Modeling
About Archicad's design tools, element connections, modeling concepts, etc.

Inserting a mezzanine story...

Anonymous
Not applicable
I have recently learnt ArchiCAD whilst on a work placement during my university studies.

I'd just like to say as a new user I've been really impressed by the software. Having been taught to model in sketchup/3ds and draw 2D in autocad the idea of coordinated BIM modelling was new to me. ArchiCAD is unknown to almost all of my peers at university. It seems a shame that they often dismiss it just from glancing the dated U.I. But to have one model with coordinated plans/sections/elevations seems almost essential now. The whole process is so efficient, whereas before I would model with sketchup, export to model/render in 3DS, and export dwgs to then bodge in autocad. I will be preaching the benefits of archiCAD when I'm back at university in september (although rather disappointingly the need for some more organic modelling will still see me using 3DS)!


Anyway, I've hit a wall with a current project and was hoping someone out there might have the answer:

I have modelled much of an existing hospital site already but have just recieved autocad drawings showing a mezzanine floor that we were previously unaware of!

The missing floor is present in one building at the east end of the site and sits between the ground and first floor slabs. I need to insert a new story without any of the already modelled information moving to the new story heights. Ideally I need all the information currently on the first floor to stay associated to it, and to retain their current z-values. Allowing me to model an intermediate floor on only a small portion of the site.

If the model wasn't already so large (and fully furnished!) I wouldn't have a problem just manually changing the associated stories and z-values.

I've trawled through the forums to find any similar topics and couldn't...so I'm not sure if I'm missing something obvious here?! Thank you for your help though, it's much appreciated.

Simon

HospitalModelOngoing.jpg
7 REPLIES 7
adzik
Newcomer
Hei,

it doesn't necessarily require you to create an extra storey to model that mezzanine floor. You can just change the height of the slab (raise it in the z plane) and then place the furniture and doors, stair etc on that specific height on a storey below the mezzanine floor.If required change the floor plan cut height from Document/Floor plan cut plane and then save the view and place on layout wherever.

Hope this helps 😉
Running ArchiCAD 23 INT.
Fran_ois Chatelain
Contributor
Hi Simon,
you can insert an extra storey where needed, just making sure its height is set to 0, so that it doesn't "jack up" the ones above.
And then using the trace reference above/below give you all necessary visual feedback to model the mezzanine.

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Francois
François Chatelain
Worldwide Digital Imaging
Formerly posting as RanXerox
"A little bump will help blur your reflections"
Anonymous
Not applicable
Hi,

I would recommend making all the adjustments in storey settings to put in the new level and just adjust the ground floor walls globally if possible. It may take a little more time but you will reap the rewards when you cut sections and want to reflect your storey levels correctly. However remember using this way or the "inserting storey level with no elevated height as previous", still allows you to turn relevant storey levels off in your storey section / elevation settings.

Hope this Helps.... 😄
Anonymous
Not applicable
François wrote:
Hi Simon,
you can insert an extra storey where needed, just making sure its height is set to 0, so that it doesn't "jack up" the ones above.
And then using the trace reference above/below give you all necessary visual feedback to model the mezzanine.

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Francois
I use to do that but not anymore.
It seems that 0 storey is not IFC compatible, Storeys are mixed.
Fran_ois Chatelain
Contributor
Hi Philippe,
I didn't know about IFC compatibliy, but how could I have known since I use AC exclusively for modeling

Cheers
François

PS: Lausanne me too
François Chatelain
Worldwide Digital Imaging
Formerly posting as RanXerox
"A little bump will help blur your reflections"
Anonymous
Not applicable
Thanks for all the advice, in the end I did add the additional "zero height" story and forced the object/window association to the relevant storey.

The models really just for internal use so IFC compatability isn't an issue at the moment.

Just a query - I did initially alter the floor plan cut planes but those changes are then applied to all stories... Is there anyway of applying these settings to individual stories??

Cheers

Simon
adzik
Newcomer
Yes you can, but you have to use save each floor plan view separately (or use Cloned folders). The saved views remember the floor plan cut height.
Running ArchiCAD 23 INT.