Turn a map into a 3D printable model

What is a 3D printed map model?

A map model is a scaled-down model of part of a city or landscape that shows buildings, streets and the relief of the ground at a known scale. It makes a striking gift, a teaching aid, or a keepsake of a place that matters to you, such as a childhood home, a campus or a hiking route.

How map to 3D works

The tool runs in your browser and the steps are simple:

• Select the area on the map: a region, a single point or a route.
• The tool builds the buildings, streets and terrain for that area.
• Set the scale and the final size.
• Download the scaled, slice-ready model and print it.

If you do not have a printer, send the file to us through the custom request form and we will print it for you.

Scale, material and size

The larger the area you pick, the smaller the detail of each building at a fixed print size. For detailed models choose a smaller area such as a neighbourhood or a few blocks.

Ordinary PLA is enough for printing. If you want to paint the model, you can print the ground and the buildings separately or in different colours. The model must fit your printer’s bed, and larger models can be split into several parts.

Who is it for?

It suits architects and urban planning students who need a project model, hikers and runners who want a keepsake of their route, geography teachers, and anyone looking for a personal gift shaped like a real place.

Frequently asked questions

How do I 3D print a map?

You select an area on the map, the tool builds a 3D model of its buildings, streets and ground, and you print the slice-ready file on your 3D printer.

What area can I choose?

You can choose a region, a point or a route. For the detail of the buildings to show, a smaller area such as a neighbourhood works better than a whole city.

What material should I print a map model in?

Ordinary PLA is enough. For a nicer look you can paint the model after printing, or print the ground and the buildings in different filaments.

Is the output model ready to print?

Yes. The model is scaled and opens in a slicer without extra editing. Just match the final size to your printer’s bed.

What if I do not own a 3D printer?

Send the model file through the custom request form and we will give you a price and a print time. Printing only starts after you approve.

Our tools

• Make a lithophane from a photo: Turns a photo into a thin plate that shows the picture only when light shines through it.
• Make string art from a photo: Turns a photo into a string-art pattern: the ordered list of nails that rebuilds the image with a single thread.
• Turn a map into a 3D printable model: Turns any area of a real map into a printable 3D model with buildings, streets and terrain.
• Make a silicone mould from a 3D model: Turns any 3D model into a printable two-part mould, with pins, a pour channel and vents.
• Online brick maker for 3D printing: A brick editor in the browser: build a model and download parts that fit real LEGO.
• Make a custom drawer organizer: Builds a custom insert for a drawer, shelf or toolbox from its inner size and the items you store.
• Make a shadow lamp from an image: A box with a lamp inside that casts the image you choose as a shadow on the wall.
• Make a printable lucky egg: Choose the egg size, the figure hidden inside and the egg type, and get the print files.
• Make a layered 3D lamp: A lamp of flat layers stacked one behind another that read together as a 3D scene.
• Make a miniature cubic room: A small printable model of a room, with simple furniture inside.
• Turn a Minecraft map into a 3D print: Turns a Minecraft map you upload into a printable 3D model.
• Turn a game map into a 3D print: Turns a selected area of a well-known game’s map into a printable 3D model.