Landmark Special Interest Group January 2020

In this session, we covered how to change a site model by directly modifying contour lines and how this differs from using site modifiers, as well as demonstrating uses of the Grade tool.

Topics Covered:

• 00:11    We opened a file that had a site model with some site modifiers that pushed the site around. My preferred way of modifying a site model is to use site modifiers—but the challenge was to use contours instead, so I deleted the site modifiers. I find it easiest to start at the top contour and work down. After you move the top contour, it will likely be crossed by one or more lower contours, so one challenge is that you need to put in the time to adjust all of the effected contours or you’ll end up with a mess. With site modifiers, I can just put in a pad, for example, and Vectorworks figures out where all of the contours need to be moved. Before moving any contours, we changed our site model settings so that only the major contours were showing, which took us from 12 contours down to three—much easier! Sometimes you end up with too many vertices along a contour, so we covered how to eliminate some. You have to be careful that you don’t change the contours of the adjacent sites and that contours don’t cross. Again, it’s crucial that you simplify the site model before you start editing the contours. We demonstrated how, for small contour changes, it’s easiest to use the Contour site modifier, which allows you to click on an existing contour to make a modification.
• 16:22    Again, I think it’s easiest to use site modifiers to change the site model. We showed how to make a site modifier out of 2D shapes by using the Create Objects from Shapes command. You always want to add a millimeter, or 1/4 inch or so, between site modifiers so that Vectorworks doesn’t give you an error message. One handy trick is making the boundary line a grade limit for your site, which keeps your site modifications from affecting adjacent properties. The Grade tool can be used to see how much slope there is on different parts of your site. We showed how the Grade tool can also be used to change the slope and how two or more can be used together to modify your site model.   

Landmark January 2020

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