When working through a real estate feasibility study, visuals matter just as much as the numbers. A strong test fit can show density, unit mix, parking, circulation, and massing, but users also need a clear way to present those results.
Zenerate’s View Settings feature allows users to save specific 2D and 3D views inside a project. This makes it easier to return to important angles, compare design options, and control how a solution appears in the Solution List and exported PDF reports.
Step 1: Open Your Project
Start by opening the project you want to review.
You can use View Settings after setting up your site, generating design options, or editing a building manually. This feature is especially useful once you have a design option that you want to present, compare, or export.
During site feasibility analysis, saved views can help make your work easier to communicate. Instead of repositioning the map or 3D model each time, you can save important views and return to them when needed.
Step 2: Choose the View You Want to Save
Next, adjust the view to show the exact angle or layout you want to save.
You can save a view from either 2D or 3D mode, depending on what you want to communicate.
For example, a 2D view may be useful for showing:
• Site layout
• Building footprint
• Parking arrangement
• Unit layout
• Circulation
• Parcel relationship
A 3D view may be useful for showing:
• Building massing
• Height
• Overall form
• Relationship to the site
• Presentation views for internal reviews or client discussions
Choose the view that best supports the point you want to communicate.
Step 3: Open View Settings from the Map Toolbar
Once the view is positioned correctly, go to the Map Toolbar and open View Settings.
This is where you can save the current 2D or 3D view. Make sure the view is framed clearly before saving it, especially if you plan to use it for a presentation, export, or PDF thumbnail.
A clean saved view can make a development feasibility study easier to review because the most important information is already positioned and ready to show.
Step 4: Save the Current View
After opening View Settings, save the current view.
This allows you to return to the same 2D or 3D view later without manually repositioning the model. Saved views can be helpful when reviewing multiple design options or preparing materials for a meeting.
For example, you may want to save:
• A 2D site plan view
• A 2D unit layout view
• A 3D massing view
• A street-facing 3D view
• A presentation view for export
Saving views helps create a more organized workflow, especially when a project has several design options or multiple stakeholders reviewing the same test fit.
Step 5: Reuse Saved Views While Reviewing Options
Once views are saved, you can reuse them as you continue reviewing your project.
This is useful when comparing different design options because each option can be reviewed from a consistent perspective. Instead of changing the camera angle manually each time, saved views help keep the review process clearer and more consistent.
During early land development planning, this can make it easier to compare:
• Building placement
• Massing
• Parking layout
• Open space
• Density
• Overall site response
Consistent views are especially helpful when presenting options to a team, client, or stakeholder. They make it easier to focus on the design differences instead of constantly adjusting the screen.
Step 6: Set a Saved View as the Solution List and PDF Thumbnail
Saved views can also be used to control how a design appears in the Solution List and exported PDF.
After saving a view, you can select Make as Solution & PDF Thumbnail. This applies the saved view as the thumbnail image for the Solution List and the PDF cover.
This is useful because the default view may not always show the design from the best angle. By choosing your own saved view, you can make sure the design is presented clearly and professionally.
For example, you may want the thumbnail to show:
• The full site plan
• A clean 3D massing view
• The building’s relationship to the parcel
• A specific angle that best represents the solution
This helps make exported materials easier to read and more presentation-ready.
Why View Settings Matter
View Settings may seem like a small feature, but it can improve how teams review and present feasibility work.
During a site feasibility analysis, teams often need to move quickly between design options, compare layouts, and share results with others. Saved views reduce the need to manually reposition the model and help create a more consistent presentation workflow.
This is especially useful when reviewing several test fit scenarios. Consistent views make it easier to compare design options side by side and understand how each one responds to the site.
By saving the right 2D and 3D views, users can make their project easier to navigate, easier to present, and easier to export.
Final Thoughts
Zenerate’s View Settings feature helps users save and reuse important 2D and 3D views throughout the feasibility process.
Whether you are reviewing design options, preparing a PDF export, or presenting a test fit to a team, saved views can help make your workflow clearer and more organized.
For developers, architects, and planners working through a development feasibility study, this feature makes it easier to communicate site layout, building massing, and design intent during early land development planning.
Explore What Zenerate Can Do
If you would like to discuss how Zenerate could support your feasibility or land development workflow, book a demo below to start the conversation.