Storefront Window Walls

[sutcac]

Oh yeah, missed the doorway part. Good point. Or, if we could break a wall up into more than two sections horizontally (like a pony wall with three layers) and the middle layer could be a railing/storefront. I've always wanted the option for a railing as part of a pony wall. I don't know, just thinking out loud.

[Joe Carrick]

I sent the following to CA Suggestions (I think I covered just about everything a Storefront Window Tool should do):

Storefront Window Walls typically have aspects of both walls and windows, but they also act somewhat like railings made from panels.

I propose a task that allows them to be created like a railing wall with a few differences.

The Dialog would have 3 tabs:

General:

Window Length =
Window Height = Default to Ceiling Height (adjustable)
Height above Floor = 0.00 (default but adjustable)
Layer = "Windows" or "Storefront Windows"
Lock "Start/Center/End" (default to Start)
Recess to "Sheating/Main Layer" (default to non-recessed)
Include in Window Schedule (default to NO)

Note: This wall type should by default act as a wall that defines the extent of a room - there might be a checkbox for "no room def"

Mullions/Glazing:

Vertical Mullions
Width = 2.00"
Depth = 4.00"
Spacing = 36" - Indicates maximum o.c. spacing

Top/Bottom Mullions
Height = 2.00"
Depth = 4.00"
Offset from Center = 0.00" (offset is from center of Vertical Mullion Depth)

Intermediate Mullion
Height = 2.00"
Depth = 4.00"
Offset from Center = 0.00" (offset is from center of Vertical Mullion Depth)
Floor to Center = 0.00 (0.00 means no intermediate horizontal mullion)

Glazing
Thickness = 1/4"
Inset =1-7/8" (center on mullion depth)
Show in Plan View (default to NO)

Materials:

Mullions = Bronze Anodized Aluminum
Main/Upper Panel = Bronze Glass
Lower Panel = Tempered Bronze Glass (disable if no intermediate mullion)


Special Features of a Window Wall

Doors:

Doors should be able to be inserted into a Window Wall at any location and automatically adjust the Vertical Mullion locations in accordance with the spacing specified.
The Top Mullion of the Window Wall must be retained, so that the Door fits below it.
If the Door is edited to be less than full height then another horizontal mullion should be added above the door with a glass panel above it.
By default, the Doors inserted into Window Walls should be Glass Panel Doors with Tempered Glass.

Note: if the Window Wall doesn't go all the way to the floor, any Doors should extend to the floor anyway, and extend the Vertical Mullions on either side of the Door down to the floor as well.

Vertical Mullions:

Unlike the Newels of Railing Walls, the Start and End Mullions should always be present, both in 3D and 2D views.

Glazing:

Any Glass more than 18" (smallest Dimension) located within 18" of the floor or adjacent to a Door should by default be Tempered. Generally this is a Code requirement.

Edit Handles:

When selected, the Window Wall have edit handles similar to a Window (full size and movement control) and any Doors within the Window Wall should be moved with it.
Doors should be separately selectable to be edited similar to Doors in Railng Walls.

Special Notes:

If the Window Wall is not full height of the room then the Wall above and/or below should be filled in to match the wall in which it is inserted.
In most cases, Window Walls would not have additional Frames, Casings or Trim but since it might be desired by some users, those options could be added to the General Tab.

This should be a fairly simple task to add to Chief Architect since all (or at least most) of the functionality already exists within the existing Window and Railing Wall tasks. If you have any questions about this please contact me.

[GlobalDVLPRS]

Hello Joe,
your window walls are perfect.

Would you be so kind to upload the plan here?
cheers

[Joe Carrick]

Hello Joe,
your window walls are perfect.

Would you be so kind to upload the plan here?
cheers

I did that about a year ago and I don't have the plan anymore. It was just a sample of how to do it. IAE, I'll see if I can recreate it for you tomorrow.

[GlobalDVLPRS]

thanks Joe.

It was looking perfect. I will check back soon
cheers

[Joe Carrick]

Here's the Plan. I hope it helps.
I also attached the Storefront Symbols that I used.

[GlobalDVLPRS]

arghh. i am using X3. is there a way to save it as previous version?

[Gene Davis]

Joe, glazing should be able to be controlled, and the glass fully "specify-able" with the makeup of the sandwich from outside to inside. Uninsulated storefront typically has single 1/4" glass, but in someplace like Duluth, MN, insulated glass will be used.

Thus, we would choose between insulated and uninsulated, would specify glass thickness, airspace if insulated, coatings on glass, airspace gas if not air, glass color if tinted, etc.

We would also specify our framing to be thermally broken or not. And of course, we need to be able to control size of framing. All is not 2" wide by 4" depth.

[Joe Carrick]

arghh. i am using X3. is there a way to save it as previous version?

That's not possible. I might have X3 on another computer - if so I will try to do it using that version tonight.

Otherwise, the best you can do is just follow the instructions I gave in Post #4. It will actually be a good exercise and you'll learn a lot by creating your own symbols. You simply create the pieces using primitive solid boxes (in a blank plan), display in perspective view and then use the "Convert to Symbol" tool. It's really quite easy and doing it will make you much more productive in the future when you need something else.

[Joe Carrick]

Here are the X3 versions

[GlobalDVLPRS]

Joe, this is great!
thanks for uploading X3 version.

but how do you adjust the horizontal divider to move up and down?
cheers!

[Joe Carrick]

Joe, this is great!
thanks for uploading X3 version.

but how do you adjust the horizontal divider to move up and down?
cheers!

I set that one to 18" (glass more than 18" adjacent to the floor would have to be tempered) and I set the stretch plane above the horizontal mullion. If I wanted the horizontal mullion at a different height, I would create a new Panel Symbol with it at the height I want. The other option is to use the Panel that has no intermediate horizontal and then use a Solid or PLine Molding to add one.

[Joe Carrick]

BTW, I just noticed that my office in an industrial building has lower glass panels that are 24" tall and are not tempered. That's not legal by code, but we only rent the space so.....