Creating Variable Curtain Walls

You can have more control and flexibility on the design of curtain walls.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin:
  • Create a building mass.
  • To define horizontal bands on the variable curtain wall, create reference planes.
  • To define vertical bands on the variable curtain wall, create points.

Create Regions and Bands

You can create curtain wall regions and bands within a variable curtain wall using reference planes and reference points.

  1. From the Building section of the action bar, click Variable Curtain Wall .
  2. In the 3D area, select the face where you want to create a curtain wall.

    You can select multiple faces only if the faces are tangent continuous to each other.

  3. To create horizontal bands:
    1. In the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, click Horizontal Bands .
    2. In the 3D area or from the tree, select reference planes to position the horizontal bands.
    The system places horizontal bands where the reference plane meets the selected face.
  4. To create vertical bands:
    1. In the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, click Vertical Bands .
    2. In the 3D area or from the tree, select reference points to position the horizontal bands.
    The system places vertical bands where the reference points are projected to the baseline of the variable curtain wall.

The system creates regions and bands. Regions in the variable curtain wall are demarcated by the horizontal and vertical bands.

Edit Regions and Bands

You can create unique mullion patterns in bands and regions. You can also share mullion pattern definitions between regions or between bands.

  1. In the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, click Area Pattern to activate the selected faces for editing.

    Alternatively, select a band or region in the 3D area.

  2. To edit vertical mullions in a region or a horizontal band:
    1. In the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, click Vertical Mullion Pattern .
    2. To create a repeating pattern of vertical mullions using the horizontal spacing between mullions:

      1. Click Horizontal Spacing .
      2. Select one of the following anchor lines for the mullion pattern:
        • Center : The system displays the anchor with a vertical blue line at the center of the selected faces.
          Note: To mirror the pattern about the center anchor line, click Mirror .
        • Left : The system displays the anchor with a vertical blue line at the left of the selected faces.
        • Right : The system displays the anchor with a vertical blue line at the right of the selected faces.
      3. Select one of the following panel size refinements to be made at the boundary of the selected area:
        • None : Maintain the panel width at the boundary of the curtain wall area.
        • Shrink : Decreases the panel width at the boundary to avoid creating panels less than half of the narrowest specified panel width.
        • Grow : Increases the panel width at the boundary to avoid creating panels less than half of the narrowest specified panel width.
      4. To create a horizontal running bond pattern, in the 3D area, select a region or a horizontal band. Then, in the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, under Vertical Mullion Pattern, in Row Offset, enter a value.

        The system creates a running bond pattern by applying the row offset value to alternating rows.

    3. To create a number of equal horizontal panels, click Horizontal Count . In the 3D area, enter the required number of panels in the value box.
    4. To create equally sized panels with a horizontal size as close as possible to an optimal value, click Optimal Width . In the 3D area, enter the optimal horizontal size in the value box.
    5. To create equally sized panels with a horizontal size that are as large as possible, but not larger than a maximum value, click Maximum Width . In the 3D area, enter the maximum horizontal size in the value box.
  3. To edit horizontal mullions in a region or a vertical band:
    1. In the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, click Horizontal Mullion Pattern .
    2. To create a repeating pattern of horizontal mullions using the vertical spacing between mullions:

      1. Click Vertical Spacing .
      2. Select one of the following anchor lines for the mullion pattern:
        • Middle : The system displays the anchor with a horizontal blue line at the middle of the selected faces.
          Note: To mirror the pattern about the center anchor line, click Mirror .
        • Top : The system displays the anchor with a horizontal blue line at the top of the selected faces.
        • Bottom : The system displays the anchor with a horizontal blue line at the bottom of the selected faces.
      3. Select one of the following panel size refinements to be made at the boundary of the selected area:
        • None : Maintain the panel width at the boundary of the curtain wall area.
        • Shrink : Decreases the panel width at the boundary to avoid creating panels less than half of the narrowest specified panel width.
        • Grow : Increases the panel width at the boundary to avoid creating panels less than half of the narrowest specified panel width.
      4. To create a vertical running bond pattern, in the 3D area, select a vertical band. Then, in the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, under Horizontal Mullion Pattern, in Column Offset, enter a value.

        The system creates a running bond pattern by applying the column offset value to alternating columns.

    3. To create a number of panels of equal vertical size, click Vertical Count . In the 3D area, enter the required number of panels in the value box.
    4. To create equally sized panels with a vertical size as close as possible to an optimal value, click Optimal Width . In the 3D area, enter the optimal vertical size in the value box.
    5. To create equally sized panels with a vertical size that are as large as possible, but not larger than a maximum value, click Maximum Width . In the 3D area, enter the maximum vertical size in the value box.
  4. To edit patterns in a band or region:
    1. In the 3D area, select a band or region.
    2. To change the position of the band, drag the handle on the blue line.

    3. To change the height or width of the panel in a band, drag the handle on the yellow line.

    4. To include more mullions in the pattern, click a green line. The system turns the selected green line into a yellow line. You can then drag the handle on the new yellow line to edit the height or width of the current set of panels.

  5. To copy dimensions, patterns, or display properties from a region or band:
    1. In the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, click Match .
    2. In the 3D area, select the region or band from where you want to copy a pattern or property.

      Note: You can select regions or bands of the same type. For example, two horizontal bands can match their display patterns, but a horizontal band cannot match their pattern with a vertical band.

Match, Make Unique, or Make Similar

You can replicate or share pattern definition between multiple regions. Horizontal bands can share pattern definition with other horizontal bands. Vertical bands can share pattern definition with other vertical bands.

Context:

By default, all regions in a single variable curtain wall share the same pattern.

  1. To create a unique pattern definition in a region or band:
    1. From the 3D area, right-click the region or band.
    2. Click Make Unique.
    The selected region or band hosts a unique pattern definition.
  2. To share a pattern definition across multiple regions or bands:
    1. Activate the source region or band.
    2. From the 3D area, right-click the region or band that receives the pattern.
    3. Click Make Similar.

      Note: Make Similar appears only when the region or band contains a different pattern definition.

      Important: Make Similar shares the same pattern definition between two regions. After using Make Similar, if you edit one region, the pattern definition is followed in other similar regions.

    Regions or bands of the same type share the selected pattern definition.
  3. To copy a pattern definition from one region to another:
    1. Activate the target region or band.
    2. In the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, click Match .
    3. In the 3D area, select the region or band from where you want to copy a pattern or property.

      Note: You can match pattern definition from a region or band in a different variable curtain wall.

      Important: Match creates unique pattern definitions for both regions. After using Match , if you edit one region, the pattern definition is not followed in other regions.

    The system copies the pattern definition of the active region to the pattern definition of the selected region. The system also copies display properties of the active region to the display properties of the selected region.
  4. To copy an entire variable curtain wall to a new host surface:
    1. From the Building section of the action bar, click Variable Curtain Wall .
    2. In the 3D area, select the new host surface.
    3. In the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, click Match .
    4. In the tree, select the variable curtain wall.
    5. Click .
    The system copies the horizontal bands and regions of the variable curtain wall to the new host surface. Vertical bands are not copied.
  5. To copy a variable curtain wall to the same host surface:
    1. From the Building section of the action bar, click Variable Curtain Wall .
    2. In the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, click Match .
    3. In the tree, select the variable curtain wall.
    4. In the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, click Curtain Options .
    5. In Surface Offset, enter the curtain wall offset.

      Curtain wall offset is measured perpendicular to the panels, away from the building mass. Negative values flip the direction of the offset.

    6. Click .

    Note: You can create variable curtain walls on the same host surface to create multilayer curtain walls or rain screens.

    The system copies the variable curtain wall to the same host surface.

Set Curtain Options

You can set properties that affect the entire curtain wall.

  1. In the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, click Curtain Options .
    The system displays curtain wall options.
  2. To set vertical mullions to follow isoparametric lines on the surface instead of lines formed by vertical plane cuts, click the Isoparametric vertical mullions check box.
  3. To orient the horizontal mullions parallel to the xy plane instead of normal to the surface, click the Horizontal mullions parallel to ground check box.
  4. To merge triangular cells formed by vertical lines intersecting a side of the curtain wall, click the Merge triangular cells check box.
  5. To join mullions, click the Join Mullions check box.
    The system performs a Boolean join operation on mullions. For better system performance, clear the Join Mullions check box.
  6. To create mullions on the edges produced by cutouts, click the Mullions at cutouts check box. The system creates mullions at the edges of doors, windows, openings, glazed panel walls, and other cutouts.
  7. To flip the side of the input faces on which the system creates the curtain wall, click the Opposite side check box.
  8. In Surface Offset, enter the curtain wall offset.

    Curtain wall offset is measured perpendicular to the panels, away from the building mass. Negative values flip the direction of the offset.

Set Area Properties

You can edit the dimensions of mullions and panels in the variable curtain wall.

Context:

In the Variable Curtain Wall dialog box, click Area Properties .

  1. Select the Horizontal mullions check box to create horizontal mullions.
    1. In the Width box, enter the width of horizontal mullions. Mullion width is measured parallel to the surface of the panel.
    2. In the Depth box, enter the depth of horizontal mullions. Mullion depth is measured perpendicular to the panel, toward the building mass.
    3. In the Offset box, enter the offset of the horizontal mullions. Mullion offset is measured perpendicular to the panel, away from the building mass. Negative values flip the direction of the offset.
  2. Select the Vertical mullions check box to create vertical mullions.
    1. In the Width box, enter the width of vertical mullions. Mullion width is measured parallel to the surface of the panel.
    2. In the Depth box, enter the depth of vertical mullions. Mullion depth is measured perpendicular to the panel, toward the building mass.
    3. In the Offset box, enter the offset of the vertical mullions. Mullion offset is measured perpendicular to the panel, away from the building mass. Negative values flip the direction of the offset.
  3. Select the Ascending diagonal mullions check box to create ascending diagonal mullions and select the Descending diagonal mullions check box to create descending diagonal mullions.
    1. In the Width box, enter the width of the diagonal mullions. The mullion width is measured parallel to the surface of the panel.
    2. In the Depth box, enter the depth of the diagonal mullions. The mullion depth is measured perpendicular to the panel, toward the building mass.
    3. In the Offset box, enter the offset of the diagonal mullions. The mullion offset is measured perpendicular to the panel away from the building mass. Negative values flip the direction of the offset.
  4. Under Panel:
    1. In Thickness, enter the thickness of panels. Panel thickness is measured perpendicular to the building face, toward the building mass.
    2. In Offset, enter the offset of the panels. Panel offset is measured perpendicular to the building face, away from the building mass. Negative values flip the direction of the offset.
  5. Under Border Mullions, in Between regions, select the width of the border mullions between regions.

    Note: The system generates the width of vertical and horizontal border mullions using the width of other vertical and horizontal mullions respectively.

    • Half: The system creates border mullions that are half the width of other mullions.
    • Full: The system creates border mullions that are the same width as the other mullions.
    • None: The system does not generate border mullions.
  6. Under Graphic:
    1. Click Panel color to select a color from the Color Picker dialog box. You can use the Color Wheel, Square with Hue, or Hexadecimal color codes to set the color.
    2. To set panel transparency, under Panel color, drag the Transparency slider.
    3. Click Mullion color to select a color from the Color Picker dialog box.
    4. To set mullion transparency, under Mullion color, drag the Transparency slider.