Best practice multi scale output from 3D (3D LOD?)

Good morning everyone,

As an architect, I really enjoy working with Rhino, and I’m trying to push it as far as possible as a central design/modeling platform instead of constantly switching between multiple software packages.

I’ve followed this thread Rhino as an AutoCAD Killer — The Ultimate Guide (and the previous version of it) quite closely because I’ve worked professionally with both Rhino and AutoCAD for years. So I’m already familiar with Rhino’s limitations regarding external references, layouts, dynamic blocks, draw order, etc. While I still hope these areas improve in the future, I’ve more or less accepted the current limitations and adapted my workflow around them.

What I’m particularly interested in discussing today is the management of 3D-to-2D output across different scales.

One thing I appreciate in Revit or Archicad is the concept of LOD (Level of Detail). However, I struggle to find an equivalent workflow in Rhino.

Ideally, I would like to maintain a single, unified 3D model that can serve multiple drawing scales:

  • Site plans or urban sections, where the model remains relatively simple for outputs around 1:500 to 1:200.

  • Plans, elevations, and sections, where elements become more refined for outputs around 1:200 to 1:75.

  • More detailed construction drawings, with a much higher level of refinement for outputs around 1:50 to 1:20.

The benefit I see is that you have consistency in your project when design changes.

What usually happens instead is that I end up with an “average-resolution” model somewhere between 1:100 and 1:25. It contains enough detail for renderings, but it’s often:

  • not detailed enough for construction drawings,

  • too detailed for larger-scale outputs,

  • and still requires a significant amount of manual 2D cleanup to achieve clear and readable drawings.

I’m curious to hear how others handle this in their personal or studio workflows.

Do you have any effective strategies, plugins, layer systems, display workflows, or “magic formulas” that help manage this issue in Rhino?

EDIT: Just to clarify, the goal here is to avoid maintaining multiple models for different resolutions.

Looking forward to hearing how the community approaches this. :slight_smile:

PS : I am okay with super rigid/slower 3D modeling method if the end results is clean/faster output
PS 2 : I know small details (1:10, 1:5, 1:2) most of the time are quicker to solve in 2D than in 3D even if I am also a 3D detail lover, this topic is not about that.
PS 3 : Despite my former love for the make2D- and edit workflow - I am really enjoying the new section tool, but hard to use if you edit, then update you lose all your editing (like deleting unwanted lines…etc)

Hello again,

Just to try to bring the discussion alive - has anyone had good experiences with this issue ?