Advice on Modeling this timber framed porch, roof, and columns

[Evolution]

I continue working on the exterior renovations of the Non Profit Project, and the client sent some photo's of ideas he wants me to incorporate into the exterior remodel (while at the same time avoiding a lot of demolition of exiting planters, porch, steps and sidewalk). He wants a sort of "French-country" look. Not completely possible of course without really changing the "federal style" of the building exterior.

 

I have started on the porch, I think the  roof needs a 12-12 pitch to look right? I plan to use P-solids for all the timber frame features. The column bases may be a challenge (but I think I know what to do with them if I can't find something in the library).

I had to model the planters on the foundation level and use poly lines to model the fill of them. I did a Copy>transform replicate> about the center of the entry door to get them placed.  The plants are just place holders for now.

I have additional planters (on each corner of the front they show in the Street view of the existing office building). They will be wider and lower elevations than the porch planters, and then another planter (at an even lower elevation) runs in between them and the porch planters. Since I had to draw the porch planters on the foundation level to get them to work correctly, I will do the same for the others.

I'll have to experiment with the plantings to see if that will help give it more of a French-country feel.  In order to build the porch I used invisible railing walls. I had to remove the large window (existing arch type).  I did a new wall dbx for the wall above the porch roof, (used crème Board and Batten from the Library) but that is not showing up even though I made a copy of one of my wall types, named it for the B&B, and set the material definitions for the new wall type. Am I even going in the right direction or am I too dumb to be helped?

 

 

Orphanos Foundation Renovations option 1.zip

 

[robdyck]

30 minutes ago, Evolution said:

I plan to use P-solids for all the timber frame features

That's what I do. You can convert those to a fixture if you find the need. Warning: save a copy of the p-solid before you do that.. You can't nicely edit the fixture.

I'd skip the tapered stone pedestal, unless the client insists upon it. Don't forget to insist upon proper construction detailing of the stone pedestal to timber post connection. Those are extremely expensive timbers to let a contractor bury in concrete and have them rot inside the pedestal. I use p-solids for everything here, except the stone capping which is a custom molding I made. You can use a tapered cap from the library, but then you'll have to modify the detail anyhow.