Can I make a VisualARQ window using 3D shape as a opening?

Hi,

I am modelling an old mansion building with Rhino and VisualARQ and I am trying to figure out ways to model lots of non-conventional door and window shapes. I am using VisualARQ door and window objects with Rhino blocks as a window model. The problem is that I don’t seem to be able to adjust the 3D shape of the window opening. There are lots of ways to control the 2D shape of the opening in window styles editor but no way to change the opening shape to 3D object .

I did a workaround using solid object and ViualARQ’s solid substraction. The workaround gives me the result I am trying to achieve but it makes modelling unnecessarily complicated since I need dozens of objects and solid substraction operations. Placing a window on a wall surface that has a substraction makes it difficult to control window’s allignment offset accuarately.

I wonder if it is possible to create a window object (as a grasshopper style or something) that cuts a hole for a window AND makes boolean operation to the wall at the same time?

Thanks for help. The picture below hopefully clarifies what I am trying to accomplish.

Tuomas

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Hi Tuomas,
Right now it is not possible to define a solid as part of a door or a window that performs the opening inside a wall. So you have to do it manually as you are doing it now. We have plans to implement this feature in future VisualARQ versions, so I add your vote for this request.
Something that could be automated (in Grasshopper) is the generation of that solid based on the selection of the windows. You can obtain the window dimensions and the host wall thickness, in order to generate the solid to subtract from the wall.

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Okay. Thanks for the answer and the tip. In many restoration projects this kind of door and window shapes are really common. Getting that feature to VisualARQ in the future would be great.

Hello,
Tuomas, there is a method, maybe not a perfect one but still you can get what you want. For such windows or doors I use just blocks. And when I need a profiled openings some part of them are just various wall elements. The problem is with quantity estimations…



The drawback is you have to get several blocks, for each wall type. But the good thing is you can always modify these block, contrary to when subtracting solids.
Cheers, Jaro

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Hello Francesc

I have the same challenges as Tuomas. Those types of windows are very common in old buildings. Frequently, the wall bellow the window pane is made in a different material/construction system. Hence, another workaround would be to make the void separate from the thinner wall pane where the window opening is inserted. That leads me to my current question: modelling voids on walls without windows? Is there a way to do this other than solid subtractions?

Hi @Filipe_Brandao
You can try the Opening object (vaOpening command) that works as a window but it just performs an opening into a wall (it can have a Frame component, which is useful to select it. Take a look at this post for more details about openings: https://www.visualarq.com/support/tip/how-can-i-create-and-select-openings/ ).
But it has the same limitations as windows, in terms of performing the cut into a wall, so I’m not sure if they would help you in that case.

Is there no way to control the section of profile of the frame?

You can do that with a Window/Opening created with a Grasshopper style: https://www.visualarq.com/learn/grasshopper-styles/doors-windows/

It seems that it is not possible to create an opening with a grasshopper style… The option is not available on the menu.

Hi @Filipe_Brandao you are right, we haven’t implemented this feature on Opening objects yet. But you can use a Window object instead.