Wishes
Post your wishes about Graphisoft products: Archicad, BIMx, BIMcloud, and DDScad.

A Great GDL Toilet/WC Object

Da3dalus
Enthusiast
Here we are, 30 years into ArchiCAD, and still the toilet object is, well, crap.

No offense to the programmer; I just liked the simile (or is that a metaphor?). Indeed, I have to applaud him/her for the advancement of the "WC17" and "Toilet ADA 17" objects. They are really a step in the right direction, combining all of the common options into one object. I hope this is a model for future GDL objects!

We are so close! However, it still leaves a lot to be desired. Everyone uses one (both virtually and physically), so it should be perfect!

That being said, here's what needs to be fixed:
1. "Toilet ADA 17" has grab bars, TP holder, and floor clearance (which is awesome!), but no flush valve option. I would argue that most commercial toilets that are subject to ADA in the US are flush valve types.
2. "WC 17" has both tank (cistern) and flush valve (flushometer) types (which is awesome!), but no accessories. Yes, I want my cake and eat it too.
3. Most of the models do not look like any real toilet models. Some are upside-down-cone shaped. Every toilet I've ever seen was roughly spheroid shaped, with an egg-shaped bowl in plan. They usually have a bolting flange at the floor or wall. And you can see the curved effluent trap. Yes, even in Europe.
4. If we could match up the good 3D model with the good 2D symbol, or choose them separately, it may solve #3. Most of the Plan symbols don't show the toilet seat, and don't really look right.
5. There is an option for an open or closed seat, with or without cover (again, awesome!). But it only shows in 3D. It should reflect in Plan 2D as well (some code reviewers do actually care).
6. There should be an option for round or elongated bowl. This significantly affects the clearances.
7. There should be a setting or option for seat height, which stretches floor mounted types, but simply raises the mounting height of wall mounted units. ADA requires higher seats than standard toilets.
8. Some objects in the past have used 2 Pen weights, one for contour, one for details (like the seat and valve). I like that. The detail Pen can even be the same as the Fill Pen.
9. The floor clearance settings are odd. Typically, there is an overall rectangle dimension for the clearance, and a dimension to the centerline of the bowl. I suggest checking out ADAAG 2010 or ICC/ANSI A117.1-2009, and conforming to the diagrams (we have to). Maybe just a checkmark for "ADA 2010 Compliant" or Custom size. Check it out:
http://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/buildings-and-sites/about-the-ada-standards/ada...
10. ADA requires both wheelchair accessible toilets and ambulatory accessible toilets. Would be a nice option.
11. There aren't enough parameters to accurately place the grab bars. The rear bar is a few inches off of ADA. A diagram in the UI would really help.
12. It would be nice to show the filler hose and angle stop valve as an option.
13. Due to ArchiCAD's 3D projection limitations, some curve lines do not show up in elevation. Adding a few tiny 3D discs or gaps would help create better elevations (like round ends on grab bars).
14. Perhaps we can combine this with the partitions, too? Perhaps asking too much!
15. You really want to make my day? Include options for children's size fixtures and clearances (I now work with a firm that does schools).
16. The square toilet can go. It looks leg-numbing!

C'mon, guys, let's flush this one out of the park!

Sorry, probably only Americans will understand that.
Chuck Kottka
Orcutt Winslow
Phoenix, Arizona, USA

ArchiCAD 25 (since 4.5)
Macbook Pro 15" Touchbar OSX 10.15 Core i7 2.9GHz/16GB RAM/Radeon Pro560 4GB
0 REPLIES 0