The technical core of geolocation in SketchUp 2021 lies in its ability to assign latitude, longitude, and elevation data to a model. By navigating through the menu or accessing it via the Model Info window , users can select a specific region of the Earth to import. Once a location is "grabbed," SketchUp aligns the model’s axes with the cardinal directions—where the solid green axis points North and the solid red axis points East—ensuring that geographical orientation is handled automatically. This precision is vital for accurate shadow analysis, as the software uses these coordinates to approximate the time zone and calculate the exact position of the sun throughout the year.

In SketchUp 2021, this tool imports a high-resolution imagery and terrain as a TIN (Triangulated Irregular Network). This is much cleaner than the old method.

Zoom and pan to center your site. Click Select Region 1.2.4.

If you want elevation data (hills, valleys):

The Role of Geolocation in SketchUp 2021: Bridging the Digital and Physical Worlds