Proposal:Balconies

Balconies
Proposal status:	Draft (under way)
Proposed by:	ika-chan!
Tagging:	Data item
Applies to:	area
Definition:	A set of balconies
Draft started:	2025-10-09

This proposal relates to the tagging of multiple balconies on the same spot.

A balcony is an open platform projecting from the wall of a building, usually above the ground floor. They are commonly found on multi-level houses or apartments.

Do not confuse with balcony=yes/no/covered, which is used to indicate the availability of a balcony at a hotel or other tourist accommodation.

How to map

Main article: Simple 3D buildings

Within an outline of a building (tagged with building=*), Draw an area and tag it with building:part=balcony. The additional tags are:

Key	Value	Comment
building:min_level	number	The number of levels that do not have a balcony (usually 1 or higher).
building:levels	number	The number of levels that have a balcony (always greater than building:min_level=* if it is used).
building:material	material	The main material of the parapet, which 3D maps can use to determine whether to render the balcony with a fence or a wall.

Limitations

There is currently no tag to describe balconies that occur with gaps or at an interval: for example, this building has balconies at different positions depending on whether it is an odd or even floor. level=* is a close match, although it was designed for indoor mapping.

Examples

Picture	Tags	Remarks
	building:part=balcony building:levels=4	A balcony on all levels.
	building:part=balcony building:levels=5 building:min_level=1 building:material=concrete	A balcony on all levels except the ground floor (1st storey).
	building:part=balcony building:levels=2 building:min_level=1 building:material=wood	A balcony only on level 1 (2nd storey).
	building:part=balcony building:levels=21 building:min_level=1 building:material=brick	Columns of balconies on a tower block: for example, levels 1–20 (2nd to 21st storeys) at Markland House in West London (13623742591362374259, 13623742601362374260, 13623742611362374261 and 13623742621362374262).

Rationale

At the moment, we have to map each balcony separately. This rationale of this proposal is to simplify the mapping of balconies that repeat more than one floor, at the same position.

Applies to

Area

Rendering

Building parts are intended for 3D maps.

Many 3D maps, such as F4 Map, currently render ways with building:part=balcony as an extruded solid that spans all levels it applies to (example).

Ideally, a way with building:part=balcony should appear as a half-height wall with a floor, repeated for each level it applies to.

Features/Pages affected

• building:part=*

Comments

Please comment on the discussion page.