Double curvature, ideally solid

[Ignacio Azpiazu]

I need to model these funky precast panels and use them in ArchiCAD. I am told they are not hard to model in Sketchup, but that they will get all messed up when bringing them into ArchiCAD.

So would the C4D add-on be the only way?

[Anonymous]

Ignacio wrote:
So you can't do that straightaway with the mesh tool, right?

Off course you can.
I first started this way, and saved the part as an object.
After some trial and error for the lower part, as i explained.

Build the left part and the lower one with the mesh tool.
Make a symetry and copy for the right part.
A SEO (addition) for the three parts.
Save the part as an object. Better if you build on the floor plan origin.

For myself, i find easier to completely clean up AC code and write my own.
More control, and it reduces dramatically the script size.

[Anonymous]

Aussie wrote:
One thing for sure is Antoni Gaudí never used ArchiCAD

i am afraid to say... mmm... that Gaudi's one is done by Archicad



here is the full story with pictures

http://www.archiradar.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=69&Itemid=32

[Ignacio Azpiazu]

Olivier wrote:

Ignacio wrote:
So you can't do that straightaway with the mesh tool, right?

Off course you can.

Can you upload a .mod with the meshes and SEO only, before saving as object?

I am guessing you used several meshes to work around the either-or limitation regarding hard/soft user-defined contours.

[I wanted to avoid mesh SEOs in a model that has like 800 panels. But maybe I should go that way and just avoid generating full model views with full panel detail.]

[Anonymous]

If you don't want to use SEOs, the only way is to build the entire mesh with the opening hole.
In my humble opinion, this is a vaste of time. Better to use symetry.

SEOs done by AC, or scripted from scratch are the same.
In this situation, i dont think that using addiition SEOs will reduce 3D speed.

I try to explain. The three elements (left, right and lower) are fully used in the SEO. Not any one needs
to be hiden in this situation. SEO has for only effect to unify adjacent polygons.
At the end, polyCount will be the same for both construction methods. Hope this is understantable.

I did not kept the template, once the object was finished, sorry.

800 objects is a hudge number. Did you try a test with the Precast Panel object.
PolyCount is 435 x 800 = 348.000. It should be doable, or at least give you an indication.
GS says something about a 2.000.000 PolyCount limitation, if i remember.
If not, i am afraid that the only way is to reduce the part PolyCount.

Cheers

[Anonymous]

A solution to boost 3D calculation could be to place your floor plan panels (40, 50, how many?),
make a top view elevation, and save the 3D as a binary format.

The part will be hudge in size, no matters, it is just a lib.part, with no incidence on file size.
Time calculation will dramatically reduce. A binary object of 50 panels is calculated in less than a second.

Just copy fragments 2&3 and 2D script in the new part, after you have done your own settings.

[Anonymous]

Ignacio,

I recovered the file from the trash. It was still readable. Attached a mod.file.
May be this can help you for some experiments.

Cheers

[Ignacio Azpiazu]

Olivier wrote:
Attached a mod.file.

Ahahah! You used contours for the hard edges and points (*not* contours) for the soft curved slopes.

[In order to do which you drafted 13 auxiliary sections and manually set the individual elevation of 7 mesh points for each of the sections. You are nuts.]

[But it looks great. I will throw away what I did and do that.]

Thanks for all the alternative proposals in the thread, showing how to bring other software to help (probably the way to go if one faces this type of problem often) and also the awesome Casa Batlló-Archiforma example. This has become a pretty illuminating thread.

[Anonymous]

Glad if this can help.

I must admit i have some lacks with all the subtilities of english language. 🙂
I tried to explain that this sketch (picture 3.jpg) was included into the fragment 1 (2D Symbol window of the lib part) of the previous attached object.

I prefer to spend some time to think how to build the part (sketch), before to start to build.
No matters the way you choose, autoscripted object or scripted from scratch object, the job must be done.

I don't think that you can reduce the polycount under 400/350 if you want a decent object.

Cheers

[Aussie John]

whatever wrote:

Aussie wrote:
One thing for sure is Antoni Gaudí never used ArchiCAD

i am afraid to say... mmm... that Gaudi's one is done by Archicad

Im impressed thanks for that. But still a royal pain in the…

[Anonymous]

Ignacio,

I had a doubt. My assumption about SEOs did not resist the facts. My bad.
I thought, wrongly, that in case of SEO addition, AC recalculated only the adjacent merging polygons.
It seems that the complete model is recalculated for any type of SEO.
If your first concern is speed, the best choice is to model the complete mesh.

In the attached comparison (for settings = 800 panels), the single panel displays really faster than the SEOs one.
Polycount is reduced to the minimum. If you save 20 or more horizontal panels as a binary part, it rocks.

Cheers