Voids and system families

[ron.sanpedro]

I am trying to create a wall system that is wrapped in a screen of 2X4s on 3" centers (1.5" gaps between 2Xs). Some areas will be vertical, some horizontal. In some places the screen wall will be broken for doors and windows, in other places it will screen the windows. I had thought I could use a pair of Railings, with nothing but balusters in one, and nothing but rails in the other. I thought I remembered talk of creating Voids to shape walls, and I figured I could do the same with my railings for door and window openings. However, it seems that a railing is not possible as an in-place family, so I can't use the void approach.
So, the first question is, am I correct, and I cannot use a railing in this way?
And if so, what would people recommend? Ideally something that can turn a corner and clean up gracefully (i.e. NOT a 2 point family ;).
And lastly, anyone else run into the need/desire for an in-place railing? Seems to me I might want to do some funky shaped railings, and want the thing to be a railing from a scheduling and VG standpoint.

Thanks,
Gordon

[dhurtubise]

Why not a CW ?

[ron.sanpedro]

Why not a CW ?

Mostly because I had trouble with a glass block Curtain Wall. Seems like CWs start to bog things down something fierce once you get too many individual cells. And at four mullions per foot, we are about 16 times as dense as Curtain Walls seem to be designed for. And, I don't see CW as an option for in-place family either, so cutting the holes is still problematic. I could fuss about with adding and removing mullion lines to get there, but that is still more work than I was hoping for.
I was hoping to have the ease you get with a wall, just drop some in-place voids where you need them and have holes, but with the member flexibility of a railing.

Best,
Gordon

[dhurtubise]

Not all mullion have to be mullion. the use of CW panel family with some built-in mullion could d o a great job i think.
Do you have a sketch to show me ?

[Dimitri Harvalias]

Gordon,
Is it important that it be modeled? I mean, is a rendering required where the depth of the system is need for shadows or will a 2D representation do it?
If not, I'd create it as wall type with a model surface pattern. Way lighter in the model and all the control of a wall. In order to see through it in elevation you could create it as a transparent material and then use oriented 3D views for your elevations.

[ron.sanpedro]

Gordon,
Is it important that it be modeled? I mean, is a rendering required where the depth of the system is need for shadows or will a 2D representation do it?
If not, I'd create it as wall type with a model surface pattern. Way lighter in the model and all the control of a wall. In order to see through it in elevation you could create it as a transparent material and then use oriented 3D views for your elevations.

In this case, yes I think it needs to be modeled. The skin system basically IS the design. It affects the entire experience of the space, so you can't really fudge it. And as it is also a shading device for the windows, the depth and spacing becomes a huge consideration for energy and daylighting. Too tight or deep and you get no winter sun, too loose or shallow and you get too much summer sun. And the north wall needs to be looked at from a daylighting aspect as well, but not in a way that Revit can analyze at all. But I would rather model in Revit.

And actually, some aspects of the Loblolly House are similar, but because that skin is so non-regular, I suspect they just used individual modeled lumber. I may have to punt also, but I was hoping, given the regularity of what I am trying to do, that something a little more structured could be done. I did try a CW, and maing openings looks like it is going to be a royal pain, not to mention the model seems crazy slow. I may try an array and see how that works. The bummer is the corners, where a Railing or CW or Wall will miter automatically. I am going to have to create a family, with square and mitered end options, and where there is a window I will have two objects, one on each side. LOTS more work than a simple railing with a void! ;)

Gordon

[dhurtubise]

Can you post a sketch ? Or better whatever you have as an rvt.