Modelling a mezzanine

[Anonymous]

I'm having trouble figuring out the best way to create a mezzanine in a multi-story project. The mezzanine I'm going for has numerous layers (walls, millwork, fixtures etc) on both the mezzanine plan and the lower level plan, and it also has items (such as windows) that span over both the mezzanine and the lower level. It seems that:

1. If I make the mezzanine into a separate story, it can be easily viewed in plan, but the elevations/model lose the ability to see things that span from the first story into the mezzanine story.

2. If I put the mezzanine on the first story by "floating" a slab and walls etc at an elevation above the bottom of the story, then the model and elevations look right, but the plan shows both the lower level and mezzanine level stuff at once.

3. If I follow the idea of #2 above, but put all of the mezzanine "stuff" on special duplicate layers (eg "walls-mezz") to distinguish them from the lower level layers, then it seems to thwart the PlotMaker layout book and all of the title types/layounts that have been set up for this project.

I'm pretty new to ArchiCAD so I'm sure there's something I'm missing here. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

John

[Aussie John]

I would make as separate stories. Make sure you dont have overlapping walls as they will disappear in elevations. Dealing with windows and door that extend across the floor mezzanine divide is more difficult and there is alot of discussion over the best methods. A combination of windows or one window and an empty window above seem to be the best ways.

[Karl Ottenstein]

What John said.

IMHO, if you (or anyone) ever find yourself thinking along the lines of your idea #3, step back and think some more about stories.

I don't understand your comments for #1 and #2 ... putting the mezzanine on another story has no effect on the elevations / model ... unless, as John suggests, the walls/windows were not modeled correctly.

Do search the forum for multistory windows ... the thread may come up. Depending on the situation, a story-spanning wall may work, but often bits of wall on each story are needed with windows in each, and in the case of the spanning windows, a 'wallhole' has to be inserted in the wall that is covering up the window so that elevations/model come out OK. (There have been many wishes/complaints about this need.)

Karl