So I recently started working on adding the features of a local high school into a relations group, but after looking at the docs, I’m not sure I’ve properly understood when or how relations should be used. Could somebody help clarify this?
OpenStreetMap
So I recently started working on adding the features of a local high school into a relations group, but after looking at the docs, I’m not sure I’ve properly understood when or how relations should be used. Could somebody help clarify this?
Discussion
Comment from spiregrain on 13 February 2025 at 12:15
For a school thats on a single site, the usual practice would be to add the buildings (building=school), playing fields, carparks, driveways and footpaths, then draw a single area around the whole site. That site area would have the name of the school, and all the other school-wide items (address, website url, etc).
You might need to use a multipolygon relation if there are two sites associated with the same school. Perhaps the same school has a main site and a set of playing fields nearby. Or maybe a multipolygon relation for one if the buildings, if it has an enclosed courtyard.
But in general, there’s no need for a relation. Even if there are multiple schools operated by the same organisation.
Normal School (no relations) : osm.org/way/454984390
Multi-site school (a relation) : osm.org/relation/10999945
School building mapped as a relation because it has an enclosed courtyard. But the surrounding school amenity is not a relation: osm.org/relation/6542927