ArchiCAD Tutorial

Professor Geoffrey Moore Langdon

Nantucket Community Schools



Saturday, March 6, 2004

Introduction, Overview, Hands on Tutorial - Quick Room, First House,
Sections, Perspectives


Time Schedule

9:00-10:00  Introductions, Outline of the course(s), review of how and where
to get the needed software (and special deals from ICS), survey of attendees
to customize the course, overview of classroom hardware and help on installing
the software for practice and homework

10:00-11:00  Overview of ArchiCAD as a tool for Building Designers

11:00-11:15  Break

11:15-12:00  Learning the ArchiCAD Conceptual Approach

12:00-12:45  Break

12:45-1:30   Modeling a Simple Space

1:30-2:15   Quick House

2:15-2:30   Break

2:30-3:15   Short Cuts, Tricks, and Design Techniques

3:15-4:00   Views of the Quick House

4:00-5:00   Questions and Answers


1.   Learning the ArchiCAD Conceptual Approach
     Drawing -   Hands on Play

     New and reset

Drawing and Modeling Entities
a.   Walls - Windows - Doors
b.   Modes - The unique key to ArchiCAD - the ToolBar modes
c.   Objects
d.   Lines, circles/arcs

Viewing and Editing
e.   Views 1  -- zoom, pan, 3D Window, dynamically rotating axonometric view
f.   Dynamic Move-Drag-Stretch
g.   Erase
h.   Methods of Selecting -  arrow tool click vs shift-click
i.   Copy, Drag

Drafting Aids
j.   Line Constraints - Ortho (shift while drawing)
k.   Automatic snaps to points
l.   Views 2  -- image - 3D projection settings, perspective, elevation
m.   Ctrl-Click Trim
n.   Snap Grids
 

2.   Modeling a Simple Space
     Drawing -   Quick room

a.   New and Reset
b.   Relative Coordinates
c.   Placing walls, windows, doors
d.   Placing and Rotating Furniture
e.   Multi purpose shift key (ortho, select add)
f.   Lines/Walls Options - single, continuous, rectangle
g.   Circles and Curves Options
 

3.   Quick House
     Drawing -   Quick House

     New and Reset

a.   Drawing Walls
b.   Typing Distances
c.   Parametric objects -  and how to change their parameters
d.   Door settings
e.   Windows settings
f.   Wall settings
g.   Wall Cleanup Issues  (rebuild, stretch/trim/extend, reference line side)
 

4.   Short Cuts, Tricks, and Design Techniques

a.   Ctrl-Click Extend
b.   Multi purpose Ctrl key  (even works in 3D space)
c.   Fills
d.   Space-Click  autotrace
e.   Stretching/Curving Fills with the pet pallate
f.   Settings Set and Transfer  (Alt-Click, Alt-Ctrl-Click)
g.   Instant automatic roof
 

5.   Views of the Quick House

a.   Sections
b.   Elevations
c.   Perspectives



click here for next week class