Complex profiles - Tapered Columns

[Anonymous]

Hi there,

just wondering if anyone can please help me with the creation of tapered columns or any decorative columns in complex profiles. I'm running ArchiCAD 19.

thanks so much for your help.

kind regards,

Geblues

[Erwin Edel]

You can go overboard and use morph tool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQKm2-cT_QM

Or if it's not too complex, draw half the section and make a circular profiled wall.

Leave room for a tiny hole in the middle, or it will miss behave and make a tiny offset so you can make the circular reference line.

You will end up with two semi-circular profiled walls.

I prefer the complex profile method over the morph, as it offers superior options for quick modifying of the shape.

[Anonymous]

Thank you Erwin, I'm relatively inexperienced with ArchiCAD.

I tried to draw a simple tapered column in the complex profiles but instead of it being vertical, it came out horizontal, which I wasn't expecting. I'm not sure what i'm doing wrong. Can you please tell me what I should be doing?

Thank you so much.

[Erwin Edel]

Profiled COLUMN = horizontal sections for vertical extrusion

Profiled WALL = vertical sections for horizontal extrusion

You'll want to model it with a profiled WALL.

Hope that makes it clear

For a simple tapered shape, you can also look at objects in the library. There is a collection of basic geometric shapes, you can probably get close with those too.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much, it logically doesn't make sense to me as I would have thought that if you design a complex profile with a 'column' that you would be designing it vertically, not horizontally, if that makes sense. If I create it with a wall, I can taper it on two opposing sides but not on all four sides. I had a bit of a look at the objects but can't as yet find something to work. It still doesn't really help me with creating them like you did with the balustrading. Am I missing something? Though this is just a basic tapered column, in time I want to be able to create shaped timber posts.

Am I sounding confused? lol.

[Erwin Edel]

You could draw half of the tapered profile and if it is squared, draw four sides.

Or just use the tapered wall options, that might be quicker.

Regarding profiled columns/beams: if you think in steel profiles, it makes more sense 😉 You are just extruding a shape along a path.

You could even taper the edges of a square slab or roof. Or use the Mesh tool to elevate the tapered top.

Try to think of the design tools as that, rather than the elements they show. A low Wall can also be a concrete beam, a profiled Beam can be a detailed roof gutter, a frameless Curtain Wall can be interior glazing wall system, etc etc

Just remember that if you are going full BIM: slap on the proper IFC tag before sharing the model with another party.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much Erwin, that was really helpful. It makes more sense the way that you explained it. I appreciate your time and patience. I managed to find a multifaceted column in the Australian Essentials library that I could edit at least that gives me time to work out the complex profiles when i've got time to play around with them a bit.

thanks again.

[Erwin Edel]

Objects are allways nice for more complex shapes, especially if they have adjustable parameters. There's even a large library of steel and concrete columns and beams for structural elements. Some of those are easier to use than complex profile Beams and Columns.

For more elaborate trimwork, I use a lot of complex profiled walls/beams to do the job. All within reason of modelling it, of course. Keeping in mind scale, design stage etc.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I need to create inclined tapered circular column of different height and angle.
I tried with morph, but inclination is problem,
with column, I will extra projection,
with profile manager, it's coming horizontal.
Please help me out in doing this.
I am using ArchiCAD 19.

Thank you,
Hema