Sketchup for Site Design

SketchUp for Site Design is the definitive guide to SketchUp for landscape architects and other site design professionals. Step-by-step tutorials walk you through basic to advanced processes, with expert guidance toward best practices, customization, organization, and presentation. This new second edition has been revised to align with the latest software updates, with detailed instruction on using the newest terrain modeling tools and the newly available extensions and plug-ins. All graphics have been updated to reflect the current SketchUp interface and menus, and the third part of the book includes all-new content featuring the use of new grade and terrain extensions. Developed around the needs of intermediate professional users and their workflows, this book provides practical all-around coaching on using SketchUp specifically for modeling site plans.

SketchUp was designed for usability, with the needs of the architect, industrial designer, and engineers at center stage. This book shows you how the software's powerful terrain and grade functions make it an ideal tool for site designers, and how to seamlessly integrate it into your workflow for more efficient design and comprehensive planning.

• Master the SketchUp basics, navigation, components, and scripts
• Turn 2D sketches into 3D models with volume, color, and material
• Create detailed site plans, custom furnishings, gradings, and architecture
• Learn sandbox tools, organization strategies, and model presentation tips

SketchUp has undergone major changes since the publication of this guide's first edition, with its sale to Trimble Navigation bringing about a number of revisions and the availability of more immediately useful features. SketchUp for Site Design shows you how to harness the power of this newly expanded feature set to smooth and optimize the site design workflow.

DANIEL TAL, RLA, is a licensed landscape architect who freelances on a range of projects and consults on technology education and software development. He consults on SketchUp-related tools, conducts workshops and seminars on 3D modeling, and beta tests future software releases to assure that they meet the needs of professionals.

Chapter 1: How to Use This Book  2

What’s New in the Second Edition? 4

wwwdanieltalcom 4

Who Can Use This Book? 4

Learning Tutorials 5

Downloadable Tutorial Models 5

Downloadable Pre�]Made Components 6

The Four Parts 6

Part 1: Introduction to SketchUp 7

Part 2: Introduction to SketchUp Process Modeling 9

Part 3: Terrain Modeling 9

Part 4: AutoCAD to SketchUp 10

Chapter 2: SketchUp Basics  12

Geometry 12

Simple Geometry 12

Complex Geometry 13

Healing Faces 13

Subdividing Faces 14

Sticky Geometry 14

Face Count 14

Basic SketchUp Tools 15

Drawing and Modification Tools 16

The Line Tool 16

The Select Tool 16

Additional Tools 17

The Measurement Window 19

Styles 20

Edge Settings 20

Background Settings 20

Navigation and 3D Inference System 21

Navigation 21

Inference System 21

Drafting with Edges 23

Model Organization 25

Layers 25

Layer 0 26

Chapter 3: Components and Groups  27

The Importance of Components and Groups 27

Using Components 28

Component Instances 29

Editing Components 29

Adjusting the Component/Group View 31

Components Within Components 33

Components and Layers 35

Pre-Made Components 36

Component Library 36

3D Warehouse 37

DanielTalcom 39

FormFonts 39

DynaSCAPE Sketch3D 40

Chapter 4: Problem Solving  43

Problem-Solving Tutorials 44

Typical SketchUp Problems 44

Different Results on Different Computers 44

SketchUp Freezes 45

Auto Save 45

Subdivide 45

Resources 46

Chapter 5: SketchUp Extensions  47

Using SketchUp 47

Extension Warehouse 49

Installing Weld 49

Using Weld 51

Extension Websites 52

Installing Extensions 52

SketchUcation Plugin Store 53

Smustard 54

Recommended Extensions 56

Part 2: SketchUp Process Modeling 59

Chapter 6: Introduction to SketchUp Process Modeling  60

The Built Environment 60

Surfaces 61

Objects 61

The 2D = 3D Method 62

Drafting the Flatwork Base 64

Drawing the Base 64

Reviewing the Drawing 67

Applying Material and Color 68

Organizing Models 69

Adding Volumes 70

Lowering the Road 70

Creating the Building 71

Making a Roof 72

Push/Pulling the Steps 72

Push/Pulling the Walls 73

Adding Objects to the Flatwork Base 73

Organizing Components 74

Creating Component Layers 74

Component Tools 75

Adding Components to the Flatwork Base 78

Adding Component Windows and Doors 80

Adjusting the Building Components 81

Reviewing the Completed Model 81

An Advanced Example 83

Modeling Your Own Designs 84

Chapter 7: Detailed Site Plan Modeling  85

Using Site Plans 85

Importing Site Plans 86

Imported-Image Resolution 87

Placing the Plan Image on a Layer 87

Scaling the Image 87

Preparing the Drafting Trace 88

Drafting Tips 89

Drafting Order 90

Drawing the Site Perimeter and Building Footprints 91

Drafting the Identified Surfaces 91

Adding the Small Edge Details 94

Creating the Flatwork Base Group 97

Adding Color and Texture 98

Adding Volume 99

Road and Curb 99

Steps and Plaza 100

Planter Walls 101

Ramp 102

Planter Wall Adjustments 103

Entry Sign Wall 103

Buildings as Components 103

Building Volumes 104

Adding Detail to Volumes 105

Detailing the Sign 105

Detailing the Planters 107

Chapter 8: Custom Site Furnishings  110

The Modeling Process 110

Components within Components 111

Mirroring Components 111

Making Unique Components 112

The Follow Me Tool 113

Model Organization 116

Tutorials 116

The Bollard 117

The Pedestrian Light 119

The Modern Bench 122

The Park Bench 123

The Decorative Planter Bench 129

The Decorative Rail 133

The Handrail 135

Profile Builder……137

Chapter 9: Custom Architecture  142

Sculpting the Building 142

Building the Mass 142

Making Window and Door Components 144

Problem Solving the Window Components 148

Copying and Inserting 148

Copying and Pasting Between Instances 149

Making Unique 149

Tutorials 150

Setting the Workspace 151

Adding Mass to Buildings 1 and 2 151

Adding Mass to Building 3 154

Window Components 156

Door Components 161

Balcony Component 162

Chapter 10: Arranging and Presenting the Model  165

Arrangement Methods 165

The Accuracy Method 166

The Speed Method 166

Logical Order and Adjustments 166

Buildings 167

3D Vegetation 167

Furnishing the Components 171

Creating and Exporting Scenes 173

Selecting Your Scenes 173

The Scene Menu 174

The Position Camera Tool 174

The Look Around Tool 174

The Zoom Tool 174

Plan Views and Elevations 174

People and Cars 174

Trees and Scenes 175

Adding Sky 175

Exporting Scenes and Shadows 175

Troubleshooting Shadows 175

Chapter 11: Architectural Tutorial  180

Working with Arcs and Circles 180

Hidden Geometry 181

Components and Faceted Surfaces 182

The Courthouse Tutorial 184

Drafting the Floor Plate 185

Adding Volume 188

Adding the Custom Components 195

Arranging the Components on

the Building 200

Adding Detail to the Building 205

Part 3: Terrain Modeling 209

Chapter 12: Introduction to the Terrain Tools  210

Playing in the Sandbox 210

The From Contours Tool 211

The From Scratch Tool 212

The Smoove Tool 213

The Drape Tool 214

The Add Detail Tool 215

The Stamp and Flip Edge Tools 215

Terrain Extensions 217

Tools on Surface 217

JointPushPull 218

Soap Skin Bubble 220

Drop GC 221

Artisan 222

Additional Tools and Concepts 223

Intersect with Model 223

Construction Geometry 225

Chapter 13: SketchUp Conceptual Grading  226

Conceptual Grading 226

Modeling and Grading Tips 227

The Tutorials 227

Pedestrian Ramp 228

Driveway Ramp 230

Slopes and Grades 233

Building Entry Walk 235

Park Landform 246

Campus Quad—Area 1 255

Campus Quad—Area 2 258

Campus Quad—Area 3 262

Campus Quad—Area 4 277

Chapter 14: Complex Canopies  286

2D Plan to 3D Form 286

Simple Canopy Tutorial 287

Complex Canopy Tutorial 293

Chapter 15: Digital Elevation Modeling  299

Skill Level 299

Terrain Extensions 299

Dataset 299

3D Terrain Types 300

DEM Tutorial 300

Importing the CAD File 300

Generating Terrain with TopoShaper 301

Draping the Road 303

Modeling the Home 305

Positioning the Home and Walls 306

Generating the Proposed Grades 309

Depressing the Road 313

Completing the Model 313

Part 4: AutoCAD to SketchUp 317

Chapter 16: Overview of AutoCAD to SketchUp  318

General Overview 319

Organizing the AutoCAD File 319

Generating the Geometry 321

Arranging the Objects 323

Chapter 17: Organizing AutoCAD  326

AutoCAD Reorganization 327

Folder and File Structure 327

AutoCAD Base Files 328

External Reference Files 328

Isolating Surfaces 332

Closing Perimeters 333

Organizing Site Objects 334

Identifying the Objects 334

Creating AutoCAD Blocks 334

Placing Object Blocks on Layers 335

Write Block Surfaces and Objects 335

Flatwork File 335

Object Blocks 336

Convert to Blocks 336

Importing the Flatwork File 337

AutoCAD and SketchUp Units 337

The Flatwork Drawing File 338

Chapter 18: Modeling the AutoCAD Flatwork Base  339

Exploding the Flatwork Base 339

Problematic AutoCAD Lines 340

Overlapping and Short Lines 340

Arcs 342

Random Anomalies 342

Healing the AutoCAD Flatwork Base……342

Healing with the Line Tool 343

CAD Clean-Up Extensions 346

Working with Extensions 348

Troubleshooting Extensions 351

Size Limitations 351

Incomplete Faces 351

DynaSCAPE CAD Cleanup 352

Method Summaries 352

Next Steps 352

Chapter 19: Arranging the Model  356

Populating the Flatwork Base 356

Exploding the Objects 358

Importing Layers 359

Replacing the Components 360

Finishing Touches 367

Articulating the Buildings 367

Exchanging 3D Components 368

Conceptual Grading 370

Adding More Components 372

Making Adjustments 373

Adding New Details 375

Adding People and Cars 379

Index 381

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