generic building modeling question

[dvmorris]

i need to model some buildings to show the floor heights, and possibly window framing, but in a very basic form. The first floor of each building is 4m in height and each consecutive floor is 3m. Is the best way to approach this by modeling a box and giving it subdivisions, and then applying an edit mesh modifier and pushing vertices around to the right heights for each floor?

 

is there a better more versatile way in case I need to change them later?

[Tim Saunders]

Your way might work. You could draw the shape from top view, extrude it and ad segments, then add the edit mesh and move the segments where you need them. I just don't like how subdividing is not always consistant with how it subdivides. Some segments might be diagonal.

 

Or you could have the same shape with edit mesh added so you can see the face, then move it to your elevations.

[dvmorris]

yeah i think i'll stick with a box object, and the edit mesh modifier... it's just that if i go back and add segments later, i basically have to start over... it would be nice to have an object that was more parametric to allow for those kinds of unique subdivisions, like floor heights and window spacing.

 

I also found this great tutorial that may help someone else who didn't know how to do this before. it's really simple, but anyways, i like it...

 

http://www.3dnuts.com/tutorials/rendering/wireframe_solid.shtml

 

thanks for your help,

dave