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Modeling
About Archicad's design tools, element connections, modeling concepts, etc.

Complex curtain wall, Shell or Morph (pics inside)

Anonymous
Not applicable
Finally some interesting modeling project, but a bit challenging !
Didn’t use Shell and Morph much before, trying to find out the best way to model this shape ( it is a curtain wall however I think it is impossible to use Curtain wall tool for it due it is shape)

-You can see the sketch of plan, and both elevations.
-The best approach I can think of is to create a profiled wall with the curved section shape , apply it to façade (curved in plan) and then turn in into morph, to subtract the edges ( I know it is possible for Shell tool to subtract and adjust in elevation- but I can’t find the same for morph).
not sure if I can use the Shell tool ? it will be curved on plan, curved on section and finally trimmed in a curve on the edges.

Any ideas, thanks?


oh the other thing is I tried to start with morph instead of profile, but I am not able to control the curve resolution, am I missing something?

tower-1.jpg
13 REPLIES 13
Anonymous
Not applicable
sorry forgot to attach the image about the curved morph resolution
Dwight
Newcomer
If you want the thing to match specific pane widths to a curve, it really needs to be done manually. But two related complex profiles can do it all, so calculate the geometry and get to it.
Dwight Atkinson
Anonymous
Not applicable
Thanks Dwight, I am not planning to do the panes now ( as in glass panels ) but I just want the whole as one object. but I want the edges to be documented properly in each floor. and I can do a shell floor by floor (connecting the edge of the lower floor with the upper one) but I am looking for a solution that is easy to adjust at this stage as it is still in concept.
Dwight
Newcomer
You are making this thing complex when it need not be complex. I solved this with two complimentary complex wall profiles [attached] and trimmed the array with a wall. You need not build the model one story at a time.
Complex profile #1 is the basic shape profile defined by panes using the magic wand set to fixed lengths. On the section, place muntins at pane edges.

Duplicate the complex profile and adjust it to create the mullion.

Attached is the layout with a detail of the muntin section on the left and the curved mullion on the right.

This took about ten minutes to execute once the geometry was clear.
plan 1.jpg
Dwight Atkinson
Anonymous
Not applicable
Thanks Dwight,
But this is not clear enough to me , at this stage mullions and divisions in general are not that important.
Complex profile #1 is the basic shape profile defined by panes using the magic wand set to fixed lengths. On the section, place muntins at pane edges.
I assume you mean the profile on the right side of the image, which is perfect. and I did that but the problem is that on in elevation the building is changing its size (not the section) the building changes its width . the curve of the plans using the same center but different radius. I can't use one section profile for the all the floors because if it matches the lower floor edge (elevation) it will only cover portion of the elevation on upper floors which are wider, and I will end up with empty space on the sides. using Morph or shell is not avoidable, specially because I need this envelope to be reflected in plans in order to work on plans, other wise I would have used solid element operation with profiled walls .
Dwight
Newcomer
You sure do have a complicated problem to solve. Here's as close as a single complex profile can take it.
Dwight Atkinson
Dwight
Newcomer
Here's the resulting plan using a slab to mask below and above. The walls are floor plan cut at 30. m high using the 'projected with overhead' method."Cut only' will eliminate other extraneous arc lines.
Screen Shot 2013-03-13 at 16 06 17 .png
Dwight Atkinson
Anonymous
Not applicable
That is awesome Dwight.. as usual, u deliver the best possible image .. but still this will only cover portion of the elevation, and there will be a gap on the sides, because the far edges are not in in line. will appreciate if any of you guys have an idea of applying shell or Morph.
Dwight
Newcomer
While no doubt a morph can do this form [and we'd all appreciate a morph enthusiast showing the solution. How about it, Hmooseman?], the complex profile wall assembly delivers superior building information and appropriate editing ability.

Filling in the middle wall bits is trivial in light of the superior form generated by the two curved wall faces - another complex profile to close the surface.

Of course, this assembly CAN be converted to Morph at any time for irrational work.

Besides, you appear to be in AC 13. All we had back then was the stick tool. What gives?
Dwight Atkinson
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