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

Connecting walls / window opening

13senpai
Contributor

Hi, can someone help me with this please?

 

I made an example to "illustrate" the problem. If you look at the screenshot, there's wall 1 and wall 2. Wall 2 is hosting a window - an opening for the window is cut automatically. 

Now, if I move the window into wall 1, the window does not cut wall 1. 

Untitled-1-02.jpg

 

In Revit, if 2 different walls are connected, joined or embedded into each other, the window recognizes them as 1 and automatically cuts it. Here's a screenshot of the same situation I made in Revit. What is the best solution to achieve this in Archicad? 

tt.jpg

16 REPLIES 16

Try using SEO,
select the wall 1 then right click and choose connect - solid element operations then set the selected wall to be target & the window to be operator then subtract the window from the wall, I didn't face this before but I hope that works.

AC 28 INT 3110/WIN 11
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Can't even do that. Tried it. A window can't be set as an operator. 

There's a workaround to select the window and from connect again choose create opening from selection that will create an opening just stretch the opening to the full width of the window then press the plus button to add the second wall to the cut elements.

AC 28 INT 3110/WIN 11
AMD Ryzen 7 5800H with Radeon Graphics 3.20 GHz 16.0 GB
Marc H
Advisor

May I suggest looking at the problem differently?  I would think through how you expect the design be built, and use AC to support that to the extent possible.  With that, my view of your AC screenshot suggests there will be, for some reason, a structural wall break in the middle of a window frame.  (Otherwise, why not have a single continuous wall across the whole building length?) I expect the break is not your intent, but just how you modeled to this point.

I suggest thinking of how you want this built.  For example, if the break in the walls represents the start of a building addition (common scenario), then we would expect the contractor to cut back the existing wall far enough to put in a whole new window frame.  In AC, then, you would split your existing wall at that cut back point, then change the inclusive portion to Demo status. Then, you would put in a new wall in its place in which the new window frame wholly sits.
Alternately, if this model situation is purely to model the subtle design change in the wall trim at sill (as seen in your Revit screenshot), then again, I would think instead how you see this carried out in the field.  Perhaps a new ledge component run from the building corner into the new window reveal replacing or extending the trim.

Either of these changes would also cascade appropriately to your material quantity take-offs.

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mthd
Ace

Have you tried having the one same wall going all the way through at first, then place your window and then split your wall and change that part of the wall that you want to be different ?

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That might work well for a wall that will have a continuous core structure, with perhaps minor differences in finish (e.g, exterior plaster color change or transition to say, thin-set tile, or an interior finish transition, etc).  One just has to take care to resolve any constructibility issues with major finish material transitions (e.g., exterior plaster to ledgerstone, etc.) at the break point with their variable assemblies, thicknesses, behaviors, and potential impact on the window.

“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” - Abraham Lincoln

AC27 USA on 16” 2019 MBP (2.4GHz i9 8-Core, 32GB DDR4, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8G GDDR5, 500GB SSD, T3s, Trackpad use) running Sonoma OS + extended w/ (2) 32" ASUS ProArt PAU32C (4K) Monitors

I tried this way but found that it's duplicating the window creating one window for each wall.

AC 28 INT 3110/WIN 11
AMD Ryzen 7 5800H with Radeon Graphics 3.20 GHz 16.0 GB

Good catch, Mahmoud. One would have to tag the window for exclusion from scheduling.  I notice it also offsets the duplicate window if any difference in skin thickness.  

“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” - Abraham Lincoln

AC27 USA on 16” 2019 MBP (2.4GHz i9 8-Core, 32GB DDR4, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8G GDDR5, 500GB SSD, T3s, Trackpad use) running Sonoma OS + extended w/ (2) 32" ASUS ProArt PAU32C (4K) Monitors
Barry Kelly
Moderator

A door or window can only belong to one wall.

If you were to drag that window completely from one wall to the other (and the reference lines line up) the window will automatically cut the second wall and no longer the first.

But if it spans across two walls, it will only cut one.

The same happens when you move the window vertically as well.

 

When spanning 2 walls you must add another opening in the second wall.

Easiest way was to right click and create an opening as Mahmoud explained earlier.

 

Barry.

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