Archicad Layout of Drawings

NOTE: It is important that house features (Walls, Cabinets, Floors, etc.) Have been placed on the proper layer and layer
combination for ease of transferring your final drawings to the layout.

Project and Title Block Information

1. Drop Down Menu File > Info
2. Fill out the following information
a. Contact Company: BHS
b. Contact Address: 7878 Brighton RD
c. Contact City: Brighton
d. Contact State: MI
e. Contact Zip Code: 48116
f. Project Name: Res. House
g. Client Company: May make up a name if you choose (must be school appropriate) or delete from Master Rep
h. Client Full Name: May make up a name if you choose (must be school appropriate) or delete from Master
Rep
i. Project Number (PLN): 1
j. Drawn By (CAD Technician): Last Name Only
Drawing Setup
1. Navigator Palette must be open
a. If not open go to Windows > Palettes > Navigator
2. Select the Layout Sheet Icon Navigator

Name of File

Layout Sheets

Pre Made Border and

Title blocks

These will be the sheets that we will create our layout on. The initial setup is for the wrong size title block and paper.
We will delete these and replace them with our own. We are unable to delete all of the drawings at once. So we will
create our own first and then delete the other six. NOTE: Be sure not to delete the Masters; these have the pre-
drawn border and title blocks.
3. Creating a new Layout
a. Right Click on > Name of File > Select New Layout Sheet > Set the following
i. Layout Name: Cover Page
ii. Master Layout: 11 x 17
iii. Click Create

4. Deleting Extra Layout Sheet.

a. Select A-1 Cover Sheet > Hold Shift > Select A-7 Details > Right Mouse Button > Select Delete Layouts

5. Create the following Layout Sheets using the same setting paper as the Cover Page
a. Cover Page
b. Plot Plan
c. Floor Plan
d. Foundation Plan
e. Exterior Elevation 1
f. Exterior Elevation 2
g. Interior Elevations
h. Photo Renders
6. Filling out the Title Block
a. Click on the + Sign next to the Masters > Double Click on the 11 x 17 Master
i. This will load the screen with the master sheet. Notice how all of the lines turned from Red to Black.
Black represents The Master Sheet: Whatever is added here will be added on all other layout sheets
Red represents an Individual Layout Sheet: Whatever is added is only on the individual layout sheet.
ii. Select the file name on the left hand side of the border > Press Delete Key to eliminate

b. Fill out the Title Block we can fill out the information through the file information
i. Go To File > Info > Project Info > Fill out the Following
1. Project Name: Residential House
2. Contact Info
a. CAD Technician Full Name: Your Name
b. Client Company/Name: Makeup a company name or person who you are designing
the house for (Be sure it is School appropriate)
c.
d. Contact Company: BHS
e. Contact Full Address: 7878 Brighton RD Brighton, MI 48116
3. Click Ok and Look at the master > Notice how the information is filled in. May go back into
Project Info and add other details.
 7. Adding Views From the Drawing
We will start on the Floor Plan Page to load the floor plan on the border and title block. Note: That if layers and
layer combinations are not correctly setup you will need to go back and modify the layers. See the website for
the correct layers and layer combinations
a. Double Click on the A-3 Floor Plan in the Navigator Palette
i. To Place a drawing Right Click in the work Area > Select Place Drawing >Software may ask to place on
a layer: Choose Archicad Layer> a pop up window will appear showing all of your drawings you have
created (I.E Floor Plan, Elevations, Etc.)

Allows user to import other files. I.E

Cabinet Schedules from Excel, jpegs,
etc.

Shows Navigator window

Shows Details of Drawing

 ii. Select 1st Floor under Schematic Design > Click Place > Two things may happen
1. View Shows up as needed Continue onto step iii
2. Rectangular box shows up that is empty. This means that there is not proper layer
combination selected

Example of Blank Drawing

a. Select View > Right Mouse Button > Select Modify Source View Settings
b.

Change Layer Combination to the

correct one. In this Case Layer
combination should be Floor Plan.

If proper drawing does not show up.

Go back to the floor plan > check the
following

1. go into layer settings (CTRL-

L) and update the Floor Plan
Layer combination with the
correct layers
2. Make sure construction
features (walls, slabs,
cabinets, etc.) are on the
correct layer.
iii. The Drawing May come in larger than the page > Select the View > Click on Default Settings in the
Info Bar to load the views Properties > Modify the following

Default Settings

Identification Tab
1. Drawing ID: Custom (Leave Blank)
2. Drawing Name: Custom > FLOOR
PLAN
3. Update Type: Manual (Only updates
image when you tell it to change.
Allows you to turn on/off layers
without modifying the layout)

Properties Tab
Allows user to adjust size of the
frame. Select Drawing Scale and
choose a listed scale. Do not use
custom scales for drawings. May
use Custom Scales when loading
jpegs, excel charts, etc. Where
scale does not matter

Title Tab
Allows user to adjust settings for
the Title. May need to turn off title
for features that do not need a title
(See Webpage for details) or adjust
the text height or location of
features (Title Name, Scale, etc.)
DO TURN OFF GRAPHIC SCALE
Final Result
 8. Trimming Views
a. Double Click on Interior Elevations > Right Click > Place Drawing > Schematic 1st Floor Plan
b. Select the View > Default View Settings > Change the following
i. Drawing ID: Custom (Leave Blank)
ii. Drawing Name: Custom > KITCHEN PLAN
iii. Update Type: Manual (Only updates image when you tell it to change. Allows you to turn on/off
layers without modifying the layout)
iv. Turn Off Graphic Scale
v. Other modifications as needed
vi. Click Ok
c. Adjust Layer Combination to Kitchen Layer Combination (May have to create) > Layers should include the
following Kitchen Cabinets, Interior Walls, Exterior Walls, Cabinet Labels (Cabinet Labels, Interior Elevation
Marker, and Work Triangle)
d. Trimming
i. With view Selected Click on one of the black dots > Select Subtract from polygon from options > Trim
area around the kitchen > NOTE you will have to do multiple trims in order to eliminate all area
around the Kitchen > NOTE tutorial makes more than one cut; may make less cuts to eliminate area

VIEW OPTIONS

After Selecting the view > Select any black dot of the
Move Subset: Will frame to adjust as needed
move the view within
the frame Subtract from Polygon

Move Frame: Keeps View Resize Frame: Resizes

centered in frame when frame to a non-
moving standard scale. ONLY
UISE when adjusting
views that scales do
not matter
 Cut 1: Top

Cut 2: Right Side

Cut 3: Left Side

Final Cut: Bottom
9. Adding a drawing from a different program
a. Open Window, Door and Cabinet Schedule in Excel
b. Adjust Paper Orientation > Click on Page Layout Tab > Orientation Icon > Landscape
c. Highlight the Door Schedule > File > Save As > Choose Your Student Account as a saving location > Change File
Type to .pdf > Options > Selected Region > Ok > Change File Name to Door Schedule > Save
i. This will export a .pdf file. We will import this file into Archicad
ii. The pdf file will open > Check to make sure the it is correct > If not close pdf program and fix the
Excel file and re-export

Highlight Region to Save

Choose Selection

Change File Name

Change Save Type as

.pdf

Select Options
 d. A preview window will open; Check to be sure the correct area is shown > If not all of the information fits on
the page you will need to adjust the cell size/text height to fit > Be sure to close this window after analyzing
e. Go back to Archicad > to place the .pdf Right Click > Place Drawing > Select from External Source > Select
Browse > Go to location of file to be imported

Turn Off Title > Go To Default

Settings > Title Tab > Change NCS
Drawing Title (Top Left Corner) >
to No Title

Trim View down to the area

around the chart

10. Repeat for Window Schedule on the Cover Page

11. Repeat for Cabinet Schedule on the Interior Elevation Page
12. Repeat for Saved 3D Render of house
13. Listed below are the sheets and what type of drawings will be found on them. Complete the sheets and make a print
of the layouts. Be sure to think about layout and spacing of drawings. Balance on sheets is important similar to laying
out standard orthographic drawings (Front, Top, Right Side Views)
Sheet 1: Cover Sheet
Create a Drawing Sheet Chart- NO TITLE (Use line tool to draw on the sheet or as a detail) or use Excel
Rendering of house: See Mr. Jourden for Demo
Window and Door schedule- NO TITLE (Export .pdf from Excel File)

Sheet 2: Plot Plan

Outline of house and Roof (Label Square Footage of House)
Driveway, walkways, porches or exterior steps
Landscaping
Dimensions and Labels
Label all man made objects and materials. IE House, Porch, Driveway, Garage. etc(Do not label landscaping)
Plot Plan Dimensions
House setback dimensions
Cardinal North

Sheet 3: Floor Plan

Floor Plan w/ Dimensions (Scale 3/16" = 1'-0")
Bring in the Construction > Floor Plans > 1st Floor
Include Interior Elevation Markers

Sheet 4 Foundation Plan

Foundation Plan w/ Dimensions
Bring in the Construction > Structural Plan > 1st Floor
Foundation Sections (Maybe placed on Second Sheet)

Sheet 5 and 6: Ext. Elevations

Place Ext Elevations. Be sure to keep the
Sheet 4 Front and Rear together
Sheet 5 Right and Left together

Sheet 7: Int. Elevations

Kitchen Floor Plan View w/ Cabinet Labels
Bathroom Floor Plan View
Cabinet Schedule (Export .pdf from Excel File)
Interior Elevations

Sheet 8: Photo Renders

Create a minimum of 3 More renders
1. Additional Exterior
2 Interior
Options for selecting an area
1. Turn on only desired layers (I.E Turn Off roof or exterior walls)
2. From Floor Plan view Select Desired area (Draw a marquee around desired area
(Left mouse button and drag a window around the desired area > Right Mouse
Button > Select Show Selection/Marquee in 3D
3. Turn on Perspective Icon in 3D and move camera in first person perspective to
desired location