AC_CHE-0 ArchiCAD Swiss Version Foundations

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About this Tutorial

This course is intended for first time ArchiCAD Swiss Version users and/or modeling as subject. Self-taught users can also profit from these structures to consolidate essential concepts. You will find step-by-step explanations while allowing time for exploring the software with me, this way gaining the first experience with its user interface. We will spend a lot of time just looking and discovering ArchiCAD’s interface. Finally we will import a hand sketch and model it: a foundational skill essential for every architect. 

Skill level and duration

Level: First Time Users 

Duration: Half an afternoon 

In this tutorial you will learn

1. Overview

2. Navigation and User Interface

3. Workspace Setup 

4. 3D Model a Hand Sketch

The materials you will need

1. Your Laptop and an active internet connection to download the software. 

2. Download course exercises

Tutorial content

• 4 Videos 

• Full Tutorial Script 

• ArchiCAD Native Files for Following the exercise 

• ArchiCAD Template File 

Why take this tutorial

ArchiCAD is an incredibly versatile and widely used BIM software. Here you will have your first taste of the program, this will be useful to later start practicing and learning about the tools, skills and tips found in ArchiCAD. Learn about the interface and the navigation, understand the configuration of the workspace and then finally take a risk modeling a hand sketch. You will find all of this is super useful for an architect.

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1. Overview 

Download a AchiCAD license or trial program for Mac or Windows.

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2. Navigation and User Interface 

2.1. Start Window

1. Neu Projekt.

2. Vorlage: Basic Vorlage

3. Arbeitsumgebungs - Profil: Voreingestelltes Profil

2.2. Where everything is

1. Left Bar of Planung. 

2. Top Bar of Infofenster.

3. Favoriten of Prepared Tools.

4. General Buttons.

   • Suchen & aktivieren

   • Parameter aufnehmen

   • Fanghilfen Button

5. 3D Schnitt ausführen.

6. Ebenen - Umschalter.

7. Menüstruktur.

2.3. Project, View and Layout Map

1. Navigator.

   1. Projekt-Mappe.

      1. Geschosse.

      2. Schnitte.

      3. Ansichten.

      4. Arbeitsblätter.

      5. 3D

   2. Ausschnitt-Mappe.

      1. Ausschnitt sichern.

   3. Layout.

   4. Export.

2.4. 3D Objects vs. 2D Objects

1. Be careful to difference between the objects you create and if you are going to see them in 3D view. There are only few elements in 2D you are going to visualize in 3D view and BIM views, the rest is only 3Dimensional objects. When you are drawing in 2D you are creating only in the view you are drawing, the 3D objects are the only ones you can visualize in all the BIM complexity.

2.5. Navigation

1. To Zoom in and out: Scroll Mouse Wheel

2. To Pan: Click Mouse Wheel

3. To Orbit: Shift + Click Mouse Wheel

4. To Change View: Active Tab or Navigator

5. To Select Any near Object: Active Schnell-Auswahl

6. To Edit Selection Shape: Geometriemethoden

7. To Change Selection Method: Auswahlmethoden

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3. Setup Workspace

*Who doesn’t want to set Arbeitsumgebung manually, skip to chapter (3.6) Import Arbeitsumgebung.

3.1. Buttons

1. Remove Schweizer Architekturleiste. We do this in Verwaltung > Symbolleiste, and click on Schweizer Architekturleiste

2. 1.      Go to Verwaltung > Symbolleisten > Symbolleisten.

3. Edit Symbolleisten Standard.

4. Organize Comman by Alle befehle in alphabetischer Reihenfolge

5. Search and Add commands:

   • Add Trennelement

   • Ein geschoss höher

   • Ein geschoss tiefer

   • Gehe in Geschoss

   • Add Trennelement

   • Echte linienstärke

   • wand - & träger - Referenzlinien

   • Zeichnungsrahmen

   • Dicke Schnittkenten

3.2. Organizer

1. Open the top left Button over the Navigator.

2. Select Organisator anzeigen.

3. Take out of the side the Navigator and delete.

4. Fit the Organisator on the right side.

3.3. Transparentpause

1. Transparentpause

   • You can Find the command in Optionen > Transparentpause

   • Or set the Toolbar in Verwaltung > Symbolleisten > Weitere Symbolleisten > Standard 3D Jony

   • Its fundamental to keep this tool in hand, it’s going to be of great use in these exercises and in general for the work of architecture in BIM ArchiCAD.

3.4. Adjust Working Units

1. Go to Verwaltung > Grundeinstellungen > Arbeitseinheiten

2. Select Meter

3. Adjust Dezimalstellen to:2

4. OK and Exit.

3.5. Save Arbeitsumgebung

1. Arbeitsumgebung

   1. To find these options go to Verwaltung > Arbeitsumgebung

   2. Go to Arbeitsumgebung and select Neues Profil…

      1. Profilname: 3DJony Standard.

      2. Anwender Voreinstellungen: Schweizer Voreinstellungen 27.

      3. Büro-Standard-Schemata: Schweizer Büro-Standard 27

      4. Tastaturkürzel:  Schweizer Tastaturkürzel 27

      5. Werkzeuge: Schweizer Architektur-Werkzeuge 27.

      6. Arbeitsbereich-Schemata: Individuell.

      7. Befehle: Individuell.

      2. Exportieren Arbeitsumgebung.

3.6. Import Work Environment

1. Start with Basic Vorlage.

2. Go to Verwaltung > Arbeitsumgebung > Arbeitsumgebung.

3. Select Importieren.

4. Browse for Downloaded folder: AC-0 Learning Materials.

5. Accept.

6. Pick Folder AC-0_1.

7. Apply and set as Default.

8. Accept and Exit.

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4. 3D Model a Hand Sketch 

4.1. Import and Scale

1. Create a New Arbeitsblätter

2. Adjust Scale to: 1:100

3. Drag and Drop the PDF Erdgeschoss

4. Move it near the Point 0

5. Resize JPEG: Ctrl + Shift + H

6. To Measure: Q

4.2. Trace Reference

1. To Save View: Ausschnitt-Mappe > Aktuellen Ausschnitt sichern

2. From the Projekt-Mappe > Erdgeschoss: Right Click

3. Select Arbeitsblätter > als Transparentpause enzeigen

4.3. Morph

1. From the Toolbar start: Morph

2. Draw the contours

3. To Close Polygon: Hammer Cursor Icon

4. To Draw Curve: Pet Palette Options > 3 Point Arc

5. To Reference a far point. Activate Snap Guide

6. To Draw a Rectangle > Geometry Method Rectangular

4.3. Extrusion

1. Go to 3D View.

2. To extrude: Pet Palette > Push & Pull

3. Snap to make the same height as other volume

4. To Add a vertex: Pet Palette (PP) > Add Dot

5. To Make a Curve: PP > Arc Point

6. To Fillet or Chamfer PP > Fillet & Chamfer Edge

7. To add Points: PP > Sketch Pen

8. To Create a Door PP > Push & Pull

4.4. Export STL

1. What you see in 3D is what you Export

2. To Show only selected: Ctrl + F3

3. Go to File > Sichern Als…

4. Select formal“STL Stereolithography

5. Save Format: Date_Description_Scale

6. Set Scale.

7. Save

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