Google SketchUp for Site Design: A Guide to Modeling Site Plans, Terrain and Architecture

371 Pages·2009·31.2 MB·English

by  Daniel Tal

Williams ffirs.tex V2-07/03/2009 2:47pm Pageii
Google® SketchUp® for Site Design
A Guide for Modeling Site Plans, Terrain, and Architecture
Daniel Tal
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Copyright © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Tal, Daniel, 1971–
Google Sketchup for site design : a guide to modeling site plans, terrain, and architecture / Daniel Tal.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-470-34525-2 (pbk.)
1. Landscape architecture—Computer-aided design. 2. Landscape architectural drawing—Data
processing. 3. Landscape design—Data processing. 4. Three-dimensional imaging—Data processing.
5. SketchUp. I. Title.
SB475.9.D37T35 2009
712.0285—dc22
2009018432
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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Contents
Part 1: Introduction to SketchUp . . . . . 1 FormFonts Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
SketchUcation and Google SketchUp
Chapter 1: How to Use This Book . . . . . .2
Component Forums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Who Can Use This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Google 3D Warehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Learning Tutorials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Component Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Downloadable Tutorial Models . . . . . . . . . . 4
Downloadable Pre-Made Components . . .7 Chapter 4: Problem Solving . . . . . . . . 39
The Four Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Problem-Solving Tutorials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Part 1: Introduction to SketchUp . . . . . . . .7 Typical SketchUp Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Part 2: Introduction to SketchUp Different Results on Different
Process Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Part 3: Sandbox Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 SketchUp Freezes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Part 4: AutoCAD to SketchUp . . . . . . . . . . 10 Auto Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Subdivide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Chapter 2: SketchUp Basics . . . . . . . . .11
Support Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Simple Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Chapter 5: Ruby Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Complex Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Downloading Ruby Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Healing Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Installing Ruby Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Subdividing Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Activating Ruby Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Sticky Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Troubleshooting an Installation . . . . . . . . . 46
Face Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Part 2: S ketchUp Process
Basic SketchUp Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Drawing and Modification Tools . . . . . . . .15
Additional Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Chapter 6: Introduction to SketchUp
The Value Control Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Process Modeling . . . . . . . 48
Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
The Built Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Navigation and 3D Inference System . . . . 20
Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Drafting with Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Model Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2D = 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Drafting the Flatwork Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Chapter 3: Components and Groups . .26
Drawing the Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Component Instances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Reviewing the Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Editing Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Applying Material and Color . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Adjusting the Component/Group View . .30
Organizing Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Components within Components . . . . . . . .32
Adding Volumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Components and Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Lower the Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Pre-Made Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Creating the Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Free SketchUp Bonus Pack Components .35
Making a Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
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Push/Pulling the Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 The Follow Me Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Push/Pulling the Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Model Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Adding Objects to the Flatwork Base . . . . . 61 Tutorials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Organizing Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 The Bollard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Creating Component Layers . . . . . . . . . . . 62 The Pedestrian Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Component Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 The Modern Bench . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Adding Components to the The Park Bench . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Flatwork Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 The Decorative Planter Bench . . . . . . . . . 117
Adding Component Windows and Doors 68 The Decorative Rail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Adjusting the Building Components . . . . 69 The Handrail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
Reviewing the Completed Model . . . . . . . . . 69
Chapter 9: Custom Architecture . . . .125
An Advanced Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Sculpting the Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Modeling Your Own Designs . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Building the Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Chapter 7: Detailed Site Plan Making Window and Door
Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Using Site Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Problem Solving the Window
Importing Site Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Imported-Image Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Copy and Insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Placing the Plan Image on a Layer . . . . . . . 75 Copy and Paste Between Instances . . . . . 129
Scaling the Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Make Unique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Preparing the Drafting Trace . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Tutorials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Drafting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Setting the Workspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Drafting Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Adding Mass to Buildings 1 and 2 . . . . . . 131
Create the Flatwork Base Group . . . . . . . . . 85 Adding Mass to Building 3 . . . . . . . . . . . .134
Adding Color and Texture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Window Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Adding Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Door Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Road and Curb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Balcony Component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Steps and Plaza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
Chapter 10: Arranging and
Planter Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Presenting the Model . . .145
Ramp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Arrangement Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Planter Walls Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
The Accuracy Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Entry Sign Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
The Speed Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Buildings as Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Logical Order and Adjustments . . . . . . . .147
Building Volumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Adding Detail to Volumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
3D Vegetation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Detailing the Sign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Furnishing Components . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
Detailing the Planters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Creating and Exporting Scenes . . . . . . . . . 153
Chapter 8: Custom Site Furnishings . 98 Selecting Your Scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
The Modeling Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Plan Views and Elevations . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Components within Components . . . . . . 99 People and Cars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
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Trees and Scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154 The Tutorials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207
Adding Sky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155 Pedestrian Ramp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Exporting Scenes and Shadows . . . . . . . . . 155 Driveway Ramp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
Troubleshooting Shadows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Slopes and Grades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Building Entry Walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Chapter 11: Architectural Tutorial . . 160
Park Landform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Working with Arcs and Circles . . . . . . . . . 160
Campus Quad—Area 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Hidden Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161
Campus Quad—Area 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238
Components and Faceted Surfaces . . . . . . 162
Campus Quad—Area 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
The Courthouse Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Campus Quad—Area 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Drafting the Floor Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Adding Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Chapter 14: Complex Canopies . . . . 266
Adding the Custom Components . . . . . . 175 2D Plan to 3D Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Arranging the Components on the Simple Canopy Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180 Complex Canopy Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Adding Detail to the Building . . . . . . . . . 185
Chapter 15: Sandbox Architecture . .279
Part 3: The Sandbox Tools . . . . . . . 189 The Drape Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Working with Drape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279
Chapter 12: Introduction to the Troubleshooting Drape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .284
Sandbox Tools . . . . . . . . 190
Sandbox Building Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . .284
Playing in the Sandbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
The From Contours Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 Part 4: AutoCAD to SketchUp . . . .293
The From Scratch Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Chapter 16: Overview of AutoCAD to
The Smoove Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
SketchUp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
The Drape Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
General Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
The Add Detail Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Organizing the AutoCAD File . . . . . . . . . . 295
The Stamp and Flip Edge Tools . . . . . . . .195
Generating the Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . .297
Ruby Scripts and Sandbox Tools . . . . . . . .197
Arranging the Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Tools on Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197
Joint Push Pull . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Chapter 17: Organizing AutoCAD . . . 302
Soap Skin Bubble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
AutoCAD Reorganization . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303
Drop Ruby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Folder and File Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . .303
Simplify Contours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
AutoCAD Base Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304
Additional Tools and Concepts . . . . . . . . . 203
External Reference Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304
Intersect with Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
Isolating Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .308
Construction Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Closing Perimeters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .309
Organizing Site Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Chapter 13: S ketchUp Conceptual
Write Block Surfaces and Objects . . . . . . 311
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Importing the Flatwork File . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Conceptual Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
AutoCAD and SketchUp Units . . . . . . . . . 313
Modeling and Grading Tips . . . . . . . . . . . .207
The Flatwork Drawing File . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Contents v
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Chapter 18: Modeling the AutoCAD Chapter 19: Arranging the Model . . . .331
Flatwork Base . . . . . . . . . .315 Populating the Flatwork Base . . . . . . . . . . 331
Exploding the Flatwork Base . . . . . . . . . . . 315 Exploding the Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Problematic AutoCAD Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . 316 Importing Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .334
Overlapping and Short Lines . . . . . . . . . . 316 Replacing the Components . . . . . . . . . . . . .335
Arcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318 Finishing Touches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .342
Random Anomalies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .318 Articulating the Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . .342
Healing the AutoCAD Flatwork Base . . . .318 Exchanging 3D Components . . . . . . . . . .343
Healing with the Line Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . .319 Conceptual Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .345
AutoCAD Clean-Up Ruby Scripts . . . . . . . 322 Adding More Components . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Working with Ruby Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . 324 Making Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .348
Troubleshooting Ruby Scripts . . . . . . . . .327 Adding New Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Method Summaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328 Adding People and Cars . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354
Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
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part
1
Introduction to
SketchUp
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Chapter
1
How to Use
This Book
T
his book describes SketchUp Process Modeling, a methodology for working with
SketchUp. This approach provides a step-by-step road map that will show you how to use
the tools and functions to construct expressive models of exterior spaces and architecture.
The process addresses three main areas of instruction: drafting, modeling order, and orga-
nization. Mastering these skills will allow you to create models that are highly detailed and
articulate, easy to work with, optimized for computer performance, and organized.
Figs. 1-1 through 1-3 and Figs. 1-8 through 1-13 are examples of site plans and architectural
projects created using SketchUp Process Modeling.
It is important to note that the book contents and tutorials were designed to work with
SketchUp 7. It is strongly suggested that readers download the free version of SketchUp 7 from
SketchUp’s web site (www.sketchup.com).
Who Can Use this Book
Beginners and advanced SketchUp users can benefit from this book. It is partitioned into four
parts, starting with a basic explanation of SketchUp tools and functions. It transitions into
more complex and detailed methods that incorporate terrain, AutoCAD, and the creation of
complex forms. This provides a holistic approach for all levels of SketchUp users.
Even if you are a proficient SketchUp modeler, the methods and tips discussed here will help
you better organize your models, use more sophisticated tools (Ruby Scripts), and represent
your ideas.
Every tutorial in this book was vetted by two independent landscape architects: Carol
McClanahan and Natalie Vaughn. Both professionals used the tutorials to learn SketchUp;
2 part 1: Introduction to SketchUp
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