4.6 Massing

Available with the following Subscriptions: All Subscriptions
Available for the following Project Roles: Editor, Admin
 

The Massing tool allows you to create simplified 3D representations of buildings, surrounding structures, and other site objects. A Massing model consists of one or more storeys that can be customized individually or as a group by adjusting their height, elevation, color, sequencing, and sketch.

This article contains the following sections:

• Create a Massing model
• Edit Massing storeys
  • Edit Storey Height
  • Edit Storey Elevation
  • Edit Storey Color
  • Edit Storey Sketch
• Massing Storey Toolkit
• Add storeys
• Reference Storey
  • Update the Reference Storey
• Edit Multiple Storeys
  • Select Multiple Storeys
  • Edit Multiple Story Sequencing
  • Edit Multiple Storey Height
  • Edit Multiple Storey Color
  • Edit Multiple Storey Sketch
• Adjust Massing
  • Snap to Face
• Alternate and Advanced Use Cases

Create a Massing Model

Create a Massing model by sketching its footprint, defining the number of storeys, and specifying the height of each storey.

1. To create a Massing model:

• From the toolbar click Buildings (1), select Massing (2), then choose where to start the sketch. 
• Use the Sketch Tools to draw the Massing footprint. Massings support multi-domain sketch, which means it is possible to create a sketch with multiple polygons which may be concentric or separate but not intersecting. 
• Click Confirm (3).

2. From the Massing Setup Sidesheet specify the following details:
   • Specify the Number of Storeys (4).
   • Enter the Storey Height (5) -ensure that the storey height is greater than 0.
   • Click the color block (6) to select a color (7).
   • Click Edit Sketch (8) in the Sidesheet Toolbar to modify the Massing footprint before creating it.
   • Click Confirm (9) to create the Massing model.
   • After the Massing is created, it appears in both the Scenario Tree and the 3D view, with each storey generated automatically based on the specified values.

Edit Massing Storeys

Each Massing storey can be edited individually. Storey height, elevation, color, sequencing, and footprint sketch can be edited.

Edit Storey Height

The height of an individual storey can be changed from the Sidesheet.

• From the Scenario tree, click the Edit icon (10) for the required storey -or double click the storey in 3D.
• In the Storey Height field (11), enter the required value, or use the + / – buttons (12) to adjust the height.
• Click Done (13) to apply the changes.

Edit Storey Elevation

You can update the elevation of an individual storey from the Sidesheet panel.

• Click the Edit (14) icon for the required storey.
• Click the Storey Elevation field (15) and enter the required value, or click the + / – buttons (16) to increase or decrease the elevation. This will affect the height of the storey below.
• Click Done (17) to apply the changes.

Edit Storey Color

You can change the color of an individual storey to distinguish it from other storeys in the Massing model.

• From the Scenario tree, click the Edit (18) icon for the required storey.
• Click the Color block (19) and select the required color from the color picker (20).
• Click Done (21) to apply the changes.

Edit Storey Sketch

The footprint sketch of any individual storey can be updated without having to remake the entire Massing model.

• From the Sidesheet Toolbar click Edit Sketch (22).

• The Massing storey enters Sketch Edit mode, displaying the sketch plane at the Storey elevation.
• Update the sketch as desired, a minimum of 3 points is required. Consider using the snap and offset tools.
• Click Confirm (23) to apply the changes to the storey.

Massing Storey Toolkit

The following table provides a description of the storey tools.

Add Storeys

New storeys can be added on top of or below existing storeys.

• From the Scenario Tree, right-click the Massing model (24), choose Edit Massing (25).
• Select a storey from 3D or the Massing side sheet. From the Side Sheet Toolbar, click Add Above (26) to add a storey above, or click Add Basement (27) to add a storey below the selected storey.
  • If a single storey is not first selected, new storeys will be added above/below the overall massing.
• Click Done (28) to apply the changes.

Reference Storey

A Reference Storey defines the ground level of a Massing model. Storeys above the reference storey are treated as Storeys, while storeys below it are treated as Basements. By default, the first storey above ground is set as the Reference Storey.

💡 Note: A Reference Storey cannot be deleted. To delete it, first assign another storey as the Reference Storey.

Update the Reference Storey

To change the Reference Storey:

• From the Scenario Tree, right-click the Massing (29) model and click Edit Massing (30).

• Click the three-dot menu (31) for the required storey, select Make Reference Storey (32).  
• Click Done (33) to save the changes.
• The selected storey becomes the new Reference Storey, and all storeys below it are automatically classified as Basements.

Edit Multiple Storeys

You can select and edit multiple storeys at the same time. This allows you to update the sequencing, height, color, or sketch for all selected storeys in a single action. You will first need to select multiple storeys.

Select Multiple Storeys

To select multiple storeys:

• Hold the Ctrl (34) key and select the required storeys from the Scenario Tree or 3D.
• Click on the Edit Massing Element (35).

Edit Multiple Story Sequencing

To update the sequencing for multiple storeys:

• Hold the Ctrl (36) key and select the required storeys in the Scenario Tree .
• Click on the Edit Massing Element (37).
• In the Side Sheet Toolbar, click Edit Storey (38).

• Click the From or To (39) field to update the start or end milestone.
• Select the required Milestone (40).
• Click Done (41) to apply the changes.

💡 Note: If the selected storeys have different start or end milestones, the From or To field displays Multiple until a new milestone is selected.

💡 Note: Each storey also has a Timeline visibility setting: Visible for all, Milestone (shows the From and To fields) or Hidden for all. Right-click a storey in the Scenario Tree and select Edit massing element to change it.

Edit Multiple Storey Heights

To update the height for multiple storeys:

• Hold the Ctrl (42) key and select the required storeys in the Scenario Tree.
• Click on the Edit Massing (43).
• In the Sidesheet Toolbar, click Edit Storey (44).

• Click the Storey Height (44) field. It may display multiple. Enter the new height value.
• Click Done (45) to apply the changes. The new height is applied to all selected storeys.

Edit Color for Multiple Storeys 

To update the color for multiple storeys:

• Hold the Ctrl key and select the storeys from the Scenario Tree (46). 
• Right click then choose Edit Massing (47).
• In the Side Sheet Toolbar, click Edit Storey (48).

• Click the Color (49) block.
• Select the required color.
• Click Done (50) to apply the changes.
• The selected storeys are updated with the selected color.

Edit Sketch for Multiple Storeys

To update the sketch for multiple storeys:

• Hold the Ctrl key and select the required storeys in the Scenario Tree (51).
• Click on the Edit Massing (52).
• In the Side Sheet Toolbar, click Edit Storey (53).

• Click Edit Sketch (54).

• Select the reference storey (55).
• Press Confirm (56) to proceed and enter Edit Sketch mode.

• Update the sketch as desired, and press Confirm (57) again to apply the changes.
• The sketch for all selected storeys will be updated, making them uniform.

Adjust Massing

After creating a massing, you may need to reposition it so that it aligns with the correct location in your model. The Snap to Face tool automatically moves the massing by matching one of its faces to a selected reference face or plane. This provides an accurate way to position the massing without manually adjusting its location.

Snap to Face

Use Snap to Face to automatically align a single-level massing with an existing face or reference plane.

• Right-click the Massing (58) and click Edit Massing (59).
• In the Side Sheet Toolbar (60), click Snap to Face (61).
• Select the face on the Massing that you want to align.
• Select the target reference face or plane.
• The Massing is automatically repositioned to align with the selected reference face or plane.

💡 Note: Snap to Face is only available for single-level massing.

Alternate and Advanced Use Cases

Massing can be useful for quickly representing the volume of a building. Basic volumetric Massings can be enhanced by using building elements available in the Resource library. To learn more on how to use Resources, read the 🔗Resources user guide.

See this video from our user workshops to learn more about the use of Massing tool: