HOW TO create any kind of complicated/fine work 3D in ArchiCAD

I know, I know, not many firms out there use ArchiCAD anymore, but thank god there is still some and for those who do, like us, this is for you :)

Fretwork for federation house

Usually, if you are not after much detailed 3D work, using the slab and wall tools are sufficient enough to get the job done. you would get the basic shape of this fretwork. However, if you are after delivering an exact representation of the existing house, like above, this tutorial is for you.

We are going to work on a plane and save the work as an OBJECT  to then be used in your 3D. 

STEP 1

On the ArchiCAD file you are working on, start by importing an image of your fretwork in AC (short for Archicad, I will be using this word a LOT, I just realized) on a blank story level. 

Click on the 'figure tool'. It looks like a little house icon. You can pretty much import almost any kind of file into AC with this tool, PDFs, JPEGs, TIFs.. like so.. 

After you are done, start drawing out the outline of the fretwork using the 'line tool' combined with the 'spline tool', depending on whether you are doing straight lines or curved ones. 

Having the dimensions of that front veranda helps. Then I know approximately how high the fretwork is going to be. 

The outlined drawings is the only things I wouldn't be able to do if I was only using 'wall tool' or slabs.

STEP 2

Now, make sure that all of your lines and splines are connected to each other. If there is even 1 millimeter of open space between your lines, this wont work. 

To do this, select all of your line work, go to your 'Tools' tab and click on unify.

After you are done, choose the the 'slab tool', click on settings and change the thickness to 20, and materials to whatever you want.

Click OK. Hold space bar down and hover your arrow to the outer edge line of the fretwork. Your arrow will become a little magic wand. Click once and you will have a slab in the shape of the fretwork with the holes cut out where needed. If there are no hole, just cut them out.

STEP 3

That's the basic for pretty much any shape that you are after. 
Now, to save it as a GSM object, select the fretwork slab, go to -- image tab -- 3D projection settings.

It should be on parallel projections settings. choose side view.

The camera should be looking at it from whichever side that will be the top of your desired shape. If you have drawn the shape right side up, the camera should be at 90 degrees on 'Azimuth' as shown below. Click OK.

The 3D view will be as such

STEP 4 - last one

Now whilst still being in your 3D view, all that is left to do is to go to -- file tab -- GDL objects -- click on Save 3D model as... 

Name your AC object as fretwork1 (whichever is easiest for you to know what it is). Save it in a folder named 'library objects folder' where it will be easy for you to find again. Click save.

It will ask you --- save as library part -- an object. that's what you want. 

Click save again and you are done!

Now, go to your 'object tool' your fretwork should be in the OTHER OBJECTS folder on the left hand side. select it and click ok. click it on your screen and you will see that its the top view of your object. 

Now you have your fretwork in a vertical position and not flat anymore.

3D view it and it looks like this!

This tutorial is for users with basic control of ArchiCAD functions. I hope it is pretty easy to understand and you found it useful. Ask questions if you need to! 

End result! TADA! 

Cheers

V