learn giraffe

Design

Drawing + parameters

At the bottom of the screen is the drawing pallette. Click on the thing you'd like to create and then draw it directly onto the map.
Giraffe is mainly about polygons - click to add nodes, click again to remove them. Hold S to snap, and if you want to move something exactly 7m/ft just type '7' whilst you're moving it.
Adjust the properties of the selected item in the left hand panel. Setting the usage is the most important thing - this tells Giraffe what kind of urban element it is: a park, apartments...
Copy, paste, and undo just like you'd expect.

See what Giraffe can do, in 11 minutes!

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Drawing

Generative design is the name for algorithms that turn a simple shape into more complex shapes, automatically. We have algorithms for floorplans, carparks, and more.

Data interoperability

Giraffe uses an open data format; GeoJSON allowing maximum flexibility between platforms either via export or programmatically via API.

Data analytics

Analytics

Whilst you draw, Giraffe counts up and measure the areas of every element you've made. Giraffe also looks at the properties you have assigned to the elements and uses them to create reports.
The best way to assign properties is through 'usages'. These are concepts that allow you to collect and organize assumptions. For example your 'residential' usage may set a floor to floor height, a net rent and a construction cost.
We've set a bunch of common analytics out of the box, but if you click on analytic measures you can copy them and create your own with an excel like syntax.

Contextual data

Layers + Lenses

Giraffe connects to tens of thousands of public layers. To add a layer to your project open the layer library and start searching. If you find some public data you can add it to your library with the wizard in the create layer menu.
The create layer menu also lets you upload your own shapefiles or geojson data to Giraffe. You can also geolocate images or pdfs.
Every vector layer in Giraffe can be dynamically styled + filtered using a lens. Click the lens icon next to the layer name to open the lens.

Enterprise management

Portfolio + Workspaces

Open the admin menu and set your workspace properties. These properties will be added to every project your team creates - they can be dates, toggles, files or more.
Add or remove creators and viewers from your workspace.
Set template projects to accelerate onboarding and your teams work.

Generative design

Flow builder

Click the 'smart geometry' button in an element's properties menu. This allows you to add transforms that change the shape of the element you have selected.
The original element is now known as a reference.
If you'd like to go deeper you can create add multiple transforms to a flow. These flows can be saved and reused.

Build understanding fast

Drawing + parameters

Analytics

Layers + Lenses

Portfolio + Workspaces

Flow builder

Andrew Wallace

Simplify the way you work

Start creating better cities