predesign with archicad 11

[Anonymous]

has anyone used archicad 11 to do predesign feasibility studies to compare 1story structures with 2 story structures. i am looking for the procedure or strategy... i.e. slabs, walls, massing, zone tool - where to start, etc.

thanks

[Thomas Holm]

Use Trace.

[Anonymous]

i have a blank screen - what am i using trace on? should i start with the zone tool and setup the spaces, lxwxd or slab or what?

thanks

[Richard Morrison]

If you use the zone tool, you can get some decent zone schedules. The zones will show pretty decently in 3D, too. Then later, you can use can use the magic wand to add walls.

[__archiben]

zones. with coloured glass materials (to match their category colour if you feel so inclined! )

~/archiben

[Thomas Holm]

vango wrote:
i have a blank screen - what am i using trace on? should i start with the zone tool and setup the spaces, lxwxd or slab or what?

thanks

Sorry I didn't understand that your question was THAT basic. By "compare" I thought you meant checking one design that you did against another that you've also done. THe Trace feature in AC11 is very flexible, you can compare almost anything to whatever else. Just save views, if necessary use Worksheets.

As to how to build your predesigns, I agree with Ben.

But I think you need to train some first. Go through the interactive demos and the Help files. Search Graphisoft's site. And this forum.

[Anonymous]

hey thanks for all the input... i am a previous vectorworks user that allows room/zone blocks that can be extruded... however i as switch to archicad - very powerful.. i can layout a buiding, just wanted to evaluate initial building schemes and such... i haven't put any spaces into building form... that's the next step. i purchased the virutal tutor, does anyone know of training that directly addresses layout out spaces (zones) and conitnues on into 3-d massing and schematic design?

[__archiben]

vango wrote:
...anyone know of training that directly addresses layout out spaces (zones) and conitnues on into 3-d massing and schematic design?

cadimage's 'Site and Massing' tools have a feature whereby building masses can be converted into slabs and walls for continued design.

http://www.cadimagetools.com/documents/Site_and_Massing_Tools.pdf

page 12 onwards.

it also allows you to firstly calculate building envelopes for your site based on local planning requirements, although this may well be more new zealand biased . . .

~/archiben

[owen]

~/archiben wrote:
zones. with coloured glass materials (to match their category colour if you feel so inclined! )

~/archiben

nice looking Zone materials there Ben

i really liked the idea of using Zones for early design work - however I have 2 problems which prevent using this workflow in many situations:

1. Zones don't appear in Sections & Elevations (please vote here)

2. Zones are some kind of 3D-but-not element which will not export to external 3D apps .. such as Cinema 4D for rendering & animations. Not a big issue for some but if you care please vote here

[Mats_Knutsson]

~/archiben wrote:
zones. with coloured glass materials (to match their category colour if you feel so inclined! )

~/archiben

Very sweet materials indeed. Would you like to share the settings? I can't reproduce it!? I guess it's also the settings for the internal engine that does it and I can't get it to look as good as yours.Mats
Regards,