Design Schemes

Design Schemes transform abstract simulation data into concrete architectural suggestions. They can represent the distribution of multiple buildings or the specific shape of a single volume. These schemes can be applied to a single data layer, mixed layers, or filtered layers.

Creating a Design Scheme

1. Click New and Name your Design Scheme.

2. Choose the Footprint:

   • Full Site: The shape is generated based on the volume defined by the currently active Sensor Points of the selected Data Layer.

   • Hand Drawn: The shape is built within the perimeter of a custom area drawn manually inside the Analysis Area.

3. Select the volume Type to be generated:

   • Floor Based: A volume consisting of floor slabs and facades.

   • Hull: A simplified solid volume.

   • Oriented Volume: A volume composed of slabs oriented according to the directions provided by the selected Data Layer.

4. Add: 

   • If set to Full Site, the scheme is generated instantly.

   • If set to Hand Drawn, manually draw the perimeter (or multiple perimeters for multiple blocks) inside the Analysis Area.

Customizing Attributes

Once created, you can link the Design Scheme to a different Main Layer and, following the Floor Based typedefine the following attributes:

• Borders: Select the Border type (Single or Dual) and choose the reference layer (Main Layer or Footprint).

• Floors: Customize the Ground Floor Height, Floor Height, Slab Thickness, and overall Building Height. You can also regulate the Concaveness of the generated shape.

• Facades: Choose the facade type:

  • Transparent

  • Opaque

  • Vertically Oriented: Generates facades as vertical panels perpendicular to the selected Sun layer directions (ideal for exploring PV potential). You can control the start height, panel length, and height. If no specific angle is provided, panels default to a perpendicular orientation.

  • Horizontally Oriented: Generates facades as horizontal panels aligned with the direction of the connected layer. Each facade is subdivided into adjustable banded layouts that follow the layer orientation.

  For both Vertically and Horizontally Oriented options, you can define which direction the facades should follow by selecting between a Floor Average (localized orientation per level) or a Volume Average (uniform orientation for the entire building).