Auto-Building

by Julien Gauthier in Modifier Setups


Update 1.2 is out!

Blender 4.0 compatibility, tones of new features, as well as a new a Preset :D
Details in the release note lower in this page.


Auto-Building is a powerful add-on that utilizes Blender's Geometry Node to effortlessly create a wide range of building structures according to your preferences!

You don't need to know Geometry Node to use this, everything is streamlined under an easy to use interface :D


Video Tutorial here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxaVFetBivs

Building process timelapse example: https://youtu.be/T3SIMvKGJH0


With this add-on, you can input various building elements such as doors, windows, panels, and more, which will be procedurally distributed across a simple mesh, resulting in a complex and detailed building.

It comes with a custom interface to make the creating process easy for you. You don't need to know geometry node to use it! Simply drag and drop the collections of object you want to use and change the settings to get the result you want. The beauty of this add-on lies in the balance it offers between automation and manual control. While it streamlines the building creation process, it also allows you to retain some handmade modeling control. This way, you can fine-tune the look and achieve the exact aesthetic you desire. :)

The main idea of the tool workflow is that you will assign special materials to the faces you want to see turned into objects. And if this is object has a mesh with a boolean material applied to it, it will even create a hole in your facade. No more flat windows because you're lazy to add a hole in your facade! 

The add-on automatically place then for you. :)


The principle also applies on edges. Using the Crease attribute,  you can decide to scatter a specific object along the top of your building to create repetitive details for instance. Or extrude it to add ledges.



Apply a roof material on your simple geometry to instantly see roof tiles appear, so you don't have to place them yourself!




Sample Buildings:

The add-on comes with a blend file containing sample buildings for you to see what you can do or to use them in your own project! There are more than 50 of them :)
They are also marked as Asset with their own thumbnail if you want to use them in your asset browser.



Auto-Base:

The Auto-Base will help you create a base for the Auto-Building to work. It won't replace a hand modeled one but it's perfect to get a kick start or generate cheap background buildings.



Feature List:

  • Spawn objects from a collection onto faces.
  • Control the density, the randomness, automatic boolean, offset, etc.
  • Deform the objects to adapt to the shape of the face, ideal to add irregularity and stylized design.
  • Spawn objects on either horizontal or vertical edges. Choose the distance between them, if they should be deformed or centered.
  • Extrude the edges following a profile to add ledges.
  • Automatic roof parapet control or roof tile distribution.
  • The roof tiles can be randomly place or follow a regular distribution.
  • Scatter objects on the roof or on the facade.
  • Automatic create support pillar and foundation.
  • Modular roof (beta)
  • Basic interior.



What you get with the Lite version:

-Auto-Building Add-on with all the features
-7 Building style samples (Venice, Medieval, Neo Classical, Asian Block, Skyscraper, Old Japanese, Old House, )
-Auto-Base geometry node modifier




What you get with the Full version:

-Auto-Building Add-on with all the features
-13 Building style samples (
Venice, Venetian Palace, Medieval, Castle, Neo Classical, Asian Block, Skyscraper, Old Japanese, Old House, Wasteland, SciFi, 2D Stylized, Tatooine )
-Multiple building example per style. For a total of ~50 buildings!
-Auto-Base geometry node modifier




This took me a looong time to figure this out. A lot could probably be improved and there are some limitations you will hit so please be patient with it.
I cannot wait to see what kind of building you're going to create! 

Thank you! :D


Changelog:

1.2.4

  • Added option to include Top Facing Walls for Roof Dressing (So you can scatter objects even if there is no roof surface)
  • Added Master Seed option in the Config menu

1.2.3

  • Fix Deform Relative/Constant
  • Added Constant scale option
  • Added Scale option for Modular roof

1.2.2

  • Fix some menu settings not working properly (Extrude multiplier)


1.2.1

  • Performance optimization
  • Specific roof tile option for creases
  • New buildings for Asian block preset
  • Random object flip option on walls

1.2.0

  • Blender 4.0 support
  • Clean up duplicated materials and Update tool new button
  • Auto-UV unwrapping and scale  for walls, crease and roof
  • New Wall slot H
  • More Deform options, smooth and relative/absolute mode
  • Objects on wall positions local X and Y, Random and Edge snapping
  • Extra Crease options (2 kinds for horizontals and 2 kinds for verticals now, previously it was only one, you will need to adapt your building's crease value unfortunately)
  • Booleans can now affect Creases
  • Reworked Roof system
  • Roof smoothness to allow curvy roof (asian roof)
  • Roof Crease
  • Foundation thickness and offset
  • Secondary facade scattering option with boolean option.
  • Very basic interior wall and object scattering
  • Improved Auto-Base. Now based on floor plan shape, so now usable with OSM imported meshes
  • Output vertex group of top and bottom for material masking
  • New Tibet Preset

1.1.4

  • Fixed issue with roof dressing scattering
  • Add auto-UV for foundation

1.1.3

  • Added Auto-UV option for walls and roof material. If this is turned off, you will have to do the UV unwrapping manually

  • Linux Support

1.1.2

  • New Preset Buildings: Tatooine

  • Added secondary facade dressing options

  • Fixed crease appearing on the wrong side sometimes.

1.1.1

  • Fixed inverted face on Creases Deformed

1.1.0

  • MacOS Support

  • Added Config Menu to help resolve material assignment

  • New settings for slope roof: Density and Z Offset

  • Facade dressing are now cut by boolean

  • New Preset Buildings: Stylized Mansion

  • UV generated automatically



  • Includes only the add-on

    $20
  • Includes the add-on and some preset buildings.

    $30
  • Includes the add-on and all the presets buildings (~50)

    $45
$20

Have questions before purchasing?
Login to message

Details
Sales 1600+
Rating
18 ratings
Dev Fund Contributor
Published over 1 year ago
Software Version 4.0, 3.6
License GPL