Collaboration with other software
About model and data exchange with 3rd party solutions: Revit, Solibri, dRofus, Bluebeam, structural analysis solutions, and IFC, BCF and DXF/DWG-based exchange, etc.

Survey Point - Rotation from True North - IFC & DWG

We are working on a large project with 4 other architecture firms - all using different modeling platforms.

 

I issue an IFC containing the Site boundaries as both an IFC and a DWG. Both thtanslators reference and privilege the Survey Point.

 

In Autocad, the file opens with Autocad's origin at the survey point and rotated to True North. Ditto the IFC file.

 

Is there a way to export files as illustrated - not using True North, but rather the Project North?


Screen Shot 2023-04-05 at 12.53.13 PM.png
Think Like a Spec Writer
AC4.55 through 27 / USA AC27-4060 USA
Rhino 8 Mac
MacOS 14.2.1
3 REPLIES 3
Marc H
Advisor

Hi Aaron,

Is there a particular requirement for having the site file open with project north?  

“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” - Abraham Lincoln

AC27 USA on 16” 2019 MBP (2.4GHz i9 8-Core, 32GB DDR4, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8G GDDR5, 500GB SSD, T3s, Trackpad use) running Sonoma OS + extended w/ (2) 32" ASUS ProArt PAU32C (4K) Monitors

It would be my preference (as the central model manager) as we are overlaying 6 buildings from 4 different offices, working in three different software platforms.

Think Like a Spec Writer
AC4.55 through 27 / USA AC27-4060 USA
Rhino 8 Mac
MacOS 14.2.1

Hi Aaron,

Sounds good. I’ve managed a few multi-building campus surveys and concurrent teams’ building projects over the years and they are a great opportunity. Might I suggest the following approach:

1. Keep the site plan true north with your ‘campus’ plots amply in the  +/+ quadrant  (as you have in your exhibit).  (Civil likes it that way and you can overlay other surveys and aerials with ease.)

2. For each building, whether existing or new, establish what I call a ‘building origin point’ (BOP) and a directional rotation value on that point to site each structure. (The easiest BOPs are easily surveyed SW corner or grid intersection.)

3. Provide each architect with these values for use on their project/s. (This can be via a 2d or 3d file they can reference in.)

4. They model their building orthogonally and can exchange their files orthogonally with you and/or with others as needed, using agreed upon  outfile formats (e.g., PLN, RVT, IFC, SKP). 
5. When site visualization or coordination is needed, the buildings are inserted (or externally referenced) into the site using their respective BOPs.  Once anchored, simply rotate each building file on the given BOP value to match to true direction. This should give you accuracy across the campus within a few inches, variances normally occurring with existing buildings not built straight or built off  from recorded data.

6. Site MEP can follow the same logic, belonging to the appropriate building project BOP or an assigned block of the site.
If you have any detail questions or need a sample, please message me.

“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” - Abraham Lincoln

AC27 USA on 16” 2019 MBP (2.4GHz i9 8-Core, 32GB DDR4, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8G GDDR5, 500GB SSD, T3s, Trackpad use) running Sonoma OS + extended w/ (2) 32" ASUS ProArt PAU32C (4K) Monitors