What is a Nolli Map? Complete Guide for Architects

The History of the Nolli Map

In 1748, Italian architect Giambattista Nolli created his famous map of Rome, known as "La Pianta Grande di Roma." What made this map revolutionary wasn't just its accuracy—it was how Nolli represented public and private space.

What Makes a Nolli Map Special?

Unlike traditional figure ground maps that show all buildings as solid, Nolli maps distinguish between:

• Private buildings: Shown as solid/hatched (the "poche")
• Public interiors: Shown as white/open (churches, civic buildings)
• Streets and plazas: Shown as white/open

This reveals the true public realm of a city—including interior public spaces like church naves and market halls that are often missed in conventional mapping.

Nolli Maps vs Figure Ground Maps

Why Architects Still Use Nolli Maps

275+ years later, Nolli's approach remains relevant:

• Public Space Analysis: Understanding the true extent of public realm
• Circulation Studies: Mapping pedestrian flow through buildings
• Urban Design: Planning interventions that connect public spaces
• Historic Preservation: Documenting significant public interiors

Creating a Nolli Map with ArchiKEK

ArchiKEK's "Nolli" theme provides a starting point for your Nolli analysis:

• Generate your base map with the Nolli theme
• Export to Illustrator (SVG with layers)
• Manually adjust significant public buildings
• Add hatching or poche to private structures

Since true Nolli mapping requires knowledge of which buildings have public interiors, the final customization is up to you—but ArchiKEK saves you hours on the base map.

Famous Examples of Nolli-Style Analysis

Many architects have used Nolli's approach:

• Colin Rowe's "Collage City": Used figure-ground analysis extensively
• Rome Interrotta (1978): 12 architects reimagined Nolli's map
• Modern urban studies: Nolli analysis remains standard in architecture education

Try It Yourself

Generate a Nolli-style base map for any city in the world.

Create Your Map →