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Zoning Envelope & FAR Massing Studio

Interactive 3D zoning simulator: set a height limit, floor-area-ratio cap, setback slope and tower coverage, and watch the as-of-right buildable envelope — the classic base-plus-setback-plus-tower massing method used by real zoning codes — rise floor by floor, with live floor-area, realized-FAR and population-capacity readouts.

Civil Engineering & Structural Mechanics2DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted

Every real building on a real lot is shaped first by zoning, long before an architect draws a facade. This simulator renders the classic base-setback-tower massing method used by zoning codes worldwide: a fixed lot rises at full coverage to a street-wall height, then steps back along a setback slope as it climbs, until the footprint narrows to a minimum tower plate and continues straight up — with the whole envelope capped by a floor-area-ratio (FAR) budget and an absolute height limit. Adjust the height limit, FAR cap, setback slope and tower coverage to see how each zoning lever trades off buildable floor area, final height and, ultimately, how many residents the resulting building could house.

⚙ Under the hood

This simulation allows you to design and build virtual cities, experimenting with different zoning regulations and architectural styles to observe their impact on population density and urban development. By manipulating these factors, you can explore the complex interplay between urban planning principles and real-world outcomes.

Urban PlanningZoning2D

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install