Splayed window reveals on external walls - again...

[Rene Pahlavan]

I've searched and found a number of old responses to similar questions, and various suggestions have been made, with varying results - all unsatisfactory and problematic in some way or another, unless I'm missing something obvious!

What I want to achieve is thick walls with splayed reveals on the external face, but not the internal face.

A variation on something like this.

It's not that uncommon a detail, but if we can't model something easily, it compromises the architecture, which is not what BIM software is supposed to do, and certainly not Archicad.

I want the splayed reveals to have a different surface finish, whether it's a metal panel or a different brick. I want them to display in plan, section and elevation without any messing around with cover fills. 

Windows typically allow custom splayed reveals, but only on the internal reveals. I can model this just fine and use slabs/beams columns to create the custom reveal materials - as long as I reverse the direction of all the walls.

Obviously this is on the 'wrong' wall face, which I'm nervous about in terms of things like composites, connections, data tags etc.

I don't really want to flip the walls so they will then all have the external walls on the internal face, and vice-versa. I can't simply flip the reveals. Flipping the window won't flip the reveals.

I can use floating SEOs in 3D, but they don't display on plan, which is a major problem.

I could convert the wall to a morph, but that's another terrible idea.

I'm playing around with massing options, which is why ideally I just want the window configuration in the wall to do it.

Are there any clever components that can do it?

What's the best/easiest way to do this without jumping through too many hoops?

[Barry Kelly]

That is a good solution.

It might just be a bit confusing that the ref line is not on the wall.

But it works.

It is also a shame we can't drag the wall or ref line positions without affecting the other.

This means you will have to calculate the offset to get the wall in the exact correct position so you can type the offset in.

Barry.

[Lingwisyer]

There is an Offset input in the Modify Reference Line dialogue that you can use. It appears to work.

Ling.

[Barry Kelly]

There is an offset in the wall settings as well.

The problem is in this case that you will have to calculate the offset so you can type it in.

Unfortunately it isn't possible to drag in in plan.

Barry.

[Barry Kelly]

Actually, another problem might be that the offset ref line might interfere with the wall trimming at the other end?

Barry.

[Lingwisyer]

You can measure the offset distance in plan, then use the Modify Reference Line dialogue, as much like changing the reference line position through that dialogue, it does not move the wall.

Regarding the opposite end of the wall;

Ling.

[Barry Kelly]

Yeah, sorry, the wall settings (info box) offset will move the wall and leave the ref line where it is.

The modify wall settings does the opposite.

Just splitting the wall should work.

Especially if the ref line is outside the wall - you don't want a little return wall

Barry.

[Lingwisyer]

If you don't do the return wall, in plan there will be a break in your wall.

[Barry Kelly]

Just splitting the wall it will all be fine in 3D (elevation) as the surfaces will match and blend with no lines.

In plan there will be a join.

Adding the return might cause problems with trimming.

Maybe there is another solution or maybe I am just inventing more problems, as there may be no problem at all at the other end of the wall in the first place.

Barry.