MODELING ORGANIC WOOD BEAMS AND COLUMNS

[JaredBanks]

I need to help someone in my firm model this timber structure. There are beams and columns which are essentially tree trunks with a few large branches. Any thoughts on how to do it? (The truck with the flames is the easy part...)

[Ralph Wessel]

JaredBanks wrote:
I need to help someone in my firm model this timber structure. There are beams and columns which are essentially tree trunks with a few large branches.

Take a look at OBJECTiVE - it comes with a good range of timber objects, including many that can be chamfered along the edges. You can also create some quite fluid shapes with the bending tools, and 3D rotation, splitting, and working planes should go along way for you too: http://www.encina.co.uk/objective.html

[Rakela Raul]

very nice objective ralph, i already asked somebody in our company to go to your web site and buy it....very very nice

[JaredBanks]

Thanks! I checked out OBJECTiVE. It does look very nice. Unfortunately the firm just started the switch to ArchiCAD so telling them we need to buy something in addition to all the new licenses is probably not going to go over well! If we can't figure out any other solutions I'll definitely download the demo and see if it does the trick. Great looking program though.

[Anonymous]

I think you could make irregular chamfered beams using
complex profiles and the tapered rafter poles could be
made using the basic shape object Cone which can
be truncated. The posts with branches is harder.
Starting with a complex profile column you could
add branches made from complex profiled beams
or roofs that can be tapered then do some SEO work
to get branches fit to the columns and save the assembly as a library part.
At least this approach uses only Archicad tools and techniques.
Peter Devlin