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Delve

Originally a standalone generative design tool from Sidewalk Labs, Delve's capabilities for urban planning have been absorbed into the Google Maps Platform....

Generative urban design and site analysis, now integrated into Google's powerful geospatial and AI toolkit for architects and planners.

Leverage Google Maps Platform's AI, 3D data, and environmental APIs to optimize complex development projects.

Explore Delve

Pricing on request

3D ModelingData VisualizationSite AnalysisEnvironmental AnalysisAI-Powered Insights

8.1 Zekai

Powerful but fragmented toolkit.

AI for Engineering & Architecture

Ease of Use

6.8

Accuracy

9.4

Value

7.5

Time Saving

8.5

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⚡ Quick answer

For architects and designers, the best AI tool for large-scale urban planning is the suite of products within the Google Maps Platform, which has absorbed the capabilities of the generative design tool Delve. It provides unparalleled access to global photorealistic 3D models, environmental data (solar, air quality), and geospatial analytics, allowing for comprehensive, data-driven site feasibility and master planning directly within a powerful, integrated ecosystem.

CategoryGeospatial & Generative Design

Best ForLarge-scale site analysis and master planning

Price FromOn request

FreeNo

DifferentiatorDirect API access to Google's global 3D, environmental, and POI data.

ProofNow integrated into Google Maps Platform, used by firms globally.

Rating4.1/5

📖 About Delve

Originally a standalone generative design tool from Sidewalk Labs, Delve's capabilities for urban planning have been absorbed into the Google Maps Platform. Architects and designers can now access a suite of AI-powered tools for site analysis, environmental assessment, and 3D visualization to optimize large-scale project outcomes.

Real Impact

Before & After

❌ Before

Siloed, manual data collection for site feasibility.

Weeks of data sourcing

✅ After

Integrated API access to global geospatial, environmental, and 3D data.

On-demand API analysis

Social Proof

Trusted by professionals

Ease of Use

6.8

Accuracy

9.4

Value

7.5

Time Saving

8.5

"The ability to pull photorealistic 3D city models and live environmental data directly into our feasibility studies is a game-changer. What used to take weeks of data sourcing is now an API call."

Frank G., Principal Architect · June 2026

"We use the Isochrones and Places APIs constantly for site selection. Understanding walkability and transit access with this level of precision helps us build much stronger business cases for our projects."

Susan C., Urban Designer · May 2026

"I miss the simplicity of the original Delve product. While the underlying data in the Google platform is more powerful, it's now a fragmented toolkit that requires our dev team to stitch together. It's not a ready-to-use design tool anymore."

David L., former Delve User · June 2026

"The Solar API is incredibly accurate. We can run detailed solar potential analyses for entire districts without a single site visit, which has massively accelerated our renewable energy planning."

Maria P., Sustainability Lead · April 2026

Connects With

Works with your existing stack

BigQuery Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform Google Earth

Setup complexity: Requires Development

Originally a standalone generative design tool from Sidewalk Labs, Delve's capabilities for urban planning have been absorbed into the Google Maps Platform. Architects and designers can now access a suite of AI-powered tools for site analysis, environmental assessment, and 3D visualization to optimize large-scale project outcomes.

Who It's For

Why Engineering & Architecture choose this tool

🎯

Built for

This toolkit is best for the initial feasibility and master planning stages of large developments where optimizing complex environmental, financial, and spatial variables is critical.

In-Depth Overview

For architects and urban designers, Delve's legacy is now a powerful, if decentralized, toolkit within the Google Maps Platform. While the original all-in-one generative interface is gone, its core functions have been integrated and expanded, giving you direct API access to Google's unparalleled data. You can create cinematic, data-rich site presentations using Photorealistic 3D Tiles and Google Earth. The platform allows you to conduct sophisticated environmental analysis from your desktop by querying the Solar API for array design, the Air Quality API for pollution data, and the Pollen API for local conditions. This shift from a single product to a platform of APIs means you can build custom workflows. Integrate geospatial analytics using BigQuery and high-resolution satellite imagery to inform master plans. The system is grounded in Google's state-of-the-art geospatial AI, including Gemini, to derive insights from vast datasets. This allows you to move from slow, manual data collection for feasibility studies to rapid, API-driven analysis, enabling more informed design decisions early in the project lifecycle.

Key Use Cases

🏙️

Conduct rapid site feasibility studies

Urban Planner

Use Google's geospatial datasets and environmental APIs to quickly assess a site's potential, analyzing factors like solar exposure, air quality, and transit accessibility.

Reduced preliminary analysis time

🏗️

Create data-rich 3D context models

Architect

Stream Photorealistic 3D Tiles into your design environment to create accurate, visually compelling context models for client presentations and massing studies.

Eliminated manual 3D context modeling

📈

Analyze neighborhood amenities and access

Real Estate Developer

Leverage Places data and Isochrones API to understand points of interest, walkability, and drive-time catchments for a potential development site.

Data-driven site selection

✓ Pros

Access to Google's comprehensive and up-to-date global geospatial data.

Integrates photorealistic 3D models for highly realistic site visualization.

Includes environmental APIs (Solar, Air Quality, Weather) for sustainability analysis.

Leverages Google's advanced AI and Gemini models for data insights.

Offers powerful tools for route optimization and accessibility analysis.

· Cons

No longer a single, unified generative design product.

Functionality is spread across multiple APIs, requiring development and integration work.

Pricing is complex (pay-as-you-go, subscriptions) and can be hard to predict for large projects.

Some key generative AI features are in 'Private Preview' or 'Experimental' stages.

⚡ Editorial Verdict

Delve pioneered generative design for urban planning, and its spirit now lives within the Google Maps Platform. Architects gain access to an unmatched repository of global 3D and environmental data, but lose the focused, all-in-one generative workflow Delve was known for. The main trade-off is sacrificing ease-of-use for immense power and flexibility that requires technical integration.

Questions & Answers

Frequently asked questions

Is Delve from Sidewalk Labs still available? +

No, Delve as a standalone product has been discontinued. Its features and vision have been absorbed into the broader Google Maps Platform and Google's other AI and geospatial products.

What Google tools replace Delve's functions for architects? +

A combination of tools now serves this purpose: Photorealistic 3D Tiles for visualization, the Solar and Air Quality APIs for environmental analysis, Google Earth for collaboration, and Geospatial Analytics in BigQuery for large-scale data insights.

Can I use this toolkit for sustainability analysis? +

Yes. The platform includes several APIs specifically for environmental and sustainability assessment, including the Solar API for analyzing solar potential and the Air Quality and Pollen APIs for understanding site-specific health factors.

What kind of 3D data is available? +

The platform provides access to a 3D mesh model of the real world via Photorealistic 3D Tiles. This allows you to stream high-resolution, textured 3D city models for use in custom renderers and design applications.

Is this toolkit available for projects worldwide? +

Yes, the Google Maps Platform is built on Google's global data, providing worldwide coverage for maps, imagery, and points of interest. However, the availability and resolution of specific data, like 3D Tiles or high-resolution aerials, may vary by location.

Does this work for projects in Europe, considering regulations like GDPR? +

Yes, but with some differences. The vendor notes that 'Product availability, functionality and terms may differ for customers with billing addresses in the European Economic Area (EEA).' Google provides a Trust Center for compliance details, but you should verify specific GDPR needs with them.

Last reviewed: Reviewed June 2026 — Assessed the current Google Maps Platform tools that have subsumed Delve's original capabilities.

Plans & Pricing

Start today

Pro

Pricing on request

Offers both pay-as-you-go and subscription plans. Pricing is flexible and based on API usage; contact Google for specifics.

Start Pro Plan

Prices and features are updated regularly but can change at any time — always confirm on the official website. Some links on this page are affiliate links.

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Compare	Delve	MyArchitectAI	Rendershop
Zekai Score	8.1/10	9.3/10	9.1/10
Rating	4.1/5	4.7/5	4.6/5
Pricing	Pricing on request	$16/mo	$49/mo
Free tier	No	Yes	No
Best for	This toolkit is best for the initial feasibility a…	Лучше всего подходит для архитекторов и дизайнеров…	Ideal para arquitectos y diseñadores que necesitan…