Best way to set up a multi-residence site.....

[Arcadia]

I have to do my first (first in Archicad not first ever) documentation/modelling for a site that will have 3 identical detached residences on it (then later this month a site that has 5 different residences on it). I know I can't draw all of the units within the one solo file as as far as I am aware AC will only practically handle one building at a time and won't allow creating seperate view and layout groups for more than one building - unless I created seperate layer groups for each building but then this might get messy.

So I guess I need to create a seperate solo file for the site model/site plan. Then I assume I can put hotlink modules in for the 3 houses (or the same module three times if they are identical). I have not done hotlinking before. Can the module be set up with various views or layer groups as well with a different scale etc just like I would when creating a 1:200 site plan?

Also the manual says the elevation info etc is not transferred but what about 3D? Will I be able to view all 3 homes in 3D on my site model so that i can generate renders or 3d docs from the modules for use in my council planning applications?

I tried a search function but didn't come up with much and want to get some advice before I plunge in and try the trial and error approach. Any tips on setting up multi residential sites would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

search for MODULES 1020 threads archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=137544&highlight=modules#137544

[Anonymous]

using modules will definitely be the way to go if the units are the same. But there is no reason why you can't have all the buildings in the same file, just create separate elevations markers for each unit.

[Arcadia]

Well I created my first multi dwellling site plan using a seperate site pln file and modules and it worked very well. It is certainly the method I will choose by default.

However I am still interested in methods used to put more than one building on one pln.

[Conrado Dominguez]

I can not imagine any advantage to have all the residences in the same xxx.pln unless of course you would like to have them available for a little bit of editing in each of them.

If all the residences are the same, it is almost required "hot link" method so that you do the editing in only one file and it gets updated in all the instances placed in the site drawing.

Even if the residences are different, depending on your machine capacity, you can have Archicad opened in more than one instance. For example: one AC is opened with the site, another AC is opened for building A, another for building B, and switch windows back and forth saving the residences plan and updating the links in the site plan.

For organizational purposes, try to have the same set of Attributes for each residence file.

Hope this helps