How to create a perspective section?

What is a perspective section?

It is an incredibly popular and most commonly used form of architectural representation. It allows you to show not only section drawing but spacing and the building itself. The perspective section is mostly used in architectural competitions and for the clients' presentations.

Step 1: Create Model

Easy start, right?! For perspective section creation, you will need an Archicad model. If you don't have one yet but want to learn this feature, you can download one of the Graphisoft Sample Projects from https://community.graphisoft.com. Search for 'Sample Project.'

That's what we did!

Step 2: Cut Model

The 3D window is the source of your 3D Document, so in the next step we need to create a 3D cut view. There are 2 ways to achieve this: Cutaway (1) & Marquee (2).

1. Turn on Cutaway View > Elements in 3D View > 3D Cutaway command. Create Cutaways dragging it from the sides. Note: If you use Archicad 25+, you can combine 3D Cutaway with the new feature “Hide Selection”. Choose an element, click the right mouse button and Hide Selection.

2: Select elements with the thick dashed line contour marquee (All Stories method) on all Stories of the Project. To show only the marqueed elements in 3D, use the View > Elements in 3D View > Show Marquee in 3D command.

Step 3: Create a perpendicular view

Now we'll use a little trick! The 'Look to the perpendicular of clicked surface' command. It's as simple as it sounds! Click on a surface in a 3D view, and Archicad rotates the camera to face it perfectly.

Find it under View/3D Navigation extras/Look to Perpendicular of Clicked Surface.

Step 4: Create 3D Document

Right-click on the 3D view (Generic Perspective or Axonometry) in the Navigator, and select "New 3D Document" from the context menu. In the appearing dialog type the Reference ID and the Name of the 3D Document. The current view of 3D will be displayed as a3D Document.

Step 5: Set up the Model Appearance

Using the 3D Document's own Model Appearance settings, we can achieve a more representative look by turning the Shadows on. Also, play with settings such as the Fill of Uncut Surfaces and the Uncut and Cut Elements pens.

Step 6: Set the color scheme

Use Graphic Override Combinations to color elements of the view Document/Graphic Overrides/Graphic Override Combinations. Here you will need to decide what elements you would like to color and how.

Create Graphic Override Rules according to your wishes.

For example, You can color elements according to their load (loaded - red, non-loaded - white), their Layer (all furniture – half-transparent, other elements – solid), Element type and other criteria.

Step 7: Add Dimensions and Extras

The converted view is now a 3D Document to which you can add dimensions, labels, and additional 2D drawing elements. To place them use Archicad's annotating tools.

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