Split Walls at Junctions to Allow Multiple Surface Finishes

[glenn_nz]

Hi everyone,

This is a Feature Request, or if someone has a workaround, that would be great!

We, like everyone now, are using our BIM models in third party rendering software to create some great renders.

If we consider an external wall that has an internal wall joining it at the midpoint, the interior surface of this external wall is a single, continuous surface, but it spans across at least two internal spaces.

When I render this model, it is likely that I will want to have different surface materials in the two rooms, but this can't happen easily as ArchiCAD treats the internal surface as a single surface.

If this external wall was allowed to have different surface materials on either side of another wall junction, I could apply different materials in my rendering software.  Each time an internal wall abuts this external wall, another surface is allowed for another new material.

The obvious workarounds are to either split my external wall into separate walls, or to add a different element (e.g. another wall) that is 1mm thick to the internal surface.

Both methods are clunky and create other problems.

[Lingwisyer]

I regularly use split walls... room, bathroom, riser, room. What are these other problems you are running into?

[Barry Kelly]

I would split the wall and group the pieces so it can still be moved as one if necessary.

You can apply a thin surface to part of the wall as well as you said.

But look into the Design > Design Extras.

There will be one there for 'Interior Wizard'

That will allow you to add floor, wall and/or ceiling surfaces to a zone.

You need to have the 'Goodies' add-ons installed.

Personally it is more trouble than it is worth as it is not a true 'wall accessory', although it does get its information from the walls.

As it is associated to a zone, you have to update the zones and I think then also update the accessory.

Or just use a 'wall accessory' that is always associated to the wall if you change it (or its doors and windows), but you still need to split the wall at each room junction.

I would just split the wall and change the interior surface.

Barry.

[glenn_nz]

We also use the CI Tools Wall Covering tool a lot, so splitting exterior walls into multiple walls means many more wall cladding objects to maintain.

Also, more and more BIM models are being used beyond a design office and become vital repositories of information for other users; construction firms, Quantity Surveyors, building maintenance staff.  For these types of users, a single wall made up of multiple walls makes no sense.

There are plenty of workarounds, just that they all have drawbacks.

This remains a feature request for @GRAPHISOFT 

[Tinou]

Hi.

I also many time needed this feature.

Allow changing the surface at wall junction woud be the first step that doesn't seem so difficult to achieve. Please do it ! For drafting models, it's enought and very fast to manage.

But then, this question shows that we miss a real interior space tool, that adapt automaticly to this space, that could contain all the interior finishes of a room (floor, ceiling, wall finishes, mouldings, baseboard, profiles, etc) accepting bulding materials, composites, profiles, and scheduling them with it's location in the project.

The Interior wizard extra can do that, but why is it still an extra ? This object that needs to be updated in relation with a zone, is not so efficient as a specific tool could be.  For example it doesn't cover the side of openings...

[glenn_nz]

I agree @Tinou, the Interior Wizard is outdated and has limited functionality, particularly that it's linked to a Zone that doesn't automatically update as designs change (e.g. walls move).

Come on @GRAPHISOFT, make it easy for us to effectively render BIM models!