Modeling 3D Printable Cityscapes

When: Thursday, May 7, 2026, 6:00–8:00 PM
Where: Advancement and Alumni Building, 824 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Meetup link:

https://www.meetup.com/maptimesea/events/314339348/

This workshop will teach you how to:

• Use Python to process raw .las LiDAR data from Vancouver’s Open Data Portal into a clean 3D printable model by leveraging OSM data from Overpass API, the LiDAR data’s stored attributes like classification and color, and meshing algorithms
• Make a photogrammetry model 3D printable
• Create a 3D printable model of Tahoma (Mount Rainier) using Touch Terrain and then transform the model to have a circular base using Blender

By the end, you'll have:

• A clean 3D printable model of downtown Vancouver BC
• A high resolution 3D printable model of a building
• A circular based 3D printable model of Tahoma

Agenda:
Seattle University GIS Certificate Ceremony (15 minutes)
SU is taking 15 min at the beginning of this session to acknowledge recent graduates. This'll be an exciting opportunity to welcome new people into the mapping community.
Introduction to MaptimeSEA/Code of Conduct (5 minutes)
We’ll introduce MaptimeSEA, highlight upcoming GIS events, and review the behavior we expect during this tutorial.
Hands-On Mapping Session (1 hour 40 minutes)

• Python code-along creating a 3D printable model of downtown Vancouver BC
• Transforming a photogrammetry model into a 3D printable version
• Walkthrough of creating a circular based 3D printable model of Tahoma

What to Bring:

• Your (charged) laptop
• A computer mouse
• Anything you need to stay comfortable for a 2-hour session

How to Prepare:
Git

• Setup a Github account if you don't have one: https://github.com/
• Download and install git on your local machine: https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-Installing-Git

Python

• Go to this repo clone it, and follow the Python environment setup instructions in the readme: https://github.com/solomonsealed/las2obj
• Regardless of installation method, make sure to download the LiDAR data from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DUTDLCwu5w59mAzV0LpIcONgqBVriHd0/view?usp=sharing

Blender

• Download and install the latest version of blender here: https://www.blender.org/download/
• Download the .blend photogrammetry model of the Vatican from this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JzquC76cTMR1mrcTViANXr6Wn875EEZr/view?usp=sharing
• Keep this link handy for grabbing a 3D model of a mountain and giving it a circular base in blender: https://touchterrain.geol.iastate.edu/

Who Should Attend: Anyone curious about mapping in 3D! No prior experience is required—whether you’re brand new to mapping or already comfortable with spatial tools, you’ll walk away with new skills.

Where to Go: Meet at the Stuart T. Rolfe Community Room inside the Advancement & Alumni Building (ADAL) on Seattle University's campus. The building is located at the intersection of 12th Ave and E Marion St.

Instructors:
👤Lucas Bradley is a Snohomish County based software engineer, MapTime Seattle volunteer, and creator of geographyart.com. His day job revolves around back-end development using Golang and data analytics using Clickhouse. During his free time, he creates 3D models of cityscapes, mountains, and buildings; and then materializes them using 3D printing and metal casting. Over the course of his experiments he has discovered free data sources and open source software solutions for creating these models, and is passionate about sharing this knowledge with the community.