Planecentric

Planecentric is a term used to describe a design and analysis approach that prioritizes planimetric, or two-dimensional plane-based considerations, over vertical or volumetric aspects. In practice, planecentric thinking centers on the layout of flat surfaces such as parcels, street networks, and floor plans, rather than the three-dimensional form of objects. The term is used in geography, architecture, and digital design to contrast with object-centric or height-centric approaches. The exact origin of planecentric is unclear; it appears in a small corpus of design writings and online communities in the 2010s and 2020s, where practitioners discuss emphasizing planarity in visualization, data modeling, and planning processes.

Applications and methods: In architecture and urban planning, planecentric analysis can help optimize parcel utilization, street circulation, and zoning by focusing on plan views and alignment constraints. In GIS and CAD, planecentric workflows prioritize accurate planimetric data, layer organization, and 2D-to-3D reconciliation, ensuring that plan data remains consistent with elevations where needed. In game design and simulation, planecentric rules can simplify terrain and urban layouts by prioritizing planar connectivity and navigability.

Criticism and alternatives: Critics argue that planecentric approaches may undervalue elevation, volume, and context, potentially leading to incomplete analyses in tall buildings, complex terrains, or mixed-use environments. Proponents respond that a plan-centric baseline provides clarity and computational efficiency, serving as a foundation for more advanced models when elevations and volumes matter.

Related terms include planimetric analysis, orthographic projection, and GIS data modeling.