ArchiCAD zones and IfcSpace

[Anonymous]

Hi everybody,

I'm writing for the first time in this forum to know more about ArchiCAD zones and their IFC "equivalent" IfcSpace.

Let's take an example : one zone (an american kitchen) which is broken down into 2 different zones (the kitchen and the living room).

What I would like to do is exporting the structure in IFC so as to have :
- one IfcSpace of COMPLEX type : the American kitchen
- which contains two IfcSpace of ELEMENT type : the kitchen and the living room.

I didn't find in the IFC Tree View how to do this. I mean, I know how to change the Composition attribute of an IfcSpace (COMPLEX, ELEMENT or PARTIAL) but I don't know how to create the IFC "containment link".

I know you're going to tell me I can create an IfcZone in the IFC Tree View that groups my IfcSpaces, but that's not what I want.

Is what I want possible ? Has anyone an idea ?

Thanks in advance !

[Anonymous]

So no one can help me on this issue ?

[Anonymous]

I don't think it is possible. In AC 14 there is an option for most element to assign a certain IFC type. However the zone is exclusively a IFCspace, you can't even assign IFCSpace to a slab or so.

So basicly AC cannot do this. The only possibility is to open the IFC in another program and assign the type you want. You can try Solibri Model Checker (not the free viewer) or open the IFC in a text editor.

Maybe you can export only the 'Element type' zones and merge it together with a full file (minus the Element type zones).

HTH

[Laszlo Nagy]

The IFC person at Graphisoft was on vacation but I got an answer from him today.
He says that it is not possible at the moment, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Ok, thanks for asking him.
Anyway, could that be an idea for future releases ?
I mean, that's a real important point for our project managers who start working with BIM in collaboration with architects.

[vfrontiers]

To piggyback on this....

Please allow us to INTERNALLY have SUB-ZONES within other zones... Been asking since zones showed up...

[Laszlo Nagy]

mvallee wrote:
Ok, thanks for asking him.
Anyway, could that be an idea for future releases ?
I mean, that's a real important point for our project managers who start working with BIM in collaboration with architects.

There is always a chance for a feature in a future release.
But the developers now know that there is such a feature request.