Uncovering the Best 6 CityCAD Alternative for Urban Design
6 CityCAD is a powerful urban design software tool, renowned for its conceptual 3D masterplanning capabilities, allowing users to rapidly sketch layouts, adjust building sizes, and estimate quantities for sites up to 200 hectares. While incredibly useful for early-stage design and holistic analysis, many users seek a 6 CityCAD alternative for various reasons, including specific feature needs, platform compatibility, or budget constraints. This article explores top alternatives that offer similar, or even complementary, functionalities for urban planning and design.
Top 6 CityCAD Alternatives
Whether you're looking for open-source solutions, specialized procedural generation, or tighter integration with existing design workflows, these alternatives provide compelling options for city modeling, design analysis, and masterplanning.
CityEngine
CityEngine is a standalone software that provides professional users in entertainment, architecture, urban planning, GIS, and general 3D content production with a unique procedural modeling workflow. Available on Commercial licenses for Mac, Windows, and Linux, it's a robust 6 CityCAD alternative for those needing advanced 3D modeling, gaming asset creation, and powerful procedural generation capabilities.
Suicidator City Generator
Suicidator City Generator (SCG) is a powerful Blender3D script that allows users to automatically create entire, three-dimensional modern cities in a matter of seconds. As a Free and Open Source solution for Mac, Windows, Linux, and Blender, it's an excellent 6 CityCAD alternative for those focused on 3D modeling, gaming, and procedural city generation within a Blender environment.
Modelur
Modelur is a 3D application for parametric urban design, implemented as a plug-in for Trimble SketchUp. Available commercially for Mac and Windows, Modelur offers a distinct approach to urban design, making it a viable 6 CityCAD alternative for users who prefer working within the SketchUp ecosystem for parametric design.
Building Generator
Building Generator is a free procedural building generator script for 3d Studio Max 9 SP1 and above. This Windows-based, free tool is a great 6 CityCAD alternative for 3D Studio Max users needing to generate buildings procedurally with a wide range of features for 3D modeling and procedural modeling.
Blended Cities
Blended Cities is an open-source city generator for Blender, designed to quickly create a large amount of streets and buildings with various shapes. As a Free and Open Source solution for Mac, Windows, Linux, and Blender, it's a compelling 6 CityCAD alternative for those seeking 3D modeling, gaming, and procedural modeling capabilities within the open-source Blender ecosystem.
ghostTown
ghostTown is a free city generator and tool for creating urban environments, offering features for both lopoly and highpoly buildings, a road tool for basic layouts, and easy material application. This free Windows-based tool for Autodesk 3ds Max provides 3D modeling, gaming, and procedural modeling features, making it a solid 6 CityCAD alternative for 3ds Max users.
Ultimately, the best 6 CityCAD alternative for you will depend on your specific project requirements, preferred design environment, and budget. We encourage you to explore these options further to find the perfect fit for your urban design and masterplanning needs.