Architectural Design with SketchUp: 3D Modeling, Extensions, BIM, Rendering, Making, Scripting, and Layout

Alexander C. Schreyer is a Senior Lecturer II and Director of the Building and Construction Technology (BCT) program at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) in Amherst, MA. He teaches courses in AEC BIM/CAD modeling and visualization as well as materials and methods, structural design, and 3D printing. He is an active member of the SketchUp community, speaks regularly at user conferences, and blogs at alexschreyer.net and sketchupfordesign.com. He is also the co-author of Fundamentals of Residential Construction.

Acknowledgments xiii About the Companion Website xv Chapter 1: Introduction 1 1.1 A Multitude of SketchUp Users 1 1.2 How Does SketchUp Fit into the Designer's Toolbox? 2 1.3 Easy 3D for Everyone 7 1.4 Windows or Mac, Pro or App, iPad or Phone? 9 1.5 Trimble's Product Ecosystem 11 1.6 About This Book 14 1.7 How This Book Works 19 Let's Go!. 20 Chapter 2: A SketchUp Refresher 21 2.1 Getting Started and Getting Help 21 2.2 Interface and Program Setup 22 Adjusting SketchUp's Preferences 27 2.3 Working with Templates 29 Setting Units and Fonts 30 Adding Components 31 Views 32 Completed Template 33 2.4 SketchUp's Tool Set 33 Navigating the 3D Model 33 Accurate Modeling 36 Example 2.A: Starting a Pergola 38 Selecting Items 39 Temporary References 40 Example 2.B: Creating Beams for the Pergola 40 Groups and Components 43 Example 2.C: Using Components for the Pergola 45 Applying Materials 52 Example 2.D: Applying Materials to the Pergola 52 Curved and Compound Shapes 56 Example 2.E: Modeling a Post Cap 56 Other Tools in SketchUp 60 2.5 SketchUp's Best Practices and Watch- Outs 62 Chapter 3: 3D Modeling Approaches 65 3.1 Massing and Reference- Based Modeling 65 Using References for Modeling: Location and Images 66 Example 3.A: Location- Based Modeling 66 Example 3.B: Modeling from an Imported Plan 73 3.2 Group- and Component- Based Modeling 78 Effective Use of Groups and Components 79 Staying Organized in SketchUp 80 Generating Reports of Groups and Components 82 Modeling with Assembly in Mind (Virtual Mockup Building) 85 Example 3.C: Trimming Groups Using Two Methods 87 Example 3.D: Assembly Animation in SketchUp 90 3.3 Using Parametric Components to Your Advantage 93 Dynamic Components 93 Example 3.E: Adding Dynamic Components to Your Model 95 Authoring Dynamic Components 97 Example 3.F: Making a Wall Dynamic Component 97 Live Components 101 3.4 Modeling from Point Clouds 103 Laser Scanning 103 Point Cloud Modeling Techniques 103 Example 3.G: Drawing a Structural Column from Point Cloud Data 104 3.5 Where Does SketchUp Fit into the BIM Workflow? 106 Example 3.H: Program Planning with SketchUp's Dynamic Components 109 Making a Space Dynamic Component 110 SketchUp and Revit 112 SketchUp and AutoCAD 113 BIM Classifier and IFC in SketchUp 114 Example 3.I: Using IFC Classifications in SketchUp 116 Chapter 4: Using Extensions Effectively 123 4.1 What Does an Extension Do? 123 4.2 Getting and Using Extensions 124 How Exactly Do Extensions Work? 129 Updating, Uninstalling, and Organizing Extensions 131 4.3 Extensions and Their Applications 132 Extensions for General Modeling 133 Better Curves (Bezier, Spline, Catmull, etc.) 133 Surfaces and Shells 134 Working with Surfaces 135 Freeform Organic Modeling 136 Arranging Components 136 Bending and Scaling 3D Objects 138 Boolean Operations 139 Randomizing Things 139 The Missing Modeling Tools: Shapes, Geometry, Lines, etc. 141 The Missing Editing Tools: Selection, Mirror, Copy, etc. 142 Model Cleaning 143 User Interface Improvements 143 Example 4.A: Creating Trusses 144 Example 4.B: Making Shells in Different Ways 147 Extensions for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Modeling 151 General Architecture Tools 151 Site and Landscape 154 Structure and HVAC/Plumbing 155 BIM and Object- Based Modeling 156 Example 4.C: Mullion Windows 156 Extensions for Digital Fabrication 158 3D Printing 158 Shape Properties (Centroid, Volume, etc.) 159 Cutting and Shop Solutions 159 Unwrapping and Slicing 160 Example 4.D: Slicing Up a Volume 161 Example 4.E: Making a Terrain Model 163 Example 4.F: Unwrapping/Unfolding a