Best Practices for implementing a 50 unit housing development?

[rob2218]

Project Scope:
50 unit housing development.
2 stories each unit plus a simple thickened edge slab on grade and foundation.
There are 6 unit types (A1, A2, A3 B1 B2 B3) which will need to be spread throughout the site.

Each story setting is set to be hotlinked into the 1st floor story.

I'm at the point now where I need to begin to spread these unit types throughout the site. What is the best practice for doing this?
1. do I simply just copy a bunch of unit types all onto their respective site lots?
2. do I create a simple "zone" type object so I don't create a giant hotlink nightmare while trying to copy the hotlinks 50 times and having to take 2 hours do so a "save" each time for all 50 hotlinks to regenerate?

see diagram for easier explanation.

[jl_lt]

Hi Mr. Rob, do you need the whole 3d model of all 50 units? or do you need to show all the floors or just the roof plan to indicate which units belongs to each site?

[rob2218]

good question.
well...I'm not sure but I'm leaning toward showing perhaps some sort of a "diagramtic" exterior wall where all the units are.

I even thought about creating a "zone object" that's simple and basic box to indicate where on each lot the unit sits....

I can only image what a horrid nightmare it would be if FIFTY hotlinks have to reload....i'll never be able to work.

[jl_lt]

i have some experience with this kind of projects, but in latinamerica and totally in the 2d drafting days. it might be very different in the US (with more specs and legal stuff), but my guess is you only need a very undetailed reference for each house type, probably just showing the roofs and exterior walls, zero detail. what needs to be very clear in the urban plan is everyhouse type, which you could do with the zones as you suggest or a label that can read the information directly from the hotlinks.
so my first attempt at solving this would be to actually have two models for each prototype: the detailed one which you will use for the proper construction documentation of each type and another ultralight model with the minimun necesary elements, which you can use to hotlink in each individual lot.

i have recently done something similar, but instead of 50 houses it was 50 apartments and worked like a charm, and updated quite fast when i needed it to.

let us know what you think!

[Lingwisyer]

I have been doing my site plans as separate files that only include each different buildings exterior wall, roof and unit type zone as a .mod that is only updated when significant changes occur. Updating the modules is relatively fast. The performance difference between having the types together with the site model vs being in a second file was noticeable. Do note that all of my sites have been far from flat...

There was a segment during ArchiIntensive that talked about splitting your project between multiple files depending on size, though I am not sure if it is available somewhere to watch.



Ling.

[Erwin Edel]

The module update speed in AC23 is very fast for me. I have 41 appartment block project that is a breeze with updates.

Currently I have a much smaller scale, but similar project with 12 villa houses on one plot.

For these I set up a layer combination for exporting only the minimal amount of 3D elements I need for our artist impressions of the entire plan. I saved a view with this layer combination active and set up a publisher set to publish this floor plan view to module (setting this to publish all stories). This gives me a very basic / small module to work with.

One thing to consider with modules across multiple PLN files is attribute management though. If you create a new attribute in any of the PLN files, you need to add it to all the other PLN files that are part of the same overall project.

Site plan drawings for us are always 2D worksheets, ussually as a module of the 2D line work so it can be shared among multiple PLN files if needed. It might be a bit 'dumb' and not directly related to any changes to the design, but it saves other headaches.

[rob2218]

So..to give you all more details about my setup.
I'm a PC with no Teamworks server setup.
I work with various architects helping them achieve their BIM needs.
With this one particular architect, he is local, struggles with BIM and Archicad so I'm housing the PLN which contains the entire project. it's difficult to use separate PLN files hotlinked because we only share files (PLA's) back and forth as needed when changes are made. I know he has to relink his hotlinks, then when he is done...I get the PLA and I have to relink (repath) my hotlinks from my PC.
Also...he's on a MAC, me on a PC...so it makes it doubly complex.

I've been meaning to get a server set up but....it hasn't happened yet.....but it will.
So for now, it's one PLN being shared back and forth via DropBox (only for download purposes but not for actually 'working' from within DropBox)........and libraries, textures, fonts, etc...have to be shared back and forth....its a pain but for now, it'll have to do.

I think I might go the approach of create a layer combo, perhaps only having the roof, exterior walls, and slabs, show up for the site plan hotlinks (which by the way are coming from the actual PLN file itself for faster updates).

[Lingwisyer]

rob2218 wrote:
site plan hotlinks (which by the way are coming from the actual PLN file itself for faster updates)

All of the objects on layers that have been turned off are still there, so you are still bloating your file with redundant polygons...



Ling.

[rob2218]

Understood but....I can NOT do the whole "separate PLN file hotlink"...because it will be a NIGHTMARISH HORROR when sending files back and forth as PLA's to client for editing/review on his end.

[Podolsky]

Maybe you can try to save each house as library element and place into your master plan file? I don't know how highly detailed your houses are, but maybe library objects are not going to be so heavy. Library objects then very easy to place and move. Keep it as an option.