3D models of Helsinki

There are two next generation 3D city models of Helsinki available: a semantic city information model and a visually high-quality reality mesh model. You can view the 3D city model and download its information at http://kartta.hel.fi/3d/ . You can find more information here https://www.hel.fi/helsinki/en/administration/information/general/3d/ .

The city information model

The city information model allows users to perform a variety of analyses focusing on energy consumption, greenhouse gases or the environmental impacts of traffic, for example.

The city information model includes a terrain model and buildings. Buildings are presented in two formats: flat-roofed (LoD1) and with differentiated roof structures (LoD2). The LoD2 buildings are also available textured. The buildings are all semantic CityGML objects. Each building has its own identifier (GMLID, RATU and VTJ-PRT) in the database, allowing data streams to be combined. The model uses the ETRS-GK25 plane coordinate system and the N2000 height system. The accuracy of the city information model corresponds to the accuracy of the city plan base map, meaning that buildings are located exactly where they are in the city plan’s base map.

The city information model

• licensed under CC BY 4.0
• online service platform Cesium
• database postgreSQL / postGIS
• database schema 3DCityDB
• data model CityGML 2.0

You can choose the area that you wish to download data for in the data download service. You can also choose your preferred file format and whether to download textured or untextured data. Building property data is not included.

Go to the download service https://kartta.hel.fi/3d/

You can also download the data directly as CityGML files, which are divided into map sheets covering four square kilometres each. The files include building property data.

Go to CityGML data http://3d.hel.ninja/data/citygml/

Additionally, you can download the data in WFS API service. The WFS API address is: https://kartta.hel.fi/3d/citydb-wfs/wfs. Make sure to use version 2.0.0.

Helsinki Energy and Climate Atlas

The Helsinki Energy and Climate Atlas is a service produced with the city's 3D city information model, which can be found at https://kartta.hel.fi/3d/atlas. A more detailed description of the Helsinki Energy and Climate Atlas and the data sets it contains can be found here. Some of Atlas' source data can also be downloaded from the HRI service. The data can be used to support energy efficiency improvement, energy consumption minimization and renewable energy. The data contained in Atlas on the basic and energy information of buildings has been compiled into an excel file, the description texts of which can be found here (in Finnish). The data is from 2017. The measured district heating, electricity and water consumption data for HEKA buildings for 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 can also be downloaded from this page. In particular, in order to support the energy efficiency of the building stock, estimates of the heating energy consumption of almost the entire Helsinki building stock for 2020, 2025, 2030, 2035, 2040, 2045 and 2050 can be downloaded.

Kalasatama Digital Twins Pilot Project’s Final Report

The general objective of the KIRA-digi pilot project (15.5.2018 - 31.1.2019) was to produce digital twins of the Kalasatama area. The models serve as a platform for designing, testing, applying and servicing the entire lifecycle of the built environment, as well as smart city development. The progress of the project was divided into five intermediate objectives. The general objective of producing the models was the first. The sharing of 3D city models as open data was the second objective in the project. The third objective was focused on cooperation with the main partner, the Smart Kalasatama project. In the project, an online platform for activities in Kalasatama and interaction with the residents was built on the 3D model platform. The fourth objective of the project was to try out the latest ways to model, test and utilize 3D city models. This intermediate objective applies the basic idea of digital twins: “Design, test and build first digitally.” The fifth objective was to promote the exploitation of digital twins in city processes and service production. An accurate, up-to-date model of an existing city structure and the future plans will enable the development of processes, practices and services based on 3D technology.

Kalasatama Digital Twins - Final Report of the KIRA-digi Pilot Project (pdf)

Reality mesh of entire Helsinki (2017)​

The reality mesh model is a photorealistic city model that, according to its name, it is a visually high-quality and geometrically accurate model based on aerial photographs. The model has the advantage of being realistic: the model includes all the items that were stationary at the time of photography, such as small structures, trees and parked cars. These city-wide mesh models have been produced aerial photographs taken at summer 2017 and 2015. The 2017 model has been produced with over 42,000 aerial photographs with a ground sample distance of about 7.5 cm / pixel. You can download the model in OBJ format, which contains each level of detail, and the LoD type is adaptive tree.

View the index map of the data here and corresponding file names here. You can download the model in OBJ format from a map view here. You can view the model here: https://kartta.hel.fi/3d/mesh. The model can be 3D printed with Helsinki 3D Cityloader (more information here).

3MX / 3SM Files & ContextCapture Viewer​

The 3MX and 3SM file formats can be viewed with the CC Viewer, which can be downloaded for free after registration. The 3SM file format can also be used in Bentley MicroStation CE version generation software as a reference file/background map.​

Reality mesh model of Kalasatama (2017)​

The 3D model of Kalasatama area is based on aerial photographs taken in summer 2017. You can download the model in DAE, FBX, OBJ, 3D Tiles and 3MX/3SM formats. View the reality mesh model of Kalasatama with web browser https://kartta.hel.fi/3d/mesh/kalasatama. Find more information here.​

Reality mesh model of entire Helsinki (2015)​

The reality mesh model of entire Helsinki (2015) -model show the city of Helsinki in summer 2015. The 2015 model has been produced with over 50,000 aerial photographs with a ground sample distance of about 10 cm / pixel. You can download the model in OBJ format from a map view here. You can view the model here: https://kartta.hel.fi/3d/mesh. View the index map of the data here.​

360 ° pictures and videos​

The 2015 mesh model has been used for 360-degree images and videos. Both these pictures and videos can be downloaded from this service. In the 360-degree view, the viewer can watch anywhere. In 360-degree video, the viewer can turn their viewing angles in any direction and actually affect what the viewer sees during the video. Photos and videos work at least on Samsung Gear VR virtual glasses.​

Munkkiniemi-Haaga 1915 mesh model​

The miniature model of Eliel Saarinen’s Munkkiniemi-Haaga plan from 1915 has been converted into a virtual model. The data of virtual model is available in OBJ file format. Each level of detail is included separately in the data. The virtual model is georeferenced to the ETRS-GK25 level coordinate system and the N2000 elevation system. The origin of OBJ files can be found at x=25490000, y=6668000, and z=0. Pictures of the model and its production can be viewed here. Though it was never implemented, the plan can now be easily viewed by anyone at https://kartta.hel.fi/3d/mesh.​

Minecraft Helsinki3D+

Minecraft-Helsinki3D+ is a Minecraft-city model featuring the entire City of Helsinki, including it’s islands and even parts of the neighboring cities! Minecraft is a popular and well known, cube-based open-world game, where only creativity and imagination are the boundaries to your creations. The Minecraft-Helsinki3D+-models were generated by Pietari Niinimäki automatically from the 2015 and 2017 Helsinki 3D mesh-model.

In the cube-shaped Helsinki, the side of a cube represents one meter in the real world. Minecraft-Helsinki3D+ functions as everyone’s playfield, so what would you build in Helsinki’s Market Square, or elsewhere around the South Harbour? What would be the urban oasis of your dreams?

When you open the model in Minecraft for the first time, the player is at the Railway Square.

There are two different versions of the Minecraft world available for the different game versions: Java and Bedrock. You can also choose between the 2015 and 2017 versions of the city. Download files here: https://3d.hel.ninja/data/minecraft_Helsinki/

Java is the “traditional” version of Minecraft, and you can install the world by unzipping Helsinki3D_MC_java.zip to your Minecraft-installation’s “saves”-folder. On Windows the path to this folder is %appData%/.minecraft/saves.

Bedrock is a version of Minecraft that is used by for example the Education Edition. If you use the Bedrock version of Minecraft, download Helsinki3D_MC_bedrock.mcworld and double click it. Alternatively you can download Helsinki3D_MC_bedrock.zip and unzip it to your Minecraft installation’s minecraftWorlds-folder.

There is also another previous version of Minecraft-Helsinki. This models covers the city center area from Katajanokka to Kamppi and from Kruununhaka to the southern tip of Ullanlinna. The model has been produced fully automatically using Helsinki's 3D city models, tree register and HSY's metropolitan area land cover data. Download files here: https://3d.hel.ninja/data/minecraft_South_Helsinki/