Help on a very complex roof

[Anonymous]

Hey i trying to design a roof based on the Transparent Roof created in Eric Owen Moss's project, the "Umbrella"
Here's a link to some photos of the roof i am talking about.
http://www.ericowenmoss.com/projindex.html
Just chose Umbrella as the project.
I was wondering if anyone knew how to create rooves like these on archicadd. And how do you add support structures, like the steel supporting structures shown in the photo, on archicad.
I am a student architect and none of my archicad tutors (who are student tutors) were able to help me. What i mainly want to know is how to creat the cascading glass and how to add the steel supports.
Thank you. I would be very appreciative of any help.

[Steve Jepson]

No. I can't do it using only ArchiCAD.

[Anonymous]

As I mentioned before in this thread, the glass roof pictured in
model-front.jpg and the one mentioned by squidgy_wiji
can be modeled in Archicad.
In versions prior to AC 8 it can only be modeled as a surface
with a surface only MESH.
In AC 8 it can be modeled as a solid using a solid Mesh (with skirt).
Model the surface topology you want and then de-elevate a copy
the amount of the thickness of the glass and with SEO subtract
the under side of the first MESH then hide the copy.
This results in a solid element with the topology desired
and having a thickness of what ever you want and showes as
solid in the Section/Elevation window.
Peter Devlin

[Steve Jepson]

Peter wrote:
As I mentioned before in this thread, the glass roof pictured in
model-front.jpg and the one mentioned by squidgy_wiji
can be modeled in Archicad.

I agree, that is the best method and it works, however, the resulting curves are not smooth.

What does yours look like?

[Anonymous]

Steve,
As you no doubt know no 3D surfaces are truly curves.
They are always composed of planer polygons.
The mesh is no different.
The smoothness of any mesh depends on the density of
points that you put into it and anticipating how AC
will connect the points with triangular flat planes.
Anticipating how AC will connect the dots can be tricky
and downright baffling at times.
I have not made a glass roof like the one pictured but I have made many
freeform or "organic" forms with the mesh tool using only independent points no ridges that appear quite smooth.
The trick is to have small incremental change in the elevation
and distance of adjacent points which means lots and lots of points.
Peter Devlin

[Steve Jepson]

I am to impatient for that. I was able to kind of do it with some ArchiForma help. I had to load 7.0 again because I don't have the ArchiForma upgrade yet which may make it easier. I hooked some archs together along a curve, and extruded along another set of curves. This method should allow for a good deal of precession and control since you can create an exact profile in both directions. Then sandwich a slab or mesh and use the SEO to subtract with upwards and downwards extrusions for the final roof object.

[Djordje]

Steve wrote:
I am to impatient for that. I was able to kind of do it with some ArchiForma help. I had to load 7.0 again because I don't have the ArchiForma upgrade yet which may make it easier. I hooked some archs together along a curve, and extruded along another set of curves. This method should allow for a good deal of precession and control since you can create an exact profile in both directions. Then sandwich a slab or mesh and use the SEO to subtract with upwards and downwards extrusions for the final roof object.

Nope. Cannot use zero thickness stuff as operators for SEO.

For correct section, suplicate the same surface the thickness of the structure above.

[Anonymous]

Steve,
I don't have ArchiForma.
I had heard that the scripts it generates
are all in primitives therefore making tweaking
very difficult. Is it true that ArchiForma scripts
are all written in primitives ?
Also, is the object pictured in your image show as solid
if you cut through it with the section/elevation tool ?
Peter

[Steve Jepson]

Peter,
Djeordje is right you can not use the SOE with zero thickness objects. The object does show up in cross sections and elevations but only as a line. I do not know how to make a solid from it. How do you suplicate this form in to a solid Djordje ?

[Anonymous]

Steve,
when you make curved ceiling, how do you make the ceiling cover with tiles?
I hear it's easier to use ArchiTiles to make tile. Do you put the tile with ArchiTiles or you have other way to make it happen?

[Steve Jepson]

Ashley,

I just made a grid of 1" thick walls that extended up through the ceiling and used SEO (Solids Editing Operations) to cut away the ceiling. It only takes a few clicks to do this. A very nice result is when you trim the walls to the curved ceiling, then raise all of the trimmed walls 1/2" or so and then use the SEO to cut out the grid. The result is a recessed grid. You can have the properties of the walls go with the ceiling, the recessed grid will be a different color which not only looks cool but will help you get the grid to show up just right in a rendering. I use a light grey with white ceilings. If you make the ceiling thick enough you can use the SEO to cut out coffers in a waffelike pattern just like the Pantheon in Rome.