topic Project houses with multiple story levels in Documentation

Project houses with multiple story levels

Masimo85 — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 22:26:40 GMT

Hi,

So I would assume this is a commen question to be asked.

But since English isn't my main language, my searches has come up with not the relevant guide nor explanation to how its done prober.

I have to draw up 4 connected house, with each house following the terrain - and will be 500-1000mm below the last previous house.

My problem here is getting the plan view to show all the plans correctly for all 4 buildings at the same time. So when I do the drawings, the measurement are all aligned and measured between the buildings - like spaces and diagonals.

What I did last time, was to have 2 different views for each house, and then put them together in the layouts - however, I felt like this was a way where there's a huge risk for mistakes. So I was hoping, that Archicad 26 has a better way of doing this - or someone out theres has trick for doing this better next time.

Really hoping for a youtube film or a guide step-by-step 😉

Re: Project houses with mulitple story levels

Rex Maximilian — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 07:24:15 GMT

I have four separate models (PLN files) and then link them into one master file. When you do the hot linking, bring them in a story at a time, and not as a whole model. You can place each story on its own master layer. This way you can turn on only the first floor of each building for a site plan. Save the layer conditions as a Layer Combo and the plan as a view to layup on sheets.

Re: Project houses with mulitple story levels

BrunoH — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 10:33:56 GMT

It's not always necessary to import each story one at a time even if story's height are different for each Module, you have an option to preserve the story structure of the module.

Placing the whole module facilitate is placement in altitude.

Usualy you don't have so much Element like walls that you need to see on several story.

So if you set all the walls that have to be cut to symbolic cut and to be seen only on his implantation story, they will always be drawn cut on the master file. Do the same way for those that need to be uncut (set to only contour line) and for other Element.

Then each story of the master file show the corresponding story of each module independently of their altitude and of the position of the cutting plane.

Then it's easier to manage annotations on the master file.

Then no need to create drawing assembly on layouts.

Re: Project houses with mulitple story levels

Rex Maximilian — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 22:17:19 GMT

It's just easier this way not to mess with the faulty "cut plane" line which is highly finicky. It's a very straight forward process with no hoops to jump through.

Using this method a lot of times it's difficult to have the windows and doors show properly on all wall on different buildings at different levels.

It also allows you to filter what is shown in 3D views for showing only the first level of every building, and then the first and second, and then the first, second and third, etc. It just has much more flexibility.

Re: Project houses with multiple story levels

Masimo85 — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 07:18:06 GMT

Thank you for the responses, Im gonna try this out ... However imo having multiple models just seems to complicate things, when you wanna make changes.

Would be better if you could make the floor plan cut staggered, like you can with the Section Tool.

Fx, the project house looks similar to this - and all of them has to be the same, more or less.

Re: Project houses with multiple story levels

BrunoH — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 12:02:16 GMT

The Image you show let me think that the 4 houses are the same.

That justifies the use of modules. You create one file for the house and you place it as a module 4 times in the master file. Modifying the module will update the 4 instances of the master file.

Re: Project houses with multiple story levels

jl_lt — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 18:54:58 GMT

Agree. I think all the methods presented here work. But if the real project is like the image, i.e. with not a big diference of levels between units, i would go with modules too.

Re: Project houses with multiple story levels

Barry Kelly — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 00:30:55 GMT

And don't forget, you can link layout drawings to views in other files.

So I would model each plan in a separate file (if they are different you will have 4 files, if they are all identical you would only need one).

These are your module file, but no need to save as MOD files, PLN is fine.

Then you have a 5th file (or 2nd) which is your master site plan.

You hotlink the modules (Archicad layer as the master layer) in and elevate as necessary to get the fall you want.

If the site plan does not look any good because of the Floor Plan Cutting Plane height (although it should be fine from what you show), then in the layouts, you can add the site plan view of each individual unit (link to external file) and join them together.

Overlay those 4 plans on top of the site drawing.

But I don't think you will need to link to external files in this case.

From this master site plan, you can also create sections and elevations of the overall project for the street scape as you have shown in your image.

Barry.

Re: Project houses with multiple story levels

jl_lt — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 04:01:35 GMT

Wow. I didnt know one could link to views in other files. We will definetely try that. Thanks Barry!

Re: Project houses with multiple story levels

Rex Maximilian — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 10:10:10 GMT

If the building are all the same model, then I just have one model building and hotline it into the site file as a linked PLN.

Re: Project houses with multiple story levels

Rex Maximilian — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 10:13:36 GMT

Just be careful when mining views to place on a layout from external Teamworked files. They always have trouble updating. Everything has to be perfect it seems... no unsent changes, all hotlinks updated, and the file should be closed. I'm not sure if I'm the only one experiencing this anomaly, but I publish PMKs whenever I need to place a drawing from an external TW file.

Re: Project houses with multiple story levels

Masimo85 — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 07:18:04 GMT

Hi everyone,

Thank you for the solutions for this, I have been working a lot trying to make the models to try out the way you’re describing. Mind you the models are far from finished, but I wanted to find my problems while the topic was still "hot"

However, I’m still struggling understanding the workflow when assembling the models into the master file.

The model file looks something like this - the section view, and the foundation plan.

I then made a copy of the model file, use hotlink to get in the models to the master file.

But here I have a few questions.

First off, I tried importing the models with all stories.

- I made the same number of stories as in the model file, but I didn’t change the story heights. Since I assume that isn’t relevant, since I will be using the story heights of the model file.

- In Place Hotlink window, I used the function for Keep Elevation as in Story Structure of Hotlink Source. / This might be wrong.

Regardless, the import went fine - and the section view looks like this now.

The house to right side is 350mm below the last one.

First off I’m a wondering how to go about putting the stories on what level - I assume I have to put the foundation walls in the same story height, to be able to define a cut view within that story level.

But as you move along, the first floor will go below a story - and you would have to define combination of showing the below story with a set cut plane - but you would then show information from the below story which is relevant for the plane.

I understand, I must define a view for each house with different "Cut Plane" - which is what I did before - however, I don’t understand how you are to measure the totals of all the buildings, and doing diagonals between spots - when the plan view looks like this.

It doesn’t show the outline of the foundation walls on the house that aren’t in the "Cut Plane."

And what I end up with is still having to put together the views into the master layout.

Re: Project houses with multiple story levels

Barry Kelly — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 08:07:13 GMT

@Masimo85 wrote:

- In Place Hotlink window, I used the function for Keep Elevation as in Story Structure of Hotlink Source. / This might be wrong.

This is correct, keep the storey structure of the hotlink so it doesn't change.

You will end up with a correct 3D model, but as you have discovered, because the floor heights for each module are different, you may not be able to use the same FPCP height across the entire model.

This is when I would link the plan drawings in the layouts to the external hotlink file.

That way you will see the plan cut at the exact level you want (with out having to do anything extra).

Crop the placed drawings and join them together to form one large plan.

I have never used Teamwork, so am unaware of any problems arising from that, that have been mentioned in earlier posts.

You could use multiple plan views with FPCP at different heights all in the master file.

Similar thing, you would place the drawing for each plan view on a layout, crop to show the correct plan for that FPCP height and join them together.

But I think this might get a bit confusing having 4 or 5 views of each storey (if you have 4 or 5 modules).

Barry.

Re: Project houses with multiple story levels

Masimo85 — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 18:44:43 GMT

Thank you so much for the replies here Barry.

A few follow questions, so I figured out the External Drawings thing, and I could import it to the layouts - that will work flawlessly.

However how would you do the measuring between buildings - and that also be visible in the site plan for each floor? - Since you have no points to measure between.

What im also thinking about, is I could aslo make 6th modell - and hotlink all the models into that one, just in the same plane - and do the plan views in that modell - and use the 5th modell just for section and elevations.

Just seems like such a waste of more models than I belive should be nessassary

Re: Project houses with multiple story levels

jl_lt — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 19:34:26 GMT

Thanks Rex. Will keep an eye (or two) on it

Re: Project houses with multiple story levels

Barry Kelly — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 01:18:21 GMT

I may not be the best person to ask this as I rarely use modules at different levels on a site.

But if I was doing it, my site plan would be a 2D plan in its own layer (some people use an additional storey, I prefer layers).

I would also create a 3D site mesh if that is needed for sections/elevations and 3D views.

On that 2D site plan I would plot the extents of the buildings - just as a perimeter line or fill.

I wouldn't be showing details like foundation walls, but maybe that is just me.

Foundation walls would be documented (dimensioned) in each of the modules.

I would of course model up site details like paving extents, parking, retaining walls, planters, pergolas/gazebos, etc., in this site plan.

So I can dimension and annotate these additional features in relation to the overall footprint of each of the modules.

In the end I would have a fully dimensioned and annotated site plan, that shows just the extents of the main buildings.

Details of those buildings are all in the plans for each individual building.

I hope this helps.

Barry.

Re: Project houses with multiple story levels

Rex Maximilian — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 02:33:50 GMT

Any time there is any level of detail to a site plan where I need to model it and elevate the terrain contours from a topo map. or revise from a landscaper. etc., or to align with an engineer's north or to be oriented on a sheet a certain way that may differ from the buildings, I always find having a separate file works best.

If it's a 120'x80' rectangular lot with little to no slope, then I usually keep it with the building.