{"id":2413022,"date":"2025-06-26T11:00:43","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T18:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=2413022"},"modified":"2025-06-26T13:52:47","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T20:52:47","slug":"enhanced-3d-layers-in-arcgis","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/announcements\/enhanced-3d-layers-in-arcgis","title":{"rendered":"Enhanced 3D Layers in ArcGIS"},"author":6281,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[37101],"tags":[25781,572002,113632,761752,779342],"industry":[],"product":[36731,36581,36551,36561,42661],"class_list":["post-2413022","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-announcements","tag-3d","tag-arcgis-living-atlas","tag-basemap","tag-buildings","tag-whats-new-june-2025","product-arcgis-earth","product-arcgis-living-atlas","product-arcgis-online","product-arcgis-pro","product-arcgis-solutions"],"acf":{"authors":[{"ID":6281,"user_firstname":"Deane","user_lastname":"Kensok","nickname":"Deane Kensok","user_nicename":"dkensok","display_name":"Deane Kensok","user_email":"dkensok@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2018-03-02 00:18:09","user_description":"Deane Kensok has been with Esri since 1990 and is currently the ArcGIS Content CTO and a member of the Living Atlas team. For the past twenty years, Deane has worked on a variety of Internet mapping and data publishing products and projects, which have led to his current work with ArcGIS Online and the Living Atlas.","user_avatar":""}],"short_description":"Esri is working with partners (Maxar, TomTom) to enhance our 3D basemaps with high-quality commercial data for elevation and buildings layers.","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

This post was originally published on July 02, 2024, and has been updated twice.<\/em><\/p>\n

Three years ago, Esri introduced a new set of OpenStreetMap (OSM) 3D scene layers<\/a> that could be used for 3D visualization.\u00a0 Two years ago, we introduced a new set of 3D Basemaps<\/a> referencing these scene layers that were added to the basemap gallery for 3D ArcGIS apps such as Scene Viewer and ArcGIS Pro.\u00a0 These 3D scene layers and basemaps have been built with open data from the OSM Daylight Distribution<\/a> and take advantage of the 3D mapping that has been performed by the OSM community, plus some important enhancements from the team maintaining the OSM Daylight Distribution.<\/p>\n

Last year, we were excited to introduce some enhancements to the 3D layers that will be used in our 3D Basemaps.\u00a0 Esri has been working with our partners (i.e. Maxar Intelligence<\/a>\u00a0and TomTom<\/a>) to acquire and prepare some high-quality commercial data to supplement the open data that is available.\u00a0 This includes selected Maxar Precision3D<\/a> data and TomTom MultiNet 3D<\/a> buildings, which are being used to enhance the layers in our 3D Basemaps.\u00a0 This month, we are delighted to make these enhanced 3D layers available in the 3D Basemaps available in the ArcGIS Online Basemap Gallery.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2863712,"id":2863712,"title":"topo_3d_sv_1000","filename":"topo_3d_sv_1000.jpg","filesize":81194,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/topo_3d_sv_1000.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/announcements\/enhanced-3d-layers-in-arcgis\/topo_3d_sv_1000","alt":"Topographic 3D Basemap","author":"6281","description":"Topographic 3D Basemap with enhanced 3D layers in ArcGIS Online Scene Viewer Basemap Gallery.","caption":"Topographic 3D Basemap in ArcGIS Online Scene Viewer Basemap Gallery.","name":"topo_3d_sv_1000","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2413022,"date":"2025-06-26 20:44:44","modified":"2025-06-26 20:46:19","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1000,"height":281,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/topo_3d_sv_1000-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/topo_3d_sv_1000.jpg","medium-width":464,"medium-height":130,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/topo_3d_sv_1000.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":216,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/topo_3d_sv_1000.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":281,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/topo_3d_sv_1000.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":281,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/topo_3d_sv_1000.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":281,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/topo_3d_sv_1000-826x232.jpg","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":232,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/topo_3d_sv_1000.jpg","wide_image-width":1000,"wide_image-height":281}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

More Precise 3D Elevation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The foundation layer of a 3D basemap is the terrain surface.\u00a0 Esri\u2019s Terrain 3D elevation layer<\/a> is compiled from a variety of best-available open, commercial, and community data sources at multiple levels of resolution.\u00a0 We recently updated the Terrain3D<\/a> and TopoBathy 3D<\/a> layers to include the first rollout of Maxar Precision3D data.\u00a0 The Precision3D Digital Terrain Models (DTM) at 50 cm resolution are created by pairing Maxar\u2019s extensive archive of high-resolution satellite imagery with the company\u2019s patented 3D technology.<\/p>\n

This high-resolution DTM data greatly improves the visual appearance and spatial accuracy of 3D Basemaps in many parts of the world, such as in the example below.\u00a0 Please visit this blog article<\/a> by my colleague Rajinder Nagi<\/a> to see several more examples of these enhancements, and learn more about the elevation layer updates.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2377092,"id":2377092,"title":"UptownCairo3D_Egypt","filename":"UptownCairo3D_Egypt-1.gif","filesize":1105702,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UptownCairo3D_Egypt-1.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/announcements\/maxar-precision3d-in-esri-world-elevation-3d-and-hillshade-layers\/uptowncairo3d_egypt-2","alt":"improvements over hilly terrain depicted with Maxar Precision3D 50cm in comparison to WorldDEM4Ortho 24m","author":"4501","description":"","caption":"Uptown Cairo, Egypt \u2013 improvements over hilly terrain depicted with Maxar Precision3D 50cm in comparison to WorldDEM4Ortho 24m","name":"uptowncairo3d_egypt-2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2363552,"date":"2024-06-12 20:27:07","modified":"2024-06-20 19:15:57","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1820,"height":970,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UptownCairo3D_Egypt-1-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UptownCairo3D_Egypt-1.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":247,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UptownCairo3D_Egypt-1.gif","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":409,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UptownCairo3D_Egypt-1.gif","large-width":1820,"large-height":970,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UptownCairo3D_Egypt-1-1536x819.gif","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":819,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UptownCairo3D_Egypt-1.gif","2048x2048-width":1820,"2048x2048-height":970,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UptownCairo3D_Egypt-1-826x440.gif","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":440,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UptownCairo3D_Egypt-1.gif","wide_image-width":1820,"wide_image-height":970}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UptownCairo3D_Egypt-1.gif"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

More Accurate 3D Buildings<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The last release of the OSM Daylight Distribution includes over 1.4 billion buildings around the world. \u00a0Many of these buildings have been beautifully mapped with 3D attributes by the OpenStreetMap community.\u00a0 However, only a small percentage of all the OSM building footprints include 3D attributes, such as height or levels.\u00a0 The OSM Daylight Distribution includes heights and estimated heights for several million additional buildings from other sources but still most buildings do not have accurate 3D attributes, especially outside of North America and Europe.<\/p>\n

To help improve this, Esri is using 3D buildings data acquired from Maxar and TomTom, as well as Esri Community Maps Contributors, to publish a new Esri 3D Buildings<\/strong> scene layer.\u00a0 The new scene layer is now in General Availability release and includes 3D buildings data for large parts of the world.\u00a0 The scene layer includes hundreds of millions of multi-part buildings with more accurate 3D attributes, which supports better visualization and client-side analysis.\u00a0 You can compare the OSM and Esri 3D buildings in the examples below.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2418522,"id":2418522,"title":"osm_esri_3d_buildings_san_ca_opt","filename":"osm_esri_3d_buildings_san_ca_opt.gif","filesize":185597,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/07\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_san_ca_opt.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/announcements\/enhanced-3d-layers-in-arcgis\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_san_ca_opt","alt":"","author":"6281","description":"","caption":"OSM and Esri 3D Buildings Scene Layers in San Diego, California (Jun '24).","name":"osm_esri_3d_buildings_san_ca_opt","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2413022,"date":"2024-07-02 19:42:00","modified":"2024-07-02 19:45:21","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":960,"height":540,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/07\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_san_ca_opt-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/07\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_san_ca_opt.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/07\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_san_ca_opt.gif","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/07\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_san_ca_opt.gif","large-width":960,"large-height":540,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/07\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_san_ca_opt.gif","1536x1536-width":960,"1536x1536-height":540,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/07\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_san_ca_opt.gif","2048x2048-width":960,"2048x2048-height":540,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/07\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_san_ca_opt-826x465.gif","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/07\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_san_ca_opt.gif","wide_image-width":960,"wide_image-height":540}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2413332,"id":2413332,"title":"osm_esri_3d_buildings_arg","filename":"osm_esri_3d_buildings_arg.gif","filesize":647318,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_arg.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?attachment_id=2413332","alt":"","author":"6281","description":"","caption":"OSM and Esri 3D Buildings Scene Layers in Buenos Aires, Argentina (Jun '24).","name":"osm_esri_3d_buildings_arg","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2413352,"date":"2024-06-30 18:29:30","modified":"2024-06-30 18:40:28","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":960,"height":540,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_arg-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_arg.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_arg.gif","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_arg.gif","large-width":960,"large-height":540,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_arg.gif","1536x1536-width":960,"1536x1536-height":540,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_arg.gif","2048x2048-width":960,"2048x2048-height":540,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_arg-826x465.gif","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/osm_esri_3d_buildings_arg.gif","wide_image-width":960,"wide_image-height":540}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

You can view this web app<\/a> to see several more locations around the world showing both the OSM Buildings and Esri Buildings scene layers for comparison purposes.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Over the coming months, we will be expanding the coverage of the buildings in the Esri 3D Buildings scene layer.\u00a0 This will include more commercial, community, and open buildings data.\u00a0 For the open buildings, we are now using buildings from the Overture Maps<\/a> buildings theme<\/a>, which is now in General Availability release.<\/p>\n

If you are a member of the GIS Community and would like to help enhance the new 3D basemaps<\/a>, you can share your 3D buildings through Esri Community Maps. \u00a0After we review and accept the buildings, we will integrate them into one or both of our buildings scene layers so that you and others can use them for your 3D mapping.<\/p>\n

Learn More<\/strong><\/h2>\n

To learn more about this work, please join us at the Esri User Conference<\/a> if attending in person (or digitally) this year.\u00a0 Join us at:<\/p>\n