Whether you're an architect or designer, creating precise section views is essential for showcasing intricate project details. Section drawings provide a snapshot of how a design will unfold, making them integral to mechanical planning, interior layout, and structural clarity.
In this tutorial, we’ll walk through the process of setting up a section view in ArchiCAD. Along the way, we’ll touch on organizing layers, customizing the appearance of cut elements, adjusting annotation settings, and even dealing with 3D documents. Let’s dive in.
Available Resources and Downloadables
Before diving into the process, make sure you download the necessary assets that supplement your project. You can find materials, templates, and the project file used in this demonstration on the Patreon platform and on the links shared below. Having these assets will not only save you time but also help you follow along more effectively.
🟠Project Files; https://tinyurl.com/mxk6bvs6
🔵ArchiCAD Resources: https://msbim.store/
🟡MSBIM ArchiCAD Pro Template: https://rb.gy/iec0i
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⚡ArchiCAD Floor Plan Graphics Pack: https://tinyurl.com/26c5wzb8
Understanding Section Views
Before we start, it’s important to define what section views are. A section view is essentially a cut-through of a structure that offers insights into its internal workings.
More than just lines and shapes, these views communicate the relationships between various parts of a building, making it easier to visualize how the plan will materialize. For engineers and contractors, section views are indispensable.
The process starts with drawing a section line across your project’s floor plan. In ArchiCAD, the section line determines where the “cut” will be made. If you’ve already worked on previous modules, you might work with existing section lines. However, in this module, let’s create a new one.
1. Select the Section Tool to begin.
2. Place the line horizontally across your plan, aligning the green direction to the top.
3. After drawing, activate the Arrow Tool to adjust the line’s position.
It’s always a good strategy to align the section line, so it cuts through critical structural or mechanical components, like ducts or walls. In our case, we aim to get a clear view of the mechanical ductwork.
Positioning the Section
Once you've drawn the section line, it's crucial to position it correctly. Select the section using the Arrow Tool and move it over the elements you wish to cross-section. In this scenario, we want the section to cut through and visualize the mechanical ducts.
A simple right-click allows you to "Open with Current View Settings" so that ArchiCAD displays the section exactly as you've aligned it. However, before moving forward, it’s critical to check that all elements of your model are active in the view. To ensure everything is visible:
- Open Layer Settings under the Options menu.
- Select "All layer combinations" and hit OK.
This ensures that no elements are accidentally left out of your section.
Organizing Layers and Naming Conventions
Once everything is visible, it's time to stay organized. Creating a new folder for the section views helps keep everything neat. The folder can be named according to the project’s internal number system. For instance, 06_Section ensures clarity later on when you or someone else works on the project.
Naming conventions play a huge role in every architectural project. It's a good practice to keep all custom names in uppercase letters. This keeps things consistent and easier to navigate, especially when working with several views simultaneously.
Configuring Section Settings
Now, it’s time to define how your section will look. Right-click on the section view and open “Section Settings.” The key here is to focus on model appearance for both cut and uncut elements.
For Cut Elements, you’ll:
- Set the cut field as a uniform surface with a solid black color. This makes the contrast between cut sections and backgrounds clear and professional-looking.
For Uncut Elements:
- Set the surface texture to non-shaded.
- Optionally, toggle surface colors off if you prefer simplicity.
Shadows also contribute to the clean look of a section. In this case, setting the shadow fill pen to 25% transparency strikes a balance between realism and clarity.
Working with Floating Elements
Sometimes, after configuring section views, you might notice elements that appear out of place. These “floating” elements occur due to incorrect levels or mispositioning. The advantage of ArchiCAD’s sections is that you can easily detect these errors. Simply adjust their positions for accuracy.
Managing 2D Objects and Architectural Profiles
To add more depth to your section, you may want to insert 2D elements such as human silhouettes. To do this:
- Go to Options and access Architectural Profiles.
- Search for 2D People and select silhouettes that fit the context of your drawing.
Once inserted into the section, you can adjust the transparency and layer assignment. For example, setting the transparency to 25% makes the 2D characters stand out without overpowering the architectural details. Overwrite the color to ensure consistency with other visual elements in the view.
Preparing Annotations
Annotations are vital for providing context. To create labels, activate the Label Tool and assign the appropriate layers to each annotation. For neatness, align them properly across the section. Misaligned text can clutter the presentation, making it harder for readers to process the information.
To ensure precise placement:
- Use the Arrow Tool to adjust labels.
- Angle the annotation lines between 40° to 60°, depending on available space.
Managing Heavy Visual Graphics
If you’ve worked with 3D visualization before, you know that handling dense graphics can slow down performance. This can happen especially when using high-quality images or complex elements in a section.
On slower machines, patience will be your best strategy, but you can try optimizing elements like textures or model details to reduce the load. But if you’re focused on quality, some delays are inevitable.
Setting Up Layouts and Legends
To bring everything together, you’ll need to set up layouts. Open the Layout Book and create a new layout for the section. You can name it “Section View” and choose a master layout template that fits your needs.
Don’t forget to include a legend that lists all the project elements. This is critical for anyone who will reference your drawing, allowing them to follow along with each labeled part. A legend can be generated by creating a simple report of items with fields describing their IDs and element descriptions.
Adding a Final Touch with 3D Document Views
For even more depth, convert your 2D section into a 3D document view. To do this:
- Save the section as a 3D View and convert it to a 3D Document.
- In the document settings, define appearance settings for shadows, cut pens, and fill colors similar to the 2D version.
Once created, these 3D views are often slower to generate and manipulate, but they provide a different level of insight into your design.
Conclusion
Creating custom section views in ArchiCAD requires careful planning, but by following the outlined steps, you can craft professional-grade section drawings that represent your design vision accurately.
From setting up the section line to tweaking appearance settings, every detail counts. Engaging with the 3D document and handling heavy graphics might require some patience but, in the end, results in an engaging, informative section view that’s perfect for presentation.
Remember, accuracy and consistency in layer management, naming conventions, and annotations are key to producing clean, understandable section views. Now it's your turn—Download the MSBIM 2023 PRO ArchiCAD Template Now!
