Block landing · sun symbol cad block
Sun symbol CAD block in DWG
By Saumyajit Maity · Published 6 Aug 2023 · Updated 15 Aug 2025
A sun symbol is the graphic glyph that shows solar orientation on a drawing — a stylised sun, often with radiating rays, used to indicate the sun's position, the direction of solar gain, or simply to note which way a building faces the sun. This page offers a free sun symbol CAD block in DWG, ready for site-analysis diagrams, sun-path notes and presentation plans. It is line work only, free for personal and commercial use, with no signup and no watermark.
Unlike a safety pictogram, the sun symbol is mostly an analytical and presentation device: it communicates the relationship between a building and the sun, which drives decisions about glazing, shading, overheating and amenity. Paired with a north arrow it helps a reader understand the solar context at a glance. The sections below cover what the block contains, how it supports site analysis, and how to size and place it on a drawing.
What the sun symbol shows
The block is a stylised sun glyph — typically a disc with radiating rays — drawn as clean geometry with its insertion point at the centre so it places, rotates and scales cleanly. Some versions are a simple ray-burst, others a half-sun sitting on a horizon line to suggest a low morning or evening sun. The download here is built to read crisply at any plot scale.
Because it is a single self-contained object, you can place it, rotate it to a sun bearing, and scale it as one unit. Holding it as a block keeps it consistent across a set of analysis sheets, so the same sun glyph carries the same meaning on every diagram.
Using the sun symbol in site analysis
On a site-analysis diagram the sun symbol communicates solar context. Placed to the south of a plan in the northern hemisphere it indicates the general direction of the midday sun; arranged in an arc it can sketch the sun's path from a low east in the morning to a low west in the evening. You might add a separate symbol for the high summer sun and the low winter sun to show the range a façade has to deal with.
These diagrams inform real decisions: where to place glazing for daylight and view, where overheating risk is highest, where shading or brise-soleil is needed, and which outdoor spaces get the best amenity sun. The symbol turns those qualitative solar arguments into a clear graphic a reviewer can follow.
Pairing the sun symbol with a north arrow
The sun symbol only makes sense in relation to orientation, so it almost always works alongside a north arrow. Together they let a reader see at a glance that, say, the main living spaces face the afternoon sun while the service rooms sit on the cooler side. Place the north arrow first to fix orientation, then position the sun symbol relative to it.
Because solar position depends on the site's latitude and the time of year, keep the sun symbol as a conceptual indicator of direction rather than a precise astronomical plot, unless you are working from an actual sun-path study. Used as a clear directional glyph beside the north arrow, it communicates solar intent without overstating precision.
Sizing and inserting the block
Like other graphic glyphs the sun symbol has no real-world size — you scale it to the page. On an analysis diagram, size it to read clearly without dominating the plan; on a presentation board you might make it bolder as a graphic feature. Set the size with the insertion scale or a later SCALE command rather than relying on INSUNITS, since the symbol carries no units.
Run INSERT or drag the DWG from a tool palette, place the insertion point where you want the sun, and rotate it to the relevant bearing if you are showing a specific morning or evening position. Keep sun symbols on an analysis or annotation layer so they isolate cleanly for a site-analysis or presentation drawing.
Where the sun symbol is used
You will use the sun symbol on site-analysis and concept diagrams, sun-path and shading studies, landscape and amenity layouts, and presentation plans across residential, commercial and mixed-use projects. It appears most in the early design stages, where understanding the sun is central to siting the building and arranging its rooms.
Architects, landscape architects, urban designers and sustainability consultants all use it. Because the block is free and licence-clear, it suits everything from a quick concept sketch to a polished design-and-access or planning presentation, with one consistent symbol carrying the solar story through the set.
Sun symbol versus a measured sun-path diagram
It is worth distinguishing the conceptual sun symbol from a measured sun-path diagram. The symbol is a clear directional glyph that communicates solar intent quickly; a true sun-path diagram plots the sun's altitude and azimuth for the specific latitude across the day and year, and is generated from solar data or analysis software.
Use the sun symbol for concept and presentation work where the message is directional and qualitative. When you need quantified shading, overheating or daylight results, base them on a proper sun-path study and reserve the symbol for labelling and communicating those findings, not for deriving them.
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Questions
Frequently asked
What is the sun symbol used for on a drawing?+
It shows solar orientation — the direction of the sun and solar gain — on site-analysis diagrams, sun-path notes and presentation plans. It helps communicate decisions about glazing, shading, overheating and amenity sun.
Is the sun symbol CAD block free for commercial use?+
Yes. It downloads free in DWG with no signup, no watermark and no attribution requirement, and is cleared for commercial project work.
Should I pair the sun symbol with a north arrow?+
Yes. The sun symbol only makes sense in relation to orientation, so place a north arrow first to fix direction, then position the sun symbol relative to it so the solar context reads at a glance.
Is the symbol a precise sun-path plot?+
No. It is a conceptual directional glyph for communicating solar intent. For quantified shading, daylight or overheating results, base them on a proper sun-path study and use the symbol to label the findings.
Will the DWG open in AutoCAD LT and free viewers?+
Yes. The file targets AutoCAD 2004 and later, so it opens in current AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, BricsCAD, DraftSight and free DWG viewers.
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