Complex Ceiling Feature

[johandt]

HI there.

Do anyone know how I could model these features? Especially around the coves?

[furtonb]

Profiled beams mostly (should work for the top two images), but the vaulted space goes beyond what I would have the patience to model in Archicad. Depends also on the level of detail, if you need close to 1:1, I would start this in Rhino, then import the final geometry to AC, either as a hotlink or just merge the file. Unrolling the surface and drawing the planar pattern, then transforming it back to the 3D surfaces is not that hard to do there. 

If you want to do this solely in AC, you can draw most cross sections in the profile manager, then use those in beams and columns. If you want to get realistic, the transitions between the ~vertical and ~horizontal surfaces will be the hardest to model properly. You can try the shell tool, but you will get an approximation only, unless you start tweaking the registry for more smoothness in the shell resolution.

This kind of ornamental architecture is often modelled in Zbrush, or something similar - then you can transfrom the mesh into more usable geometrical representation (quadmesh to NURBS or SubD).

[mikas]

Those are some beautiful handcrafted ceilings, wow!

I can't think a reason why these should be modelled 1:1 though? They are in existence already, right? If they are going to be new ones, it would be a completely different thing.

But what do I know. Maybe it's an exercise. A difficult one.

[furtonb]

1:1 modelling: for rendering, for manufacturing, or as you said, an educational excercise.

[johandt]

Thanks guys!

So the only way to do this is using another app...
I am pretty skilled in Sketchup, so I can probably just use that...

I will probably get into Rhino down the line as well.

[mikas]

Apart from the easily achievable complex profile parts, I think the same, you would want/need another program for these.

Maybe use a combination of programs. I think Custom profiles are pretty good with Archicad, but the free forms not so much. And that curvature even comlicates it more.

Please report later how and with what you solved this.

[DGSketcher]

I was thinking of CP beams but I would try to find the unique elements & recurring patterns that the craftsperson would have used to built up the patterns. Some are obvious but others less so. The curves will be very difficult to match in AC.

I haven't used them, but would a point cloud survey possibly save a lot of time?   

[Professor Pickle]

Those ceilings are often a sort of a tessellation. If you split them up into repeating patterns then you could model the parts using morphs and then copy and paste to achieve the final pattern.

You could apply the same technique by modelling some of the finer details as morphs and then layer them on top of each other and group them. Then replicate the groups.

Still, I would not bother modelling all the tiny details. I would produce general approximation.

[johandt]

Hi all.

So what I did, was to draw the ceiling and patterns with custom profiles and isolate the bunch in 3D window and save it as Sketchup.

I then manipulated it in Sketchup...

[Hmooslechner]

the profiles would work with Archicad in 3D, but the flowery wont - no chance at all.

A pointcloud would help to get a 3D-net near the original over external programs - but still this is very worktime-consuming. 

Is it really nescessary to get all the 3D or would it be possible to put just a texture, a picture of it, a rectified photo with bumpmaps to get the right results in rendering?  Still then, the down-curved slab-edges would be a problem. 

In fact - it is artwork - unique artwork which took long time and long planning before this result. It would take this Time or even much longer  too for a real 3D-representation of it.