Modelling a siteplan

[Anonymous]

Hi

I used to use FormZ to make a site - build the surrounding buildings and roads etc.
Now what is the best way in Archicad? I just want simple volumes, nothing fancy, so would the slab tool be the best tool and make slabs that are 30m high? or is there a better way?

[Anonymous]

IMHO the mesh tool would more flexible as you would allow you to raise / lower nodes of the mesh as / when required.

[Anonymous]

I use the slab tool with the mesh (for ground plane) when doing simple massing studies. Anything more elaborate would require the wall tool. For simple site studies where the topo is not too challenging, I use the roof tool to create ground (single sloping surface) and the slab or wall tool for the structure shapes.

I have our entire town modeled (not ground) with walls for sidewalks, buildings, curbs, etc.. Slabs make up the ground plane.

Rip Weaver, ASLA
Town Landscape Architect
The Town of Mt Laurel
Birmingham, Alabama, USA

Archicad 9

Mac OSX/Cube/500 mHz

[Anonymous]

Lennox wrote:
IMHO the mesh tool would more flexible as you would allow you to raise / lower nodes of the mesh as / when required.

You can do this. In AC 9 when you click on a node look for the z adjustment tab in the pet pallet. Also available in the 3d window.

[Djordje]

Millard wrote:

Lennox wrote:
IMHO the mesh tool would more flexible as you would allow you to raise / lower nodes of the mesh as / when required.

You can do this. In AC 9 when you click on a node look for the z adjustment tab in the pet pallet. Also available in the 3d window.

... and not only in 9 ...

[Haneef Tayob]

Although I personally use the mesh tool for its flexibility, I once saw someone use the slab tool to models each contour interval.

They had used different shades of greens, yellows and browns as materials assigned gradually to each level of the slabs.

Although not 'standard recommended practice', the resultant 3d's were quite spectacular, very model-like.