9: Chapter 9. Create a site

Draw the building footprint for the site plan

• [STEP 1] Acknowledge the overall size of the building.
  • The size of the house part of the Eames House project is 58’-7” x 20’-4.”
• [STEP 2] Select [WALL] from [ARCHITECTURE] tab, under [Build] panel
  Or, Type [WA] on your keyboard
  • Draw only overall exterior walls on level 1
  • Make sure your walls are [Project North] on the [Properties] palette.
  • Confirm the wall is – Basic Wall/Generic-8”, Unconnected Height 20’ 0.”
• [STEP 3] Draw the building footprint
  • Click a drawing area
  • Move the mouse to the right-side
  • Enter 58’7” on your keyboard > press [ENTER] key
  • Move your mouse to the down-side
  • Enter 20’4” on your keyboard > press [ENTER] key
  • Move your mouse to the left-side
  • Click the third point and forth to create the building
• [STEP 4] Move the elevation symbols closer to the close the building
  • Select one elevation symbol
  • Type [MV]
  • And click one point and move the mouse and click the target point to complete the command.
  • Repeat this process to other elevation symbols

Set the project location

This setting is for sun orientation and weather information

• [STEP 1] Select [LOCATION] from [MANAGE] tab, under [PROJECT LOCATION]
• [STEP 2] Enter the project address (Eames House address is 203 N. Chautauqua Blvd. Pacific Palisades, CA) and Select [SEARCH]
• [STEP 3] Select a Weather Station near the project location
• [STEP 4] Click [OK[ to complete the command

Save site information from Google Map

• [STEP 1] Open your web browser and go to [GOOGLE MAP] – https://www.google.com/maps
• [STEP 2] Search the address [for Eames House project, 203 N. Chautauqua Blvd. Pacific Palisades, California]
• [STEP 3] Use [Snipping tool] (search Snipping tool from your program list) – Screenshot – must include the building, and the property line, and the scale on the bottom left corner. For your drawing accuracy, I recommend saving both the map image and the satellite map image.
  
  image credit: search result from Google map

• [STEP 4] Save the snipped image file in JPG file format in your project folder

Insert site information from google map

• [STEP 1] Open [SITE] plan by double-clicking from the [PROJECT BROWSER]
• [STEP 2] Move the project origin to the building bottom left corner
• [STEP 3] Change the orientation to [TRUE NORTH]
  

• [STEP 4] Select [IMPORT IMAGE], from [INSERT] tab
• [STEP 5] Open the project folder and select the google map and click [OPEN]
• [STEP 6] Click on the center of the drawing area
• [STEP 7] Repeat this process for the satellite map
  

Adjust the scale of the imported google map

• [STEP 1] Select the two imported maps by crossing selection
• [STEP 2] Click [SCALE] from [MODIFY/RASTER IMAGE] tab, under [MODIFY] panel
  or, Type [RE] for adjusting the scale
• [STEP 3] Zoom-in to find the graphic scale on the bottom right side of the map
• [STEP 4] Click 0ft – click 50 ft – type 50’ – Enter
• [STEP 5] Move the imported raster maps to be centered
  

Adjust the orientation of the imported google maps according to the building footprint

• [STEP 1] Select the imported google maps
• [STEP 2] Select [ROTATE] from [MODIFY] tab, under [MODIFY] panel
  Or, Type [RO] on your keyboard
• [STEP 3] Select [PLACE]
• [STEP 4] Click the base point to rotate, click an appropriate point to rotate.
  Remember how many degrees you rotated (for Eames House, 75.56 clockwise)
  

• [STEP 5] Relocate the imported google maps, if needed
• [STEP 6] Select only the satellite map > click [SEND TO BACK] from [MODIFY/RASTER IMAGE] under [ARRANGE] panel
• [STEP 7] Select the project base origin
• [STEP 8] Click [ANGLE TO TRUE NORTH]
• [STEP 9] Type [-75.56], and press [ENTER] key (for Eames House, we rotated the google images to 75.56 clockwise, so you need to re-rotate the origin to 75.56 counter-clock-wise)
  

• [STEP 10] Change the view to [PROJECT NORTH] from the [PROPORTIES] to check the plan rotated the right-way.
  

• [STEP 11] Change the view to [TRUE NORTH] from the [PROPORTIES] for the site plan
  

Crop the view to only the site plan area

• [STEP 1] Select [CROP VIEW] and [CROP REGION VISIBLE] from the [PROPERTIES] panel
• [STEP 2] Adjust the region for the view
  

In this tutorial, we will find GIS information from CADMAPPER

• [STEP 1] Open your web browser, go to https://cadmapper.com/
• [STEP 2] Sign up for free if you don’t have the account. Sign on the website.
• [STEP 3] Enter the project address [203 N. Chautauqua Blvd. Pacific Palisades, CA] and search
• [STEP 4] Adjust the area for your project by zooming in and changing the selected area. It is free up to 1 km2
• [STEP 5] Click [CREATE FILE] to generate the 3D model
  
  image credit: Screen captured from www.cadmapper.com 

• [STEP 6] You can see the preview for your confirmation. Click [DOWNLOAD]
  
  image credit: Screen captured from www.cadmapper.com 

• [STEP 7] Once the download is done, open the folder to extract the zip file
  
  image credit: Screen captured from www.cadmapper.com 

• [STEP 8] Extract the zip file
  

• [STEP 9] Copy the files to your project folder and read the License.txt file before you use the file
  

• [STEP 10] Open the LEVEL 1 view
• [STEP 11] Click [IMPORT CAD], from [INSERT] tab, under [IMPORT] panel
• [STEP 12] Open the project folder, change the file type to [DXF files], change colors to [Black and White], change Import units to [meter], Click [OPEN]
  

• [STEP 13] Move the imported CAD site information to the site. To move the map, you have to unpin before you move the site.
• [STEP 14] Switch the view to [SITE] view, Uncheck [CROP VIEW] from [PROPERTIES]
• [STEP 15] Rotate the imported CAD site map to match the imported GOOGLE MAP (75.56 degrees clockwise)
• [STEP 16] Move the imported CAD site map to match the imported GOOGLE MAP.
  • To move correctly, you can switch the graphic display option to [WIREFRAME]
  • Refer to other building locations and road locations to get the right location aligned
    

• [STEP 17] Open [WEST] view
• [STEP 18] Move the imported CAD site map to match the building level 1
  • You can type the Base Offset or manually move to match
    

Create a TOPO SURFACE

Note, Building sight might be completely flat or with little level change. Please try the TOPO SURFACE tool to make the site model.

• [STEP 1] Select [TOPOSURFACE], from [MASSING & SITE] under [MODEL SITE]
• [STEP 2] Select [CREATE FROM IMPORT], from [MODIFY/EDIT SURFACE] under [TOOLS]
• [STEP 3] Select [SELECT IMPORT INSTANCE]
• [STEP 4] Select the imported CAD site map
• [STEP 5] Only check [COUNTOURS] from the ADD POINTS FROM SELECTED LAYERS] window
  

• [STEP 6] Adjust point locations if needed
  

• [STEP 7] Click the green check to complete the topo surface tool

Edit TOPO SURFACE

• [STEP 1] If you want to edit the topo surface, select the topography and select [EDIT SURFACE]
• [STEP 2] If you want to add the point, use [PLACE POINT]
• [STEP 3] If you want to remove the point, select the point and press the [DELETE] key

Topography line setting

• [STEP 1] Select [SITE SETTING] from [MASSING & SITE] tab, under [MODEL SITE].
  • It is a small arrow on the panel
    

• [STEP 2] Set your topo lines
  The increment number depends on your site map scale and how much detail you want to express
  

• [STEP 3] Select [EDIT] for [VISIBILITY/GRAPHICS OVERRIDE]
  Find [TOPOGRAPHY]
  PRIMARY CONTOURS – SOLID / SECONDARY CONTOURS – DASH
  

Clean up the imported CAD map

• [STEP 1] Select the imported CAD map
• [STEP 2] Click [DELETE LAYERS] from [MODIFY], under [IMPORT INSTANCE]
• [STEP 3] Check all except [BUILDING]
  

• [STEP 4] Click [OK] to finish the command
• [STEP 5] Check [CROP VIEW] to see only the region inside
  

Confirm your topo in 3D

Revit is BIM software. Your 2D drawings can show in 3D. It is wise to double-check in 3D view while you build your model

• [STEP 1] To create a 3D view, click the 3D view on the top of the program
  

• [STEP 2] Once you click the 3D view, the 3D view will automatically open. To refer back to this view, you can open the 3D view on Project Browser by double-clicking. If you want to keep the view, you must rename the 3D view. For example, ISO-view-01
  

• [STEP 3] Click [SHADED] to see the color
  

• [STEP 4] Check [Section box] on the Properties and adjust the Section box by adjusting the blue arrow
  

• [STEP 5] Click [Sun path On]
• [STEP 6] Click Shadow
• [STEP 7] Now you can simulate the sun path by drag and dropping the sun
  

Create Building Pod & Property line

For the building pod and property line, you should hide the Topo image by clicking the image, and mouse right-click and select [Hide in view] > [Elements]

• [STEP 01] Go to Site & massing tab – Click [Building Pad]
• [STEP 02] Make sure your building pod is on level 1
• [STEP 03] Draw a closed line
• [STEP 04] Go to Site & massing tab – Click [Property Line] – Create by sketching
• [STEP 05] Use Google Map to draw the property line. Draw a closed line
  

Create Roads

• Go to Site & massing tab – Click Subregion
• Draw a closed line
  

Create Neighborhoods (Trees)

• Go to Site & massing tab – Click Site component
  

Once you finished your site plan, you should hide the Google image.

SAVE the file before closing the application.

Save in a different location for the backup (e.g., a cloud folder)