Module settings and cutting sections

[Anonymous]

Hi guys,

I have 2 issues doing my head in...

1) My site has quite a slope to it and I have been trying to work out the best way of drawing my sections however, when I cut the section I see the mesh in the background further west on my site.

I want the section/elevation to have some depth but don't know how to show a line or fill for ground plane with build on top without having to fudge it.

I am uploading the site as a jpeg and the section.

2) The second problem is I don't know how to set the module to sit exactly where I want it to go. For example the site RL is 20m and the building height is 15m is it something like -35000? building height plus RL with a minus?

I need each module to sit at a different height and I know a way around the issue but its not as accurate as I would like to be.

Many thanks.

AJ

[Anonymous]

This is the section (you can see my problems)

AJ

[Erwin Edel]

I don't get a 100% what you're getting at, but check out these things in sections settings:
- Horizontal range; Limited. This allows you to limit how far the section will be projected. It shows as an adjustable line in your plan view.
- Model Display; Marked Distant Area. This allows you to have different pen, hatchting and shadow settings for a 2nd range. Gives the section a bit more depth. Again, shown as adjustable line in your plan view.
- Vertical range. Allows you to set the z-range of your section.

I'm fortunate enough to live in an incredibly flat part of the world, but on the few projects we do have with sloped terrain I often end up patching things with 2d fills and linework for presentation drawings.

3rd option, if it doesn't have to be a scale drawing, you can use the marque tool to select the bits of your model you want to see (lasso-setting if you want to get really selective) and use parallel projections in 3d renders to get similar results. (see attachment)

[Anonymous]

Thanks heaps, I will play around with those things you mentioned. The picture spoke a thousand words, appreciate it.

Adrianne

[Anonymous]

The heights of your mesh and buildings(module) reflect your storey settings.

Given that you are from Australia, I assume you are using the Australian Template. This has an AHD storey which has been designed so that you can accurately draw the mesh using heights to the AHD datum.

The site heights will drive your design finished floor levels and/or placement of existing buildings.

If you know the finished floor level you are after then create the walls, slabs etc in relation to this level.

If you have more than one building with different floor levels than I find using the section tool helps you to assign heights in relation to the storey they are placed on.

[Anonymous]

Thanks George, this is probably archicad 101 but if the highest rl is 36900 then would that be the ground level figure or would I still start with 0 and work up?

Due to the steepness of the site I have some buildings down the bottom at about rl10 and then some up the top at about rl 20 ish and I don't have the knowledge to quickly solve all of these issues.

I will endeavor on the holidays to print the manual and sleep with it under my pillow, but anylight you can shed is great.

With the storey settings there is one ground below 0 and if I set the mesh height at -0 then I work up is that a better way than working from rl36900 down?

Ta.

[Anonymous]

The purpose of the AHD storey is so that you place your mesh on this storey and then elevate the mesh based on the AHD heights given to you by your surveyor.

If you happen to have buildings below 0 AHD eg. basements, then you can alter a setting in the mesh properties called 'mesh height'. This is the first setting under the geometry and positioning tab and is set to 1000 by default. Once again remember to create your mesh on the AHD storey!!

Because you have multiple buildings then you may place more than one building's elements on a particular storey and relate the heights of these elements to this storey. You can adjust the floor cut plane setting in particular views so that they accommodate buildings that sit above a storey.

You will need also to learn solid element operations if you are digging into the site as well.....

Theres quite a bit to understand here, so please send further posts and I will try and explain further.

[Anonymous]

Thanks George, I have changed a few things that I maybe did incorrectly and have now got the mesh on the ahd + levels are correct from my contour map.

I am attaching the jpeg to show where I'm at. I am trying to place these dwellings onto the mesh accurately relative to the correct rl.

The top of the hill is about 25m higher than the bottom of the hill.

I have worked with SEO a little (massing studies) and read those notes from someone about the curved paths into the mesh which helped alot, however, if I am having stairs on one side of the dwelling front and a flat or paved driveway then I am not sure whether to make a big flat slab or leave part of the mesh.

I know that the jpeg is not a picasso-sorry.

Adrianne

[Anonymous]

Hi Adrianne,

Model looks great. Before you go too much further make sure you save your work. Your model is quite complex and detailed...... so protect it .

If you accept that we locate walls in the vertical in relation to their BASE then your work should flow quite easily from here. Go into the wall tool settings and notice that the geometry and positioning settings have a cool feature that allow you to nominate the base of the wall in relation to PROJECT ZERO and not the storey it is placed on.

So take some sections through your rows of buildings and decide at what height the base of these walls should be at in relation to Project Zero. If your not sure what signifies project zero in your section, then look for a black cross and measure(M) from it to establish the level.

This may not the be the purists way of modelling but it makes sense to me... provided you keep a logical storey progression for your modelled elements so creating floor plan views remains easy.

Im not sure if others are following this .....so may be best to email me at george.christodoulou@graphisoft.com.au as Im conscience that step by step instruction may not be the intention of the forum .

Also check out http://www.aecbytes.com/tipsandtricks/2006/issue10-archicad.html for solid element operations.

[Erika Epstein]

George wrote:
Im not sure if others are following this .....so may be best to email me at george.christodoulou@graphisoft.com.au as Im conscience that step by step instruction may not be the intention of the forum .

George, please do post step by step instructions. That will help many users here.