Arch UVs

Features

-Automatically creates UV coordinates in real time for a specific type of topology.
-Consistent texture scale across multiple and different surfaces and objects.

Description

The Auto UV Tool is a Geometry Nodes modifier setup designed specifically to streamline the Architectural Visualization (Arch Viz) workflow. It addresses the common challenge of applying real-world-scale, aligned textures to complex, multi-faceted architectural geometry.

The tool is optimized for flat planar surfaces typically found in architecture (walls, floors, ceilings, niches, and window openings), and is not intended for use with organic or highly curved models.

How it works

When applied to a target object, the tool executes a three-step process to generate a clean, usable UV map

Smart Surface Separation

The tool first analyzes the object’s geometry and automatically separates the surfaces (e.g., individual walls, the floor, the ceiling) based on sharp differences in the surface angle. This ensures chamfers, extruded features, and interior niches are treated as distinct planar faces.

World-Scale UV Projection

It then generates UV coordinates using World Dimensions as a reference. This critical step ensures that the UV map for every single surface has the exact same real-world scale. Consequently, a brick texture applied to a floor and a wall will display bricks of identical physical size.

Global Alignment

The tool projects and aligns the UVs of all major surfaces (floors, walls, ceilings) to a common 3D grid. This eliminates texture misalignment across different planes, so a single large tile texture, for example, will flow seamlessly and consistently from the wall, across an opening, and onto the floor.

The Result

The result of the Geometry Nodes process is a new set of texture coordinates stored as a named attribute on your mesh.
This single Attribute now serves as your Master UV Coordinate. You can connect it to multiple Image Texture Nodes (for PBR sets) or use it to drive any Procedural Material, guaranteeing perfect alignment and consistent scale across your entire architectural model.

How to use it

1. Apply the GN modifier to an object (you can still modify the object geometry later)
2. An example material called “example_tiles” will be applied.

How to replace the material

1. Append or import any material that you want to use
2. Selecting the object, change the material in the modifiers tab parameter “Surface Material”
3. To make the new material work with the automatic UVs, instead of the usual UV Map node, we will use an Attribute Node with the name of the attribute the tool generates:

Add the node in the Shader Editor with Shift+A search for Attribute Node, then set the same name of the UV Attribute (arch_uvs by default) in the Attribute Node Name
The attribute name can be found and changed if needed in the Modifier Tab.

4. Alternatively in the shader editor’s N panel, you will find a tool called “Auto Arch UVs” that will add the node ready to use. (If you change the default name of the attribute in the modifiers tab you will also have to update that name in the Attribute Node.

*You can always use a Mapping node between the attribute node and the Image Texture Node to make adjustments.

*You can use the attribute node with multiple texture maps like normal, roughness, etc..

Works with PBR but also with Procedural Materials

You can also use this tool with Procedural Materials that use UVMaps. Sanctus Viz and Sanctus Library materials already have the socket exposed in most materials to easily replace them:

Keep the tiles aligned

To align tiles between different surfaces (2 walls, wall and floor or ceiling) the tool needs to know how many tiles are distributed on each axis in the used material.
For example if the image texture used has 3 tiles horizontally by 4 tiles vertically, you will set the “Tiles Horizontally:” parameter to 3 and “Tiles Vertically:” parameter to 4.
This will tell the tool how to handle the texture tiling.

Parameters

Texture Scale: Scales UV Mapping/material
UV Attribute Name: The name used to store the UV map attribute (mentioned in the How to use section). Use the name set here in the Attribute node you use in the shader nodes as your UV Map
Surface Material: The material used (you can change this if needed)
Grout Material: The material used for the Grout
Floor/Ceiling Alignment: On patterns that are square tiles, the floor or ceiling won’t be able to match both walls, this parameter switches the alignment of floor and ceiling to either X or Y axis.
Offset X: Offsets mapping in local X axis (some walls will go opposite directions to maintain alignment between facing walls.)
Offset Y: Offsets mapping in local Y axis (some walls will go opposite directions to maintain alignment between facing walls.)

*The different walls and surfaces are separated for consistency, you can control width and color of the grout to match the one in your material.

▼ GROUT (Between Walls)
Width: The separation between the different surfaces (walls, ceiling, floor)
Grout Color: The color of the grout between surfaces

▼ TILE DIMENSIONS
Tiles Horizontally: how many tiles are distributed horizontally in the used material
Tiles Vertically: how many tiles are distributed vertically in the used material

Example for TILE DIMENSIONS 1:

Example 1 texture would be Tiles Horizontally: 3 Tiles Vertically: 5

Example for TILE DIMENSIONS 2:

Example 2 texture would be Tiles Horizontally: 3 Tiles Vertically: 3