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Generate concept: from unit counts to a checked building concept
Early in a project, the first question is usually simple: how many units fit on this site, and what does that look like? In Stratum, Generate concept is our answer to that. You tell it the units you want, and it gives you a concept that fits the zoning envelope and that you can place on the canvas.
Start with unit counts
Open a project with your site on the canvas, run the zoning lookup, and open 3D zoning analysis from the toolbar. Generate concept sits under Max footprint.
You don’t type in a free-form mix. You get a count field for each unit type: studios and one- to four-bedroom units. Each type uses a standard net size:
| Unit type | Net size |
|---|---|
| Studio | 500 sf |
| 1BR | 700 sf |
| 2BR | 950 sf |
| 3BR | 1,200 sf |
| 4BR | 1,500 sf |
Stratum adds 20% to each unit for circulation and mechanical space, so the gross area reflects more than just the rooms.
Fitted within the zoning envelope
Click Generate. Stratum fits your units inside the buildable envelope for the site, using the setbacks and limits from the zoning lookup. It gives you two schemes:
- A main scheme
- An alternate one floor lower
Each scheme shows its units and mix, floors, gross area and FAR, so you can compare them side by side.
It tells you what didn’t fit
If your request doesn’t fit the envelope, Stratum says so. It doesn’t quietly drop units or stretch the building. It fits as many as it can while staying as close to your requested ratio as possible, then reports which units were left out and by how much area. That makes the trade-off clear right away: fewer units, a different mix, or a conversation about relief.
Flags it can’t check
Some zoning questions can’t be answered from geometry alone. Generate concept lists them as unverified flags, things like lot area per unit, open space, parking and Article 79 review. Treat them as a checklist and verify each one against the Zoning Code before you rely on the concept.
Place it and keep working
Click Place on canvas on the scheme you want. The footprint lands inside the setbacks with its massing in 3D. In Properties it’s named and tagged, so you can edit, move or delete it like any other footprint, and keep sketching around it.
See it in action
There’s a short narrated walkthrough on the Guides page that goes from an empty site to a placed concept.
Availability
Generate concept is free to use during the beta. After the beta it’s a Pro feature.
Try it on your next site at stratum.boston.