for the tutorial.

1. In the Scene Editor window in CityEngine, click to activate the Refined (Refi) scenario.
2. Click the Viewport window to activate it.
3. Press Shift+N to navigate the scene to a top view of your plan and oriented to the north.
4. Press A to frame the plan extent.
5. In Bookmarks , click New Bookmark.
6. Save the new bookmark name as Top View.
7. Zoom in and navigate to the large parcel located in the northern section of the plan.
8. Select the parcel.
9. Press Shift and click to also select the smaller triangle shaped parcel below it:

   

10. Press F to frame that area.
11. In Bookmarks , click New Bookmark.
12. Save the new bookmark name as Parcel Editing.

    Bookmarks remain the same across different scenarios in a CityEngine scene, however, this tutorial will focus on the Refined scenario. If you lose your place during any of the following steps, use these bookmarks to return to your editing location in the Viewport window.

13. Click File > Save All and keep CityEngine open for the next part of this tutorial.

Save Changes to ArcGIS Urban

After you edit parcels in a plan scenario using polygonal editing workflows, procedurally generated subdivisions, offsets, or attribute changes in CityEngine, you can save those changes back to the ArcGIS Urban app using this tool.

Caution:

Do not manually edit a parcel in CityEngine that already has planned developments in ArcGIS Urban. Otherwise, the edited parcel may no longer be connected to ArcGIS Urban for updates.

.

Split an existing parcel

The polygonal tools in CityEngine allow for manual editing workflows. This includes the ability to split shapes on demolished parcels and save your changes back to the ArcGIS Urban app.

To split an existing parcel, complete the following steps:

1. In the Refined scenario, expand the Parcel Attributes section in the Inspector window and set Demolish to true to remove the buildings.
2. Click to select the smaller parcel in the Parcel Editing area:

   

3. In the Scene Editor window, uncheck the Spaces and Zoning layers.
4. To manually split the parcel shape, click the Polygonal Shape Creation tool (S) and click once on a side edge of the selected parcel.

   Note:

   By default, snapping is enabled in the Polygonal Shape Creation tool options.

5. Double-click the opposite edge of the parcel to split the parcel.

   Two new shapes are created.

6. With the two new shapes selected, click Shapes > Separate Faces in the main menu.
7. Select one of the split parcels to activate the Inspector window.
8. In the Parcel Attributes section of the Inspector window, click the Development Type drop-down menu and click Set Building Type.

   The Building Type option appears.

   Note:

   When Development Type is set to None the building types are not generated.

9. Click the Building Type drop-down menu and choose Community Center.
10. For the other new shape, update the Development Type to Set Building Type and the Building Type to Low-Rise Office.

    You can select each parcel separately resulting from the split to display the updated attributes in the Inspector window.

    

11. Click File > Save All and keep CityEngine open.

    Note:

    You will not see a preview of the development applied until it is overwritten to ArcGIS Urban. To see the changes as you apply them in CityEngine, you must assign the .urban.rpk rule package file located in the ESRI.lib\rules\Urban\V1.3.5 folder in the Navigator window to the Parcels layer in the Scene Editor window.

Subdivision Configurations

CityEngine is a very powerful application allowing you to procedurally and manually manipulate shapes and generate different parcel configurations en masse. In this section, you'll be designing a transit-oriented development (TOD) block of mixed-use space types using the subdivision and union tools to create and edit parcel geometry. When the parcel edits are complete, you will save your changes back to the ArcGIS Urban app.

1. In the Refined scenario, click Parcel Editing in the Bookmarks menu .

   You will subdivide and develop the large parcel farther north of the corridor.

2. Select the parcel.
3. Click Shapes > Subdivide in the main menu.
4. In the Subdivide dialog box, enter the following parameters:

   • Lot subdivision method: Offset Subdivision
   • Min. lot area: 2000
   • Max. lot area: 5000
   • Min. lot width : 20
   • Irregularity: 0.1
   • Force street access: 0
   • Offset width: 25
   • Corner width: 5
   • Max. corner angle: 30
   • Alignment: Even at minimum

   

5. Click Apply and then Close:

   

6. Click the Select tool (Q).
7. Press Shift and click to select multiple shapes in the center of the lot configuration.
8. Click Shapes > Union Shapes in the main menu to create three unique shapes in the center.
9. Select parcels to split and separate faces or union shapes along the outer perimeter of the lot configuration to create simplified building footprints.

   Use the following image as a guide:

   

10. Click Set Building Type in the Development Type drop-down menu.
11. Click the Building Type drop-down menu to select from the development options to match the image above.
12. Click File > Save All.
13. Click ArcGIS Urban > Save Changes to Urban in the main menu.
14. Click the Refined checkbox and click Overwrite.
15. Click ArcGIS Urban > Open in web browser to view your plan in the ArcGIS Urban app.
16. In the ArcGIS Urban app, toggle to the Zoning tab, scroll down, and click Reapply all building types:

    

Get Changes from ArcGIS Urban

As you work with CityEngine in parallel to ongoing changes in ArcGIS Urban, you can use the Get Changes from Urban tool to overwrite your CityEngine scene. However, if you wish to begin implementing urban design workflows beyond parcel editing such as detailing facades, street networks, or green spaces, the best practice is to create a copy of the scenario imported from ArcGIS Urban and work in the copy. The Get Changes from Urban tool overwrites the parcel attributes and building spaces in CityEngine to match what is online in the ArcGIS Urban app.

The original imported scenario will remain connected to ArcGIS Urban for parcel updates that impact the configured metrics using the integration tools explored in this tutorial. The recommended scenario copy will remain disconnected from exchanging updates with ArcGIS Urban to avoid overwriting your design work. When you are ready to share your designs, use the Publish Selected Models to Scene Layer tool and Open in web browser tool to see it in your scenario. See Scenarios for more information to help you get started.

Note:

Publish Selected Models to Scene Layer loads your 3D work into ArcGIS Online and adds a Context layer to your active ArcGIS Urban scenario. You can have multiple context layers in the ArcGIS Urban app scenarios but they must be contained within a single web scene. To display multiple published items in one scenario such as image layers and feature layers, you must first add them to a shared web scene in ArcGIS Online.

Edit and publish a scenario terrain

You can use the interactive terrain editing tools in CityEngine to make changes to the elevation layer in your design scenarios to support terraced buildings, pool features, rain gardens, and other design features that impact the terrain. Learn how to also include your artwork detailing the concept plan for these spaces in the scene by georeferencing and draping it onto the terrain. You can then publish your changes back to the ArcGIS Urban app. Edited terrains are unique to the scenario you work with so you can compare changes to other designs and existing conditions.

Create image layers

Add a texture to create image layers to drape onto the terrain.

1. Open the following images in ArcGIS Online to download the images:
   1. For ReflectingPool_CourtyardDesign.png, click Download.

      

   2. For RainGardenDesign.png, click Download.

      

2. Add the downloaded images to the images folder in your ArcGIS_Urban_Example Boston, MA USA CityEngine project.

   Tip:

   You can click and drag the images directly from your local file explorer folder into the Navigator window in CityEngine.

3. Click Layer > New Map Layer in the main menu:

   

4. Click Texture and name the layer Reflecting Pool Design.
5. Click Next.
6. Browse to the project images folder and click ReflectingPool_CourtyardDesign.png.
7. Set the Dimensions and Location values to match the following image:

   

8. Select the Reflecting Pool Design layer in the Scene Editor window and update the Elevation Offset in the Inspector window to 4.3.

   

   The texture is placed in the upper courtyard:

   

9. Click Layer > New Map Layer in the main menu.
10. Click Texture and name the layer Rain Garden Design.
11. Click Next.
12. Browse to the images folder and click RainGardenDesign.png .
13. Set the Dimensions and Location values to match the following image:
14. 
15. Select the Rain Garden Design layer in the Scene Editor window, and update the Elevation Offset to 4.3 to display the texture placed in the lower courtyard:

    

Edit the terrain – Offset parcel shape

The Align terrain to shapes tool in CityEngine allows you to change the z-value of shapes and then adjust the terrain to match that elevation. Use this tool to edit the terrain to create the reflecting pool in the upper courtyard illustrated in the last tutorial section.

1. In the Scene Editor window, uncheck the Reflecting Pool Design image layer.
2. In Viewport, select the upper courtyard parcel.
3. Press F to frame the parcel in the Viewport window:

   

4. Click Shapes > Offset shapes in the main menu to display the Offset Shapes tool options .
5. Set the Distance value to 15 meters.
6. Press Enter.
7. Select the center shape.
8. Click the Transform Move tool (W) to display the Transform Move tool options .
9. Set the green axis translation (middle) value to -2.
10. Press Enter.
11. Click the Align terrain to shapes tool .
12. Leave the default values and click Apply and then Close:

    

Edit the terrain – Use the Terrain Edit Brush

Finally, you'll edit the terrain to align the Rain Garden Design texture layer in the CityEngine scene.

1. In the Scene Editor window, check the Rain Garden Design image layer.
2. In Viewport, navigate to the lower courtyard area.
3. Click the Terrain Edit Brush tool.
4. In the Terrain Edit Brush tool options, , adjust the Brush Size value to 2 and zoom into the drawing to sculp the terrain.
5. Adjust the Height value to match the elevations detailed in the illustration below:

   

   Note:

   The brush size is in meters. You will need to convert feet to meters to match the desired height shown on the Rain Garden Design texture layer.

6. Click File > Save all in the main menu.

Publish an edited terrain

To publish an edited terrain, complete the following steps:

1. In the Scene Editor window, select the Terrain layer.
2. Click ArcGIS Urban > Publish Selected Terrain to Scenario in the main menu.
3. Click the Refined (Refi) scenario checkbox.
4. Click Publish.
5. In the ArcGIS Urban app, refresh the browser and locate the Refined scenario to see the changes.

Export and share image layers

In the last section, you georeferenced design drawings and updated your terrain heightmap in the new proposed courtyards. To drape the intended design drawings onto the terrain and visualize them in ArcGIS Urban, you will need to publish to ArcGIS Online.

You'll add these drawings into a 3D web scene in the next section.

Export image layers as tile packages

First, you'll export the courtyard textures to ArcGIS Online.

1. In CityEngine, press Ctrl and click to select both the Rain Garden Design and Reflecting Pool Design texture layer in the Scene Editor window.
2. Click File > Export > CityEngine > Export Selected Layers as TPK in the main menu:

   

3. Click Next.
4. Change Base Name to Courtyards and set the Maps setting to Basemap only:

   

5. Leave the default values for the rest of the settings.
6. Click Finish.

   The Courtyards_Rain_Garden_Design_Basemap.tpk and the Courtyards_Reflecting_Pool_Design_Basemap.tpk tile packages are now exported to the project data folder.

Publish tile packages to ArcGIS Online

Next, you'll publish the tile packages to ArcGIS Online.

1. Right-click the Courtyards_Rain_Garden_Design_Basemap.tpk file in the project data folder and click Share As to open the Tile Package dialog box:

   

2. Ensure the default Upload package to my publish to ArcGIS Online or Portal account setting is selected.
3. Click Analyze to check for errors.
4. Click Share.
5. Repeat the steps above for Courtyards_Reflecting_Pool_Design_Basemap.tpk file.

   The following message appears for each image layer when the tile package has been successfully shared on ArcGIS Online:

   

Create and share a scenario context web scene

Finally, you'll create a scenario context web scene.

1. Open a new browser tab and sign in to ArcGIS Online using the same account that the CityEngine tile package was published from CityEngine.
2. Click Content.

   The My content page shows you the most recent items:

   

3. Click the hosted Courtyards_Rain_Garden_Design_Basemap tile layer to open the Items page.
4. Click Open in Scene Viewer to open the layer in Scene Viewer.
5. Click Add > Browse layers to add the Courtyards_Reflecting_Pool_Design_Basemap layer to the web scene:

   

6. Click Save .
7. For Title, name it Courtyard Textures.

   Optionally, you can fill out Summary and Tags.

8. Click Save.
9. Return to ArcGIS Urban and refresh the browser.
10. Next to the scenarios listed, click Configure scenarios to open the Scenarios menu.
11. Click Refined to expand the scenario.
12. Click Edit in Scenario context to edit the layer.
13. Search for the Courtyard Textures web scene:

    

14. Click Select to add the scenario context.
15. Click OK.

    The Rain Garden Design and Reflecting Pool Design image layers have been exported from CityEngine; published to ArcGIS Online; and can now be viewed in the ArcGIS Urban app after refreshing the browser.

    

    

    

    

What's next

Download the provided tutorial project to explore the final South Boston Dot Ave - ArcGIS Urban Integration.cej scene for reference. Click Help > Download Tutorials and Examples > Essentials_Work_with_ArcGIS_Urban_Integration in the CityEngine main menu to add it to your workspace.

Note:

Only the scene you imported can share changes back to your ArcGIS Urban scenario using the integration toolset.

In this tutorial, you learned how to do the following:

• Use the ArcGIS Urban integration to Import an ArcGIS Urban plan into CityEngine.
• Explore tips on visualizing and navigating your imported plan in CityEngine.
• Explore how parcel and attribute changes made in ArcGIS Urban can overwrite your CityEngine scene using the Get Changes from Urban tool to import the latest changes.
• Explore what types of parcel edits you can make in CityEngine and then Save Changes to Urban.
• Use two different approaches for editing the terrain elevation in CityEngine for a plan scenario and sharing it back to ArcGIS Urban using the Publish Selected Terrain to Scenario tool.
• Create, package, and share image layers to support design work in both CityEngine and ArcGIS Urban.
• Publish context layers to ArcGIS Urban scenarios.
• Explore the best practices for setting up scenes for urban design workflows.

Be sure to check out the other Essentials tutorials: CityEngine tour, Build cities with Get Map Data, Work with GIS data, and Rule-based modeling.

To continue your learning with CityEngine, see the CityEngine tutorial catalog.