What is the best way to create a site plan?

[Anonymous]

What is the best way to create a site plan? I have created a building model complete with a 3D ground model and now I need to plot out a typical site plan with setbacks and notes, etc. what is the best way to make this sheet? Viewing the model from the top is pretty close to what I need... Is there a way to save a top model view in black and white and then put the notes on it?
Thanks...

[Dennis Lee]

What about using the floor plan view, with a FPCP (Floor plan cut plane) set above the highest point of your building?

[Anonymous]

info.kaldis wrote:
What is the best way to create a site plan?

I use ArchiTerra (still on version 2) to create the site mesh and roads (driveways), and topographical lines. I create the site (or link module of site from separate site.PLN) on a layer that is called Datum an is project zero. See attachment.

I have created a building model complete with a 3D ground model and now I need to plot out a typical site plan with setbacks and notes, etc. what is the best way to make this sheet?

with the project map set to the story with the Site info, set scale, proper layer combination, Model view option & Dimension "style". drag or copy to view sets. Place view set of layout. Plot print or publish as desired.

View Viewing the model from the top is pretty close to what I need...

You should be just using a plan view. It doesn't sound like you want a view of the actual 3D model from the 3D window, since you are wanting to print it black and white.

Is there a way to save a top model view in black and white and then put the notes on it?
Thanks...

Save it as a plan view with the notes already on a "notes-site" layer or something. use the pens sets on the layout book to set pens to black and white.


For me since my site is on a separate story from most of the building model, I have done different things to have both the (site contours, trees, site notes) and structural building (mostly roofs and walls) to display on the same plan view.

Hard Way:
Mostly I have a pln file that is for the site and a separate pln for the building model. Within the building pln I set a plan view with the structure as I want it in the site plan. I select all and create a library part. (it is best to place 4 hotspots (rectangle or such) outside of the bounds of the structure, this way the structure can grow or shrink but the created library part keeps the same A and B dimensions). The library part is placed within the Site.pln (library part is usually saved in the a project folder which both PLN files look to for the library parts. (you could hotlink the Building as well.)

A Module file of the Site is created from the site PLN, and this module is hotlinked to Building PLN. this allows for proper 3D representation of the project.

Easier way:
Kind of a lot of work to have two separate PLN files. But often the sites orientation on the printed page is much different than the Building plan views. with one file it made for Messy rotated text. But a texts angle can be fixed and I am now looking into having site and Building within one PLN file. For this option I have 2D lines or a Zone on the Datum layer that depicts the building walls which are above (can look into using the Floor plan Cut plan for the siteplan view to show the walls that are above, I have not done this.) I have the roofs of the project set to show on all stories.

[Anonymous]

Typing this post got me think (we hope right).

Definitely want to migrate towards one file for both site and building. Just have to be mindful of the final output rotation of the site and know how to annotate so that the rotation of the site does not make the text difficult to read on the output.

As far as the site info and the building displaying on the same story and having one save view to place on the layout, I think that I might place all of the 2d site notes on the same story that the best plan view of the structure resides. the only 3d site objects that are on my Datum layer are the mesh and the 3D trees (I do not always use 3D trees). The tree objects can be set to show on all stories and therefore be "seen" with my building on the stories above.

You can create an ArchiTerra (AT) contour object for each ArchiTerra mesh. I usually create an Existing mesh (placed on Existing site layer) from the Survey data (dxf or txt) and then a contour object. I change the contour objects line type to Hidden. I do not edit this mesh. Then I create another mesh from the same survey data and place on a New Site layer, this is the mesh which the roads are cut into or placed on, and other cuts and fill made using AT. After the work is done a contour object is created for the new mesh also (if the contour object was created before the work was done on the new site it can be updated). Now anywhere the contours changed the existing Hidden line contour appears. and these contour object while created on my Datum story can be set to display on all stories and then be part of the site view set above that shows my building.

So many ways to work. I have found that there aren't many that respond in regards to creating site plans. Here is one way and as you can see I am trying to find the best way.

[Anonymous]

hmmm.. well i have just tried something.. actually it seems to be working... but the problem is i have no idea what i have done!!

i played a lil bit with the floor plan cut plane... set the cut level to a high number.. and " the lower level offset to " minus - big number " and now i am able to see all the walls in all the stories.. but also in all stories!! no matter what!!

so actually i will give it a try coz i didn't understand what i have just did... just wanted to share ... maybe someone give us something valuable instead of my useless post

[Aussie John]

You have probably set the cut plane in the menus whereas set it in your view set and it will applicable to that saved view.
You are using view sets?

[Anonymous]

Aussie wrote:
You have probably set the cut plane in the menus whereas set it in your view set and it will applicable to that saved view.
You are using view sets?

yes.. but i mean does it help in creatiing site plan? i am not sure yet

[Aussie John]

Save the site view with the walls. for the other levels and plan change the cut plane and save as a separate view