Many design projects feature a grid, to help both in laying out the design and in identifying key locations. For this purpose, VectorWorks provides a dedicated Grid tool, which makes the task of making a grid much easier than the manual method of drawing lines and attaching them to bubbles with letters in them.
NOTE: Having existing objects to snap to is not essential to using the Grid Tool, but it helps, because without them creating the necessary intervals between grid lines is prone to error.
NOTE: Having existing objects to snap to is not essential to using the Grid Tool, but it helps, because without them creating the necessary intervals between grid lines is prone to error.
Start with the intended spaces of the design
These can be either various standard polygons, or polygons that have been converted into Space objects.
These – specifically, their corners – provide the snap points for the intended grid.
These – specifically, their corners – provide the snap points for the intended grid.
Create the horizontal reference
With Snap to Object turned on [1], click the Dims/Notes toolset [2], choose the Grid Bubble tool [3], then click at each of the critical points in the plan along the horizontal [4 – 5].
Make sure to double-click at the last point [5], to indicate that you've finished (otherwise it will just keep going…).
Make sure to double-click at the last point [5], to indicate that you've finished (otherwise it will just keep going…).
Object Properties dialog
The very first time you use this tool, the [grid] Object Properties dialog will appear, asking you what should be the starting mark of the first grid bubble, and other settings. Just OK the default settings for now…
Change Starting Mark.
Change the default 01 Starting Mark to A: this will change the entire series from 01, 02, 03, etc. to A, B, C, etc.
NOTE: The software is clever enough, so that if you choose to start from, say, the letter K, it will start the alphabetical series from that letter, and if from the number 11, it will start a number series from that number. This is useful in many situations, e.g. in designing a new wing to an existing building.
NOTE: The software is clever enough, so that if you choose to start from, say, the letter K, it will start the alphabetical series from that letter, and if from the number 11, it will start a number series from that number. This is useful in many situations, e.g. in designing a new wing to an existing building.
Extend the gridline coverage.
Every grid object has a single selection handle, lying at the end of the first gridline [1]. With the Selection tool, click and drag it well past the end of the building [2] to extend the entire grid object.
Pull back the grid bubbles from the building.
To prevent the grid from getting in the way of the building design, Shift-drag it well away from the building in alignment with the critical points it was created with.
Make grid bubbles at the other end, too.
For ease of reference, turn on the Bubbles Both Ends checkbox in the object's Obj Info palette: this reproduces the bubbles at the far end of the gridlines, where the selection handle is.
Create the vertical grid reference.
Working from the top down, use the Grid Bubble tool to create the vertical grid reference, making sure to click on all critical points – including those further away from the left side of the building (e.g., 3, 4).
As before, remember to double-click at the last point [5].
As before, remember to double-click at the last point [5].
Resulting grid reference.
Taking its cue from the last set that you created, the bubbles may now read A, B, C, D, again. They're also appearing on the inside face of the building, instead of the outside. To fix all this, we use its Obj Info palette.
Flip – and extend.
First, turn on Flip [1] to make the grid bubbles flip to the outside of the building [2].
Then drag the selection handle well past the building on the other side [3].
Then drag the selection handle well past the building on the other side [3].
Bubbles on both ends – and cancel text rotation
Turn on Bubbles Both Ends to have the bubbles appear at this far end [1], then turn off the default Rotate Text option [2].
Finally, change the Starting Mark to 1, to ensure a series of 1-2-3-4- etc. [3].
Finally, change the Starting Mark to 1, to ensure a series of 1-2-3-4- etc. [3].
End result.
The final result – once the vertical reference grid has been pulled back from the building face – is like this.
NOTE: The dimensions between the gridlines are entirely optional: they can be turned off by turning off the Show Dimensions checkbox in their Obj Info.
To avoid getting in the way of the design, this grid is typically placed on a Design Layer of its own. See Setting up Design Layers for more details.
NOTE: The dimensions between the gridlines are entirely optional: they can be turned off by turning off the Show Dimensions checkbox in their Obj Info.
To avoid getting in the way of the design, this grid is typically placed on a Design Layer of its own. See Setting up Design Layers for more details.
Hello. I'm not an architect but just happen to be creating a building plan for someone. I want to know the actual usage of an architectural grid. If I intend to create a room whose size is 12'x12', will the grid for the room measure 12'x12' too. That is, am I to align the center of the walls to the grid lines. Doing this will effectively reduce the room size. I'm using a 8" wall for the design.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, what is the proper way of placing a structural column with respect to an architectural grid. Thanks.
Hello Ndianabasi
DeleteGrids are used in construction drawings to make the job of construction easier and less error-prone (and therefore faster and less expensive): it allows the framers to mark out the positions of the walls quickly. Generally, the grid lines mark the centrelines of the framing elements (incl. structural columns). If you want a particular room to measure exactly 12'x12' between wall faces, you need to take into account the thickness of the walls' composition layers as measured from the centre of their framing elements. In your case, assuming precisely 8" walls on either side, you would space the gridlines at that room at 12' + 4" + 4" = 12'8".
Hope that answers your question, and good luck!