You can start adding walls anytime you have enough information to place them. In projects with a column grid, it is usually convenient to layout the grid first. This is what we did here. But you can start right in with adding walls instead if you wish. The process to adding walls is simple: layout walls in rough locations first and then come back and modify their locations, sizes and types. For this example, we will use the column grid to help us locate walls. If you are working in a project that doesn’t have a grid, simply click approximate points first and then move the walls to their proper locations later.
Catch-up file completed to this point: 05_Medical Center_Ext_Walls_A.rvt
Be sure that Level 1 floor plan is the current view. Close any other open view tabs or windows.
Figure 5–1 Run the Wall tool and configure the settings
Pay attention to the orientation of the walls before you click. If the rectangle is being formed inside of the two corners, tap the spacebar to flip to the outside before you click the second point.
Figure 5–2 Use the rectangle option to create the first four walls snapped to grid intersections
Figure 5–3 Create the rough layout of the building footprint with three overlapping rectangles
Catch-up file completed to this point: 05_Medical Center_Ext_Walls_B.rvt
Now that we have the basic exterior walls in place, we can use some standard tools to clean things up a bit. We have a few techniques we can use. The basic premise with all of them is the same: quickly sketch the rough form first (as we did in the previous steps) then modify the form.
Two temporary dimensions will appear tying its location to the walls at its left and right.
Figure 5–4 Use a temporary dimension to move a wall
The wall will move to the left. Next let’s clean up the overlapping portions (see Figure 5–4).
Figure 5–5 The Trim/Extend to Corner tool
13. Click the horizontal wall at Grid G. Click on the left side of the wall.
14. Click the lower portion of the wall at Grid 5 (this is the one we just moved). Be sure to click the part below Grid G (see Figure 5–6).
Figure 5–6 Click the two walls to join in a corner condition - be sure to click the side you want to keep!
You always need to click the portion of the wall that you wish to keep. So, if you got the wrong thing, click the Undo tool (or press ctrl + z) on the Quick Access Toolbar and try again.
Figure 5–7 Use Trim/Extend to Corner at the wall intersection at Grids D and 6
Figure 5–8 The Trim/Extend to Single Element Tool
Figure 5–9 Click the two walls to join in a “T” condition – First click, boundary, second click, the side you want to keep!
Figure 5–10 Use Trim/Extend to Single Element at the wall intersection at Grids E and 9
Clicking on an element selects that element. Clicking a second element deselects the first and selects the new one instead. To select several items at once we have a few methods:
Practice each selection method. Click in empty space or press esc to deselect everything.
We can adjust the heights of the exterior walls on the Properties palette. To do this, we want to select several walls at once.
Be sure to practice the methods just mentioned and in covered in “Selection” above. From now on, selection methods will be referenced by name.
Figure 5–11 Chain select the walls on the right
Figure 5–12 Edit the Unconnected Height of the selected walls
Alternatively, use the levels to set the height of the walls.
Notice that this makes the Unconnected Height “read only”.
Unconnected height now displays a new value based on the height of the Roof level plus the additional 3'-0". This top offset will represent a parapet for these walls (see Figure 5–13).
Figure 5–13 Assign the height of the walls to the Roof level plus a parapet offset
Figure 5–14 Change the height of the left most walls to Level 2
Let’s view the result in 3D.
Figure 5–15Open the default 3D view
Figure 5–16 Open the default 3D view and have a look around
