How Do I Model Projects Split Across Different Levels?

Reading time: 10 min.

In Archicad, design workflows are closely tied to Stories. Each element belongs to a specific Story, and this shapes how the model is organised. Because of this, planning projects with split levels can be more complex than usual.

In this article you will find:

• The main types of split-level cases.
• What dilemmas tend to come up during planning.
• Methods and tricks for solving them effectively.

Types of Split-Level Cases

There are two main situations:

1. Split levels within the same building
   Example: split mezzanines or multi-storey car parks with ramps.
   The challenge: how to correctly represent the different sections without creating an excessive number of unnecessary Stories.
   
2. Split levels across several buildings on irregular terrain
   Example: a residential complex on a slope.
   The challenge: how to show equivalent floors of different buildings on the same drawing without height differences distorting the documentation.

Split Levels Within a Building

You don't need to create a Story for every small level. This would complicate the workflow. In most cases, you can:

• Model everything within a single Story.
• Save views with different floor plan cut settings for each part of the building.
• Place those views on Layout Book layouts, aligning them along the level-change line.

This method makes it possible to manage mezzanines and level changes without overloading the model.

How to Do It?

1. Step 1. Modelling Within a Story
   1. Model stepped slabs at the required levels
   2. Use the Gravity tool to place the project's elements onto the stepped slabs.
   3. Define the Reference Levels in Options → Project Preferences to position elements relative to those levels or to Project Zero.
2. Step 2. Creating Separate Views
   1. Set the floor plan cut plane appropriately for each part of the building.
   2. Save the views with these individual settings.
3. Composing the Layout
   1. Insert the views onto the layout, aligning them with the level-change line.
   2. Hide the drawing titles and adjust the drawing frame polygon if necessary.

Note: if the height difference is greater than the usual cut-plane height, then it is worth working with more Stories.

Split Levels Across Several Buildings

When designing several buildings within the same project (e.g. sloped developments):

• The most advisable approach is to model each building in a separate file and prepare the documentation independently.
• To present them together in 3D:
  • Insert each model as a Hotlink Module in a host file containing the terrain.
  • This method is excellent for 3D visualisation and coordination, although less practical for documentation.

Split Levels and Schedules

In structures with level changes, some elements (walls or multi-storey stairs) can belong to several Stories. This requires extra attention in schedules:

• Doors and windows are listed according to the Story to which the wall's reference line belongs, which can produce unexpected results.
• Carefully review the organisation of multi-level elements in your schedules.

General Tips

• Decide from the outset how you will organise the Stories in your model.
• Use clear, consistent names for each Story, especially in projects with several buildings.
• Avoid modelling everything in the 3D window: keep the Story logic in place to ensure correct documentation.
• Control Story visibility with the checkbox in Story Settings.
• For the final documentation:
  • Single building → connect views on the same layout.
  • Several buildings → combine documentation from separate files.

Related Articles

• How to Create and Place a Module (.MOD) File in Archicad? – My SIMBIM Centre