Dear Community Members,
This month’s tip features a workflow shared by Community member @graava for creating dynamic shadow diagrams in renovation projects. He demonstrates how to use 3D Documents to show shadows for both existing and proposed elements on a single plan—a method that allows the drawing to automatically update shadow color coding as the design evolves.
The challenge
In renovation projects, comparing the Existing Plan and Planned Status is essential; however, elements with a To Be Demolished Renovation Status, for example, do not appear when the Planned Status Renovation Filter is applied. The challenge, coming from @eddy007 on the forum, is to use color coded shadows to indicate multiple renovation statuses on the same View.
The solution
Use 3D Documents generated from a top view. By stacking Views with different Renovation Filters, you can display both existing and new shadows simultaneously while keeping them linked to the model.
For more information about working with Renovation Filters and Renovation Statuses, check the Archicad Help.
Step 1: Set the 3D view to Top view with Parallel Projection
Open the 3D window, then set the projection to a top view using parallel projection.
From the 3D model: right-click → 3D Projection Settings → Top View
Step 2: Create two 3D Documents from the Top View
From the configured top view, create two 3D Documents and name them clearly, for example:
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Planned / New
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Existing / To Be Demolished
Step 3: Configure the 3D Document appearance for shadow-only display
For each 3D Document, open the settings: Right-click on the 3D Document → 3D Document Settings
Under Model Appearance, apply the following settings:
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Set Uncut Line Pen to White; and set Uncut Fill to Transparent. This makes the building geometry invisible, revealing only the cast shadows.
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Enable Shadows
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Assign Fill Pen colors according to renovation color coding, for example: New → Blue (50% fill); To Be Demolished → Red (50% fill)
(See the screenshot below for the exact 3D Document settings used for the shadow display.)
Note: If you need to adjust the shadow position, modify it in the 3D model and then redefine the 3D Document.
Step 4: Save Views with the correct Renovation Filters
Open each 3D Document and go to View Map → Save Current View.
Assign the Renovation Filters as follows:
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For 3D Document – Planned / New → Planned Status
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For 3D Document – Existing / To Be Demolished → Existing Plan
Make sure the scale of both 3D Documents matches the scale of your rooftop plan.
Step 5: Assign Renovation Statuses to model elements
In the 3D window, select the elements that are New / Planned, then go to: Element Settings → Classification and Properties → Renovation → Renovation Status, and set them to New.
Repeat the process for elements that will be removed and set their Renovation Status to To Be Demolished.
By switching between Renovation Filters, you can clearly distinguish Existing, To Be Demolished, and New construction elements.
Step 6: Place the views on a Layout
Create a new Layout and place the three views in the following order (top to bottom):
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Rooftop floor plan view (without shadows)
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3D Document with Planned Status renovation filter
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3D Document with Existing Plan renovation filter
Adjust the drawing positions so the Views align correctly.
For a detailed walkthrough of this process, watch the step-by-step video shared by @graava below:
The result
The final layout displays shadows from both the existing (To Be Demolished) elements and the proposed (New) construction. Since the shadows are generated from 3D Documents, any changes to the model or shadow position will automatically update the drawings.
If you try this workflow, share your results and tips with the Community! Here’s the link to the original forum discussion where you can leave kudos to @graava for this solution.
We leave an honorable mention to @Barry Kelly, who shared an alternative using 2D fills. If you prefer to keep your entire composition within a single Archicad View, his method is worth checking out.
Do you have a clever solution or a favorite tip for everyday challenges? Share it with the community and it might be published in the Insights blog 😎
