A zone is a defined region of the site that shares a set of characteristics. It can be a buildable area, a green space, a parking zone, or any other region the algorithm needs to treat as a coherent unit. Zones are how Hektar separates one part of a site from another so the generation logic can apply the right rules to each.
Without zones, the algorithm would treat an entire parcel as a single uniform surface. Zones let you tell Hektar that one corner of the site is reserved for a courtyard, another corner has a height restriction, and a third area is the buildable footprint.
Zones are drawn as polygons on the site. Each polygon defines the boundary of one zone. Once drawn, the zone can be configured with the constraints and properties that apply to it.
Multiple zones can overlap or sit adjacent to each other. The algorithm respects the rules of each zone independently when generating layouts.
Each zone carries a set of properties that influence how Hektar treats it during generation:
These properties are how municipal zoning regulations get translated into constraints the algorithm can actually use.
A specific use of zones is the statistics zone, which lets you measure key metrics for a specific region of the site separately from the rest. This is useful when a project needs to report on density or coverage for one part of a site independently of the others.
Most real sites do not have a single uniform set of constraints. Different parts of a parcel have different height limits, different setbacks, or different protected areas. Zones are how Hektar handles this complexity without forcing you to simplify the site to fit the tool.
For an overview of how zones fit into the broader site setup process, see Using Site Tools.
