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Drawing & Editing Spaces for Concept Design

Updated over 3 months ago

This guide shows how to use the drawing tools (Rectangle, Line, Arc & Circle) to create 'Spaces' for conceptual modeling in the 'Design mode' on Snaptrude.


Drawing Building Spaces using Freeform Mode

Follow the steps below to draw spaces using the line, arc & circle tools:

Line

Step 1: Activate the Draw Line tool from the design tab or use the shortcut 'L' to start drawing the spaces.

Step 2: Repeat the steps used to create a site to form a closed loop and create a space using the free form draw mode.

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Pro-tip:

1. Lock the axis using the arrow keys for precision in cursor movement.

2. Enter the dimensions for accuracy.

Draw Arc

Step 1: Next, let's draw some spaces using arcs. Navigate to the design tab and select 'Arc' or use 'A' as a shortcut key.

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Step 2: Click the left mouse button to start modeling. Define the distance as well as the radius of the arc by either dragging the cursor or entering a precise value. Follow the same steps to form a closed loop and create a space.

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Draw Circle

Step 1: Now, let's draw some spaces using the draw circle tool. Select the Draw circle tool in the design tab.

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Step 2: Click where you want the center of the circle to be and drag the mouse away or enter the radius value and press enter to create the space.

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Pro-tip: You can work with both Line & Arc tools consecutively while by toggling between both the tools from the design tab or using the shortcuts 'L' and 'A' as shown below.

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Drawing Building Spaces using Offset Mode

Offset modes work by taking the points you provide as reference and then offsetting the space centrally, externally, and internally within a defined width. This method of drawing particularly useful when you wish to create surrounding spaces such as pathways, roads, lawns, etc.

Step 1: Start by activating the draw tool (line, arc or circle). Make sure 'Space' is active in the 'Object type' tab. Then, select one of the offset modes, i.e., center, external or internal, as per your requirement and input the offset width as needed.

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Step 2: Begin sketching the space on the design canvas. Drag the cursor to define the sketch boundary (you can also input the dimension value manually for accuracy). Press enter to finish.

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Editing Spaces

1. Splitting Spaces: To divide a large space into smaller areas, activate the draw tool (line or arc) and click on the 'Free form mode'. Start drawing from one edge of the space and continue the sketch until you reach the opposite edge. The large space will then be split into smaller sections based on your sketch.

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2. Creating Embedded Spaces: Enabling embedded mass enhances the draw tool, allowing you to create masses within larger ones without overlap. This enables flexible space manipulation, including creating space for courtyards or atriums.

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3. Erase Edges: Navigate to the design tab and choose the 'Erase' tool, or press 'E' as a shortcut. Hover over the edge you want to delete, and press Tab to toggle between different spaces. This is useful for selecting between adjacent spaces with different labels and ensures the new space created after erasing the edge inherits the appropriate label.

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4. Other editing options: Use the available editing tools available in the design tab such as Push/pull, Copy/Array, Rotate, Flip, etc to further edit the spaces created. For detailed information on using these tools, visit the Model Editing Tools help page.

In the next tutorial, learn how to label spaces and assign departments to these spaces.

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