Drops your Rhino model under a sky dome and traces the sun across any date or time, showing shadows on the building and on the ground. Useful for shading studies and seasonal comparisons.
Sun Path & Shadow Lab
Runs in the browser — nothing to install.
| Input | .3dm + .epw |
| Output | 3D / 2D sun path |
| Modes | Single · Seasonal · Multi-day · Sun hours |
Using it
Load a weather file
Sun position depends on latitude/longitude — load an EPW first.
Upload your model
A .3dm (or .obj / .fbx) of your massing + context.
Pick an analysis mode
Single date, solstice comparison, or a custom multi-day range.
Move the sun
Drag the date/time sliders to find your critical moments.
Map sun hours
Optional: compute direct-sun hours per point over a date window as a ground heatmap, exportable to SVG / DXF / Rhino. Pick building layers to color their facades too.
Animate or export
Play the full year, or export a video for presentations.
Tips
- Do — Include context (neighbours, trees) — they cast shadows on your building too.
- Avoid — Forgetting that the EPW timezone matters — don't read sunrise in UTC if your site is in IST.
Sun Path & Shadow Lab
Runs in the browser — nothing to install.