Split levels

[Anonymous]

Hi all,
I was recently involved in the design of a project with many split levels, and after a while it got a bit messy. Usually a wall's height in archicad extends the entire height per floor. One wall per level. What about split levels? Should a single wall extend the entire height of the building ?

[Erwin Edel]

Here is a recent discussion on similar subject:
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=48032

As I wrote there, this is how I dealt with split levels before:

Erwin wrote:
As a 'rule of thumb' I divide the stories up with the 1.500 mm floorplan plane projection in mind. If the split level gap is close to or more than 1.500 mm, I would create a seperate story for it. If it is more like a 1.000 mm or smaller difference, I would set up a 2nd set of view with adjusted floorplan cutplan (for example 2.500 mm).

There tends to be a certain amount of masking of unwanted elements etc with the small story differences, but it is possible to make it work.

Also keep in mind the behaviour of things like stairs with story up and story down symbol. Doors and windows are also notoriously fiddly with 2d symbols.

Things like wall projection play a huge part in getting the floorplan to look like you would want.

Sometimes you have to divide walls up vertically per story to get the sort of behaviour you would like in floor plans.

See attachment for example.

[Anonymous]

Thank you Erwin for your quick reply. I see what you mean but I was wandering. In the image you sent me if the Plan cut level is higher than1500 mm then there is no need for masking of elements since it would include both story 2 levels or not? Also if the exterior walls run the entire height of the building does that not make things easier for window and door height adjustment? Could the same not apply to story 0? Cutting a bit higher you would not need story 1. True, masking would be needed to show story -1/story 0.

[Erwin Edel]

A lot is achieved through Floor Plan Cut Plane settings. You may need to adjust them per story in your saved views and sometimes even per element in terms of projection (to story ranged, absolute display limit, home story only). Slabs, roofs, morphs and shells also offer neat options for custom settings to display on stories above and below.

The sample project is done in ArchiCAD 15, I have a few patch fills here and there for cases where the actual cutplane display (which is correct) is showing elements I find distracting.

The most trouble is with windows/doors/objects because they generally have scripted 2d symbols which relate to a theoretical cutplane which might not relate to your model.

The floorplan layouts for this project are made with 2 saved views for each 'level' to show things like roofs in proper 1.500 mm relation to the floor level. The layout is then stitched together with the 2 views and to clarify where the split happens, I use a big fat line and some text.

[Anonymous]

Erwin how do you you stitch the two views? In Photoshop and then re-import them into Archicad to put on a layout?

[Erwin Edel]

Just put two views on one layout and adjust the border of each view.

[Anonymous]

Erwin just tried your method. Simple and straightforward. Thanks a lot!

[Erwin Edel]

zoltar wrote:
Erwin just tried your method. Simple and straightforward. Thanks a lot!

Good to hear it worked for you