Archicad Tutorial #80: Site Modeling in Archicad

In this video I look at a five different site models in Archicad and discuss a variety of techniques used in each. The video is over thirty minutes long, so if you want to jump around, here are some time codes:
00:00 Introduction
01:41 Model #1: site basics (meshes and slabs)
03:08 Holes in meshes
04:25 Mesh node height changes
05:10 SEO for sidewalks and driveways
07:22 Slab sidewalks
07:52 Stairs
08:14 Rock walls (Boulder Object)
09:15 Adding contours to meshes and changing contour heights
10:38 Model #2
11:33 Aligning mesh contours between two meshes
12:33 Show/Hide mesh ridges and Smooth vs. Sharp ridges
13:25 Rock walls (Mesh)
14:00 Hot Tub Column!
14:18 Model #3
15:07 Rock walls (Sloped Walls)
15:48 Trees and plants
16:49 Rebuild Model (for trees that face the camera)
17:09 Neighboring houses (Morphs)
20:42 Model #4
20:50 Neighboring houses (Beams)
23:09 Fences (Railing)
23:36 Mesh roads and curbs
24:30 Renovation Filter (before/after model)
25:42 Model #5
27:33 Modeling a site, a few different ways (chopping up meshes part 1)
28:30 Adding contours to a mesh (THIS IS IMPORTANT!)
29:40 Modeling a site, a few different ways (chopping up meshes part 2)
31:49 Site walls with sloped tops (Polygonal Openings)
32:47 Outro and Thanks
All the models in this video were created using the Shoegnome Open Template and the Shoegnome Work Environment for Archicad. Links below:
www.shoegnome.com/template/
www.shoegnome.com/work-environ...
As always the template and work environment are free; a good Archicad template (and work environment) is too important to horde. If you want to click the PayPal button on the template or work environment pages to support my endeavors and encourage future development, that's wonderful. Whenever people do that, it makes my day.
Here's a link to the original blog post this video is from:
www.shoegnome.com/2021/10/17/i...

[@fusionbim]

Aha! I like the double SEO and neighbouring building Beam you're doing Jared. So cool to see your daughter participating along 😃

[@Shoegnome]

Thanks. The building as Beam trick is really great and easy. Also it can be saved as a favorite!

[@mizraeable]

Such an informative video and your daughter did a fantastic job at editing! Thanks Jared and Maddie!

[@Shoegnome]

Thanks!

[@doragemenetzi1492]

The most holistic approach I have come across regarding terrain and mesh out there. Took me a while to find it, thanks for this!

[@Shoegnome]

You're welcome!

[@genekniaz1207]

Thanks for this Jared - it's been a huge help on a current project!

[@nalituts]

Double SEO works like magic😍

[@Shoegnome]

Such magic! I actually wonder if it's a bug because it seems like it shouldn't be doable. But it works and has worked for well over a decade. I actually first learned of the technique from a video Eric Bobrow did back in November of 2010.

[@MorningThief_]

@@Shoegnome great workaround! the downside to that, i guess is when you do cut a section through the double-intersect & the cut fill you see will be of the site (earth cut fill) & not the road cut fill (conc / composite)...which is exactly what i want. i want the Mesh tool to have significant improvements where you can have segmented composites -- asphalt & roadbase are at their proper thicknesses & below it is the site/earth fill. the asphalt & roadbase thicknesses move up/down like a typical mesh & anything below that is the site/earth fill -- all in one Mesh. basically, a "Segmented Mesh". can't stand having to model multiple meshes with multiple SEOs just to get it appear accurate in both the 3D model & Section...

[@Shoegnome]

The Mesh tool is in desperate need of an upgrade. It has basically had zero improvements since it was added to Archicad. We really need a Mesh with a bottom that follows the top and the ability to apply a composite to its thickness like a Slab or a Roof. I agree. This work around is great, but frustrating that there's not a better answer.

[@MorningThief_]

@@Shoegnome I hate to say it, but I prefer the Floor Tool from a certain architecture software which will not be named, simply because you can have it's thickness retained at whatever ridge height you need it to be.

[@Shoegnome]

Hard to argue with that!! Archicad, get your act together!

[@LearningArchicad]

shared

[@Shoegnome]

Thanks!

[@23strawbale]

great video, thanks! Can you share a screenshot of the graphics overide settings to create the transparent walls effect? Many thanks.

[@Shoegnome]

Sorry just seeing this comment. The G.O. is in my template. Grabbing that off my website will be the easiest way to see the exact settings.

[@emresenoglu]

Hey jared, great video with some really nice small tips! Could you elaborate on how you transform the survey data to a 'user friendly' mesh? **edit** oops i was a bit too fast to post this, as you actually show it later on in the video ;) do you get all your survey data in contours? i am curious if you ever tried creating a mesh from xyz data and how useful you find the current import tool.

[@Shoegnome]

:) Glad I answered the question in the video! I've imported xyz data before, just as a test, but I don't bother with it on live projects. It's so fast to trace a survey with polylines and simplify the contours in the process, that that's what I always do. I think of doing the polyline solution as a little bit of zen time.