Vector-workout Guide to Residential Concept Design 2010

[Jonathan Pickup]

Many of my clients want to use Vectorworks just for conceptual design. This means that the users often want a cut-down Vectorworks interface that just shows the tools they want, to make it faster to draw. Often these users do not want to draw the walls of the building, they want a quick way of modeling the building, a way to see the building on the site, and they want to be able to check the building with a solar study.

What they don't want is a long course that covers all 2D drawing, followed by a long course that goes into loads of Architect tools.

In response, I have made a Vector-workout Guide to Residential Concept design. Like all the Vector-workout manuals, this one is movie based. If you do not like too much reading, this is the manual for you. The manual contains over 40 movies, with a total running time of over and 1.5 hrs.

I have kept these notes as concise as possible, so you just get the important stuff.

We start with customizing Vectorworks. This is to get rid of all the tools and commands that are cluttering up your screen and making it hard to see the tools you really want.

Then, we set up our document. We need to get the page size, dimensions and layers set up correctly. If we make a good job of it, the file can be saved as a template to use again and again.

Creating rooms using space objects is really useful. Spaces can report the name, actual area, proposed area and so much more. Spaces are 3D in objects that can be color-coded to help you and the client understand the concept.

If space objects don't give you the shapes and forms you want, you can use some of the simple 3D modeling techniques.

We will create a site in 3D using Site Modeling. Site modeling is better for a building site because it creates contours, allows you to move objects to site on the site and allows you to cut and fill the site. When the site is completed we will connect the concept model to the site and quickly draw the adjoining buildings.

Visualization is important. We will look at setting 3D views and manipulating them. We will not be looking at all the 3D view options, just the best ones. We will also look at a solar study of the project, and a solar animation that will show our project from sunrise to sunset.

Finally, we look at taking the concept model to the next stage using simple walls, doors, windows and roofing.

I'm really excited about this manual, here is my introductory movie from the manual.

Buy it from this button, or from novedge.

I have developed an online course around this manual. The online course is only 6 (1hr) sessions, and could easily be completed in 2 or 3 weeks. So see details of this course please visit this web site.

Edited March 20, 2010 by archoncad

[C. Andrew Dunning]

And, for those of you who have been following this thread, you might be interested in reading Jonathan's ArchonCAD Blog. Worthwhile reading from someone who trains users and writes manuals. I never fail to learn at least a little something from Jonathan's articles...

[Jonathan Pickup]

In one of the recent blog, I talk about Productivity being about more than speed. I was talking to Andrew Dunning and I was really impressed with his new tools. It got me thinking about productivity and quality. how you can improve the quality of your work by using the correct tools and techniques.

http://archoncad.blogspot.com/2010/04/productivity-is-not-just-about-speed.html