Space Planning w/ Masses

[noah]

Has anyone used mass families to do space planning w/ type libraries. Basically have a single mass and then a library of types such as bedroom 1, kitchen, living room, etc.

These would be used to create initial bubble diagrams that could be tagged and scheduled.

I'm just getting started with the massing tools and would appreciate any tips on doing something like this. Strategies for type vs. instance for each mass????

Thanks!

[noah]

Any thoughts on how to make a color parameter would be cool too. Ideally I want to have a type catalog of all the common spaces we use in residential with a preset color scheme for each space. I bring them all into a new project and move them around, tag them, schedule them, etc.

[PeterJ]

Try this offering (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=11790&highlight=ceiling)from Phil Read. It shows how to use ceilings to do block space planning and to express it in 3D. Might answer your second query.

[noah]

I don't follow that example. Seems like you have to draw the walls first - am I missing something? If not, then that defeats the purpose of massing at the most conceptual level. I'd prefer to have a type catalog of spaces that each have different sizes and colors assigned from the beginning. For instance baths would always be blue in all my projects.

I really like the massing features such as floor faces and the abilty to add walls later. How could I do that with ceilings? I don't get it.