Complex roof geometry and skylights

Although we already saw how to model Single- and Multi-plane Roofs in Part 1 – Chapter 4, there are many more shapes and types that can be modeled. This section goes a bit deeper into the options and possibilities of several tools for modeling more complex roof geometries and we will also show how to add a skylight.

Sloped flat roofs using the Mesh tool

In Archicad, it is possible to create roofs using multiple tools. We already discussed the Roof tool, but you can also use Slab, Shell, Mesh, or even Object. Just be aware that the tool defines the geometric possibilities and constraints.

For plain flat roofs, Slab may be sufficient, as we showed in Part 1 – Chapter 3, since it simply defines a contour and a Composite. However, Slabs cannot have a slope in Archicad. If you need a slope, you should use the Roof tool, which adds a pivot line and allows you to set the slope direction and angle.

An alternative that is sometimes...