The app will allow home buyers to get an idea of what the view will be like from a specific floor of a building.

The app will allow home buyers to get an idea of what the view will be like from a specific floor of a building.

Users will be able to digitally navigate through void decks, or even capture the view from a specific floor of a building, when the Singapore Land Authority's (SLA) integrated map system OneMap goes 3D.

The upgrade, which is expected to go live by the end of next year, was announced by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and Education Indranee Rajah yesterday.

Instead of acting as a map service that relies on real-life street photos, the 3D version will use models and renderings to project what buildings look like in a neighbourhood.

This can be done even for buildings that are not yet built.

This will allow home buyers, for example, to get a better idea of the view from a specific floor of an apartment building, or even conduct shadow analysis.

This was announced at the launch of the inaugural Singapore Geospatial Week at the PSA Building, a five-day series of events promoting the importance and growth of geospatial - or location-based data - technology in Singapore.

Members of the public can go online at geoworks.sg/geospatial-week to sign up for events, such as a hands-on mapping session to map accessible routes for wheelchair-friendly ramps.

Noting in her opening address that geospatial technology is a "key enabler of our Smart Nation initiative", Ms Indranee underlined its importance, given how it is integral to everyone from public agencies to businesses and citizens.

Businesses such as ride-hailing app Grab, for example, analyse geospatial data in real-time to better match its drivers with passengers, while members of the public tap the technology daily to locate facilities and amenities through various navigation devices, she said.

OneMap, launched in 2010, is a free local intelligent map service that is regularly updated with information contributed by government agencies.

Besides using it to navigate, users can search for information such as which schools are within 1km of a building, or find out population information, including the number of people in a certain age group living in a specific area.

Now, users of OneMap's mobile app can also start searching for private sector locations, such as food and beverage options, following a partnership between the SLA and location data company FourSquare, said Ms Indranee.

This feature is available now for Android users, while the iOS version is slated for release at the end of the month.