The Building Pie

01 – The Building Pie

In my last post, I shared some personal notes on the key elements that make a building recognizable and functional in a game environment. Today, I’m introducing the first tip in a series: “The Building Pie”—a simple yet effective framework for designing urban buildings that are easily identifiable and interactive, even with minimal detail.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

A – Street Level: The tallest floor, essential for shaping the urban play space and player interactions. This level not only serves as the foundation for gameplay but also defines the negative space in the surrounding environment, making it an integral part of the city’s design.

B – Floors: Repeated layers that establish rhythm, scale, and the overall profile of the building. These floors also play a crucial role in defining the shadows cast at street level, setting the mood and atmosphere while also contributing to the skyline’s silhouette.

C – Top: The crowning element that makes the building recognizable from afar. While it adds a distinct identity to the building, it can also serve as a main interaction surface, especially in gameplay scenarios involving rooftops, vantage points, or final objectives.

With these three elements—Street Level, Floors, and Top—you can quickly create buildings and start shaping urban environments. See how, in the sketch, they’re recognizable even without windows or detailed features!