The “Wall Feature” provides three options for window wrapping: None, Exterior, and Interior. However, none of these options are truly viable in practice. Interior finishing materials cannot extend outward, and exterior finishing materials cannot extend inward, as window frames must be securely attached to the structure.
I noticed that the slab feature can help address this issue by automatically intersecting walls and slabs. However, this also introduces another problem: the wrapping materials cannot be grouped into a block. Typically, window details are revised multiple times throughout a project, just like other details. A medium-sized building might have hundreds of windows, and when window details are updated, all these wrapping details need to be updated as well. If blocks cannot be used effectively, revising the 3D model becomes very time-consuming.
I’m curious how other users handle this issue. Does anyone have a better solution?
I’m wonder how other users deal wit this issue. Any better idea?
Hi @Steven_Kim I guess there is no efficient way to handle this right now. In VisualARQ 4 we have plans to make wall layer wrappings stop at openings frame, so you will have a proper way to solve this.
I find it easiest to build those window conditions into the gasshopper window style. It is specifically useful for head and sill conditions. It is already possible to add a sill into a standard visualarq window style, but it messes with the calculation of the window size. So a grasshopper style can add the sill as geometry separate from the Profile curve that cuts the wall. Set the geometry to extend just a hair past the face of the wall so that it renders correctly and you don’t get z-fighting.
By using the head and sill details as part of the window family, you have a bit more global control over a variety of windows sizes with similar head conditions You can also create curves within the grasshopper style that act as a hatch pattern.
Thank you for your response. I have two questions:
Are the head and sill included when you use the opening elevation command? They should not be part of the opening elevation.
Wrapping materials often need to merge properly at the corners. For example, the gypsum board on the interior and the brick on the exterior sides should meet seamlessly, as shown in the attached images above.
We have actually considered this method as well, but for the two reasons above, we are currently exploring alternative approaches. Specifically, we are working on updating the wrapping details through Grasshopper.
Yes the head and sill are shown in the opening elevation, but the automatic dimensions are based on the profile opening, so it is dimensioned correctly. Since I generally either use a window schedule for punched openings or elevation dimensions for storefront / curtain wall, I typically don’t use the opening elevations anyway unless it is an irregular shape.
I would say you could turn off those extra wall bits by layer, but the opening elevation doesn’t seem to retain the referenced object’s layers.
In your gif, I like how that merges the slab and wall finish together. Pretty fancy. But you are right, that becomes a lot to keep up with.
I have consistent hatches between say, the brick wall cladding and the brick sill, but don’t merge them together obviously. You could maybe run an interference check between the two that would clean it up a bit, but may unnecessarily slow down the model.
I’m curious what level of detail yall are taking your models. My 3d BIM model is probably somewhere in the 300 range, anything smaller is being covered in a drafted detail (same approach as revit) with way more info than I would model. Are you doing wall sections from the live model? Details?
Hi @arcus , while reviewing this thread, I came across your suggested method and would like to ask if you could provide a simple example of the GH file for research or a specific description of the combination pattern.
Is it about adding the beam into the GH window style? Or is it about adding an overlapping geometry in the window sill part of the GH window style to achieve this purpose?
I think LOD 300 is good enough for BIM model. We don’t pay much attention to the LOD as long as the 3D modeling is accurate enough for us to make design decisions. We typically produce drawings at a scale of up to 1:50 using the BIM model. More detailed drawings are created through 2D drafting. The LOD of 3D modeling only needs to be sufficient for us and the client to make design decisions. Key point here is “accurate enough”.
Yea I completely agree about accurate enough. I had a professor once tell me that architects don’t make pocket watches.
@HxH The idea I was describing is to just add geometry to the grasshopper file separate from the PROFILE that cuts the wall. It not actually a beam or anything, just breps and/or curves.
Let me try to describe the usage method:
Is it that the Grasshopper style is loaded into the windows style, and then this window sill is inserted into another window, thereby creating the protruding edge?
There looks like some kind of issue with the direction of the header trim and the cut plane. When you created the style. Did you set the Opening Profile to the curve called PROFILE?
I had not thought to overlay a default style window and a grasshopper style window on top of each other. Pretty cool! You could set the IGU to Hidden Visibility and then have it run over top the other windows. I would think that wouldn’t work, but it looks like it does.
@arcus, Yes, I did set the Opening Profile to the curve named PROFILE.
So, there are two methods to get windows head.
A method : combine into customized windows defination .
B method : insert a window style in model then overlay the window with the windows head .
Is the conclusion right ?
Yea I think that sounds about right.
I personally use a complicated grasshopper window style that, among other things, has the head and trim in it. A Method
However, to avoid complicated grasshopper, it looks like it is possible to overlay a standard window style with a grasshopper style that only models the trim, and that style can cover multiple standard windows at once. B Method.
What’s going on with this thing though? Why is it cutting the wall strangely?
