Cityscapes can be breathtaking, lovely, and motivating. Find out how to make them into 3D printed works of art.
While 3D printed versions of landscapes can look pretty impressive, cities are particularly evocative and exciting as works of art. Several businesses produce and market 3D printed cityscapes, and many makers worldwide have made their own. However, creating your own is simple; you can download and create a wide variety of commercial models, including many free STLs that cover most major cities.
Here, we’ve highlighted 10 outstanding examples of cityscape printing technology. For FDM printers, you’ll need to pay close attention to retraction, other settings (to avoid stringing), and good part cooling. Still, most of these are not challenging to print. Some models may look best printed with a small nozzle or resin, depending on your desired size.
Try a printing service like if you want to print your hometown but lack the equipment to do it properly. Before you say, “there’s no place like home,” it will be delivered to you in the material and color that best suits your city.
Lower Manhattan
They named it twice and downloaded the STL more than a thousand times because New York, New York, was that good! This intricate model is genuinely sculptural, thanks to the iconic Lower Manhattan shoreline and skyline. It stands out thanks to the buildings’ threefold exaggerated vertical heights. If you’re interested in trying it yourself, designer Matthew Toro has even written an article on how it was made; otherwise, download the free STL from Cults.
- Who designed it? LydiaPy
- How printable/popular is it? On Cults alone, there have been more than 1,100 downloads. It should be a reasonably simple print; to ensure your part cooling system is functioning correctly.
- Where to find it? Cults
London
Samuel Johnson once said, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life,” This is one model we never get tired of.
This model concentrates on Westminster, where you can find Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament, rather than the famous “Square mile,” which is the actual city of London. It is just one of the many fantastic and well-liked 3D printed cityscapes that talented artist robertbriac has created.
- Who designed it? robertbriac
- How printable/popular is it? More than 13,000 people have looked at this impressive scale model.
- Where to find it? Cults
Paris
Sometimes a cityscape can be more defined by a handful of iconic, classic buildings rather than by its topographical outline or street layout. This is especially true for cities like Paris, which have a diverse range of well-known buildings and architectural styles.
These fantastic models of the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Pyramid, Madeleine Church, Arc de Triomphe, Sacré-Coeur Basilica, and Notre-Dame Cathedral are all available on Thingiverse. Each is well-written and simple to print. Combining them can create eye-catching, semi-abstract 3D printed cityscapes.
If you like this concept, Thingiverse offers a ton of other famous structures that are free to download. We adore them so much!
- Who designed it? LeFabShop
- How printable/popular is it? These models have almost 200 Makes and numerous Remixes. According to all reports, they both print well on FDM and resin printers.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Dubai
The stunning Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, is the subject of our next Robert Briac design. The model shown above was printed using a 0.2 mm nozzle and a 0.08 mm layer height. This print is slightly more difficult due to the Burj’s enormous height, but it is still doable!
If you do this correctly, it will look fantastic and might even motivate someone to visit the real thing.
- Who designed it? robertbriac
- How printable/popular is it? More than 800 people have downloaded this model, and one other maker has shared their print.
- Where to find it? Cults
Dallas
Dallas, the city home to the illustrious NFL team, the Cowboys, has a commanding and striking skyline.
You can choose between the two variations of this intricate model: one with the renowned Dallas ball and one without.
Additionally, if Texas is your thing, the same designer also offers designs for Houston and Fort Worth.
- Who designed it? brandonw
- How printable/popular is it? There have been at least 20 builds, one of which was enlarged. It should also print successfully for you because no specific printing issues were reported.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Hogwarts
Fantasy 3D printed cityscapes are also extraordinary! Numerous examples can be found, frequently taking inspiration from well-known board games or role-playing games. This accurate representation of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry particularly impresses us. Mainly when lit dynamically, it appears beautiful.
- Who designed it? leoworm
- How printable/popular is it? This has been printed many times overall (including remixes). Although many good makes from FDM printers have been posted, it lends itself to resin prints.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Chicago
The Willis Tower, formerly the Sears Tower and once the tallest structure in the world, as well as the Crain building’s distinctive diamond-shaped roof, all contribute to Chicago’s breathtaking skyline.
We think this is a fantastic representation of the city center and appreciate how it has changed to reflect contemporary culture. The design is based on meticulously pieced-together data from each individual building. For most printers, the entire model only needs to be printed at a scale of 15%; alternatively, you can print each block separately for a larger-scale model.
- Who designed it? Koodoo25
- How printable/popular is it? There are many excellent builds posted.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Prague
Prague has a rich history, a castle, a river, and many personalities, which make for a very impressive cityscape.
Prusa Research, one of the most prominent and well-known producers of 3D printers, also has its headquarters in Prague. They produced these stunning models on three different scales. They shared the design methodology so that you could use CADMapper software to replicate the process for your city. Why not love it?
- Who designed it? Ondřej Stříteský
- How printable/popular is it? This set of three cityscapes has received more than 2,000 views and features many beautiful constructions.
- Where to find it? Printables
Sydney
This breathtaking model is among the best representations we’ve found of Sydney Harbor, one of the most recognizable and iconic cityscapes in the entire world.
The model can be printed on a large scale because it is divided into distinct, square sections. When hung vertically on a wall, this model can look incredibly impressive.
Unlike the others on our list, this model can be downloaded for a fee; however, it is just one of 85 designs offered by 3dcityframes. Considering the level of detail, the STL models are reasonably priced.
- Who designed it? 3dcityframes
- How printable/popular is it? This impressive design has only received nine downloads, but the scale is unmatched!
- Where to find it? Cults
Wall Art
This is a creative 2D interpretation of the concept based on “little planet” geometry rather than a 3D topographical cityscape. It looks impressive and is much more interesting than a comparable black and white print because it is intended to be an imposing piece of wall art.
- Who designed it? UnpredictableLab
- How printable/popular is it? Only one successful print has been shared, but given the flat shape, there shouldn’t be any problems.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Which 3D printed cityscape is your favorite and why?
Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook page to let us know your ideas, and we would appreciate seeing pictures of your works of art!
