3D and visualisation
To model a proposed building, run shadow and line of sight analyses, or estimate terrain cut/fill: 3D Designer. For the complete recipe: 3D volume study and shadow analysis (recipe).
Navigating and sharing 3D
How do I navigate in the 3D view?
Hold down the right mouse button to rotate and change the angle. Zoom in and out with the scroll wheel. You capture a screenshot of the 3D view with the camera icon in the toolbar. The shortcut key B highlights elements in 3D. The 3D view is useful for understanding building volume, neighbouring conditions and the terrain around a property.
More: 3D Designer (the module), How Placepoint is structured, Analyse value and potential, Glossary: gesimshøyde (eaves height), Glossary: nabovarsel (neighbour notification).
Is there a walk mode for moving around inside a model?
No. The camera in 3D Designer is an orbit camera: it circles a fixed point, and you control the angle and distance with the right mouse button and the scroll wheel. Walk mode, where you move freely inside a model from a first person perspective, is not available. Use orbit combined with tilt (right-click and drag) from a position close to the facade to get near that perspective.
More: 3D Designer - walk mode, Navigating in 3D.
How do I share a 3D collection with colleagues?
Click the share icon on the collection in the list. It then becomes visible to everyone in your organisation under Shared with you. You cannot share with just one selected colleague; sharing is at organisation level.
More: 3D Designer - sharing collections with colleagues.
What happens to my 3D collections when my user account is closed?
The user account is closed, but the 3D collections that have been shared stay with the organisation and can be opened, copied and edited further by your colleagues. The work does not disappear when the licence is withdrawn.
More: 3D Designer - sharing collections with colleagues.
Analysing in 3D
Can I do a sun study in Placepoint?
Yes. A sun study shows how sun and shadow fall on and around a building through the day and the year, and is a common attachment in zoning cases. In 3D Designer you run a shadow analysis across a timeline for the date you choose.
More: Sun study (glossary), 3D volume study and shadow analysis (recipe).
Can I analyse views and lines of sight for a property?
Yes. The line of sight tool in 3D Designer simulates the view from different heights on the plot, based on the terrain and existing buildings around it. It gives you a quick picture of the view a planned building will have.
More: Lines of sight (glossary), 3D Designer.
What is the difference between a volume study and a feasibility study?
A volume study tests how much building volume a plot can take within the current zoning limits. A feasibility study is broader and also covers finances, market and risk. You create the volume study in 3D Designer, often as one element of a feasibility study.
More: Volume study (glossary), Feasibility study (glossary), 3D volume study and shadow analysis (recipe).
Your own IFC models
Where do I upload our own IFC files so that colleagues can see them?
In the Library inside a 3D collection: open a collection, click the 3D volume tab, click the Library tool, and Upload .IFC file. Files you upload here become visible to everyone in your organisation and can be used in any collection. It is the Library, not Boligbanken, that you should use for your own catalogue. Boligbanken is a separate curated catalogue managed by Mestergruppen Arkitekter, and you cannot upload to it yourself.
More: 3D Designer - Library versus Boligbanken, Importing IFC files.
Can I delete several IFC files in the Library at once?
No, not today. The delete button on each file in the Library removes them one by one. Multi-selection is a requested feature and is on the list of improvements; until it arrives, it is easier to decide on naming before upload (for example Enebolig-12A-Vest_v2.ifc) than to tidy up afterwards.
More: 3D Designer - tidying up the Library.
The IFC upload fails, what do I do?
First check that the file is an .ifc file (not .rvt, .skp or similar). If the file is in the right format but the upload still fails, see IFC upload - troubleshooting for the full checklist: file size, coordinate system, error messages and what to include in a support request.
More: IFC upload - troubleshooting, Help and support.
My model ended up in the wrong place on the map, what do I do?
IFC files contain coordinate information. If the architect exported with local project coordinates instead of georeferenced coordinates, the model ends up in the wrong place. Click the model in the scene and drag it manually to the right position. Ask the architect to export with a Norwegian coordinate system (EUREF89/NTM or UTM zone 32/33) with the next delivery.
More: IFC upload - troubleshooting - the model is placed in the wrong location.