Chief Architect is a powerful tool that enables architects, designers, and builders to create detailed plans and visualizations with precision and efficiency. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to the software, there are several techniques that can take your productivity and design quality to the next level. This blog highlights five essential techniques every Chief Architect user should know, along with additional tips for leveraging the software to its fullest potential.
Using Edit, Save, and Save As View Icons
One of the most effective ways to streamline your workflow in Chief Architect is by using the "Edit," "Save," and "Save As" view icons. These tools allow you to create and save customized views with unique settings for each perspective, making it easier to manage layouts and retrieve specific designs quickly. By naming and organizing your views, you can maintain clarity and efficiency, especially when working on large or complex projects.
Maximizing the Project Browser
The Project Browser is an indispensable tool for managing all elements of your project. It enables you to organize and access components such as CAD details, elevations, and 3D views in a structured manner. This functionality not only keeps your project files tidy but also reduces errors by ensuring that all elements are easy to locate and update as needed. Mastering the Project Browser can save you significant time and frustration.
Copying and Spacing Dimensions for Precision
Dimensioning is a critical aspect of architectural design, and Chief Architect offers intuitive tools to enhance this process. By copying and evenly spacing dimension lines, you can create plans that are both precise and easy to interpret. This technique is particularly useful for adding additional dimension strings beyond the default three provided by the software, allowing you to highlight specific design elements clearly.
Utilizing the Edit Area Tool for Adjustments
The Edit Area tool is a game-changer for making adjustments to your plans. It allows you to move, copy, or resize entire sections of a plan, including multi-floor designs. Whether you’re expanding a room, shifting a section of a structure, or duplicating elements, the Edit Area tool makes these modifications quick and seamless. This feature is particularly useful for accommodating client requests or making last-minute changes without disrupting the overall design.
Calculating Areas Using CAD Boxes
Understanding and calculating areas is essential for accurate designs and compliance with building codes. Chief Architect simplifies this process with CAD boxes, which can be used to calculate square footage for specific spaces like living areas, garages, or impervious surfaces. By applying macros to these boxes, you can automate calculations and ensure precision. This functionality is invaluable for remodels, detailed square footage breakdowns, and presentations.
Additional Tips for Chief Architect Users
Chief Architect offers a range of advanced features that can further enhance your workflow and design quality. For example, creating customized light sets allows you to control lighting for specific rooms or views, improving the realism of your renderings. This capability is particularly useful for presentations or client visualizations.
Reflecting and reversing plans is another powerful feature. By using CAD boxes to define reflection points, you can flip selected areas of a design without altering the entire structure. This technique is ideal for creating mirrored layouts or quickly modifying designs to meet changing requirements.
Lastly, leveraging advanced area calculation tools can simplify complex projects. Tools that integrate macros and conditional checks can automatically calculate areas like impervious surfaces or conditioned spaces, ensuring compliance and accuracy.
Final Thoughts
Chief Architect is a versatile tool that rewards users who take the time to explore its many features and techniques. By mastering these five essential techniques—view management, project organization, dimensioning, the Edit Area tool, and area calculations—you can enhance your productivity and create designs with greater precision. Whether you’re managing a remodel or designing from scratch, these tips will help you make the most of this powerful software.
Explore these features and watch your efficiency soar, ensuring that your projects not only meet expectations but exceed them. Chief Architect is more than just a tool—it’s a platform for turning your design visions into reality.
Want to See These Techniques in Action?
If you’re excited to master these powerful features and learn more about how Chief Architect can transform your workflow, don’t miss the in-depth demonstrations and expert discussions featured in the Designer Show episode. Watch Chief Experts break down each technique step-by-step, share practical examples, and answer real-world design questions.
🎥 Watch the episode below and unlock the full potential of Chief Architect!
See how these tips come to life and discover even more ways to elevate your designs!
Here is a summary of the chapters with timestamps based on the transcription so far:
Chapter 1: Introduction and Updates (0:01–3:07)
- Hosts greet viewers and share updates for 2025.
- Discussion about an upcoming summit happening in two months.
- Hosts talk about new tools like the Space Mouse and its integration into workflows.
Chapter 2: Introduction to Chief Architect's View Tools (3:07–6:26)
- Overview of the 1,300+ icons and features in Chief Architect.
- Emphasis on learning how to use tools to improve plan creation efficiency.
- Explanation of the "Edit, Save, and Save As" view icons in Chief Architect.
Chapter 3: Creating and Managing Views (6:26–12:48)
- Demonstration of creating and saving custom views for layout plans.
- How to use the "Edit Active View," "Save," and "Save As" features.
- Organizing views in the project browser for better plan management.
Chapter 4: Demonstration of Layout Linking and Labeling (12:48–19:49)
- Explanation of how to link layout viewports to specific saved views.
- Step-by-step demonstration of labeling views automatically using saved names.
- Discussion on refreshing and resizing layout viewports.
Chapter 5: Using Light Sets in Custom Views (19:49–24:00)
- Demonstration of how to create new light sets for specific camera views.
- Explanation of ensuring the correct lights are on in specific rooms during rendering.
- Tips for naming and managing light sets effectively.
Chapter 6: Project Browser and View Management (24:00–26:57)
- Overview of the project browser as a plan management tool.
- Navigation through CAD details, overviews, and elevations using the project browser.
- Tips on renaming views for better organization.
Chapter 7: Advanced View and Label Management (27:09–30:44)
- Group editing of multiple views, including changing camera settings for all views simultaneously.
- Tips on reverting settings to "no change" for specific configurations.
- Demonstration of managing and resizing the project browser and other docked elements using Windows shortcuts.
Chapter 8: Copying and Spacing Dimensions (30:44–36:48)
- Explanation of copying dimension lines for additional clarity in plans.
- Demonstration of aligning and spacing multiple dimension lines evenly.
- Discussion on best practices for using witness (extension) lines and ensuring proper alignment in plans.
Chapter 9: Edit Area Tool for Plan Adjustments (36:48–41:08)
- Introduction to the "Edit Area" tool for moving or resizing entire sections of a plan.
- Using the tool to adjust multiple floors or elements at once.
- Explanation of the difference between "Edit Area" and "Edit Area Visible" functions.
- Discussion on reflecting and reversing plans and ensuring proper alignment with building centers.
Chapter 10: Reflecting and Reversing Plans (41:08–47:22)
- Discussion on reflecting areas of a plan using CAD boxes as reference points.
- Differences between reversing entire plans versus specific areas.
- Demonstration of how to reflect a selected area of a multi-floor structure and the adjustments needed for roofs and walls.
Chapter 11: Calculating Areas Using CAD Boxes (47:22–53:23)
- Explanation of Chief Architect’s CAD box feature to calculate areas.
- How to label CAD boxes for specific room types like garages or living areas.
- Using macros to automatically calculate and display square footage for labeled CAD boxes.
Chapter 12: Advanced Area Calculations (53:23–55:02)
- Rene’s demonstration of his automated area analysis tool.
- Conditional checks for impervious surfaces using predefined macros for specific room or area types.
- Adjustments for changes in area sizes automatically updating total calculations.
Chapter 13: Setting Up Elevation Views and Labels (55:45–58:59)
- Demonstration of creating and linking elevation views to layout pages.
- Explanation of setting callouts and customizing labels for elevations.
- Adjusting viewports for layout presentation, including resizing and scaling options.
Chapter 14: Advanced Area Calculation and Rounding (58:59–60:36)
- Using macros to round area calculations to the nearest whole number, ceiling, or floor.
- Explanation of scripting methods for specific formatting needs (e.g., converting to integer or float).
Chapter 15: Combining Polyline and Room Areas (60:36–62:00)
- Example of calculating total impervious areas by combining polyline and room data.
- Demonstration of live updates to calculations when areas are resized or new elements (e.g., decks) are added.
Closing Remarks (62:00–End)
- Recap of topics discussed and encouragement to explore tools like the summit and upcoming training programs.
- Farewell and appreciation to the audience.
Resources Mentioned:
- Renee Rabbit’s Area Analysis Tool: Visit RabbittDesign.net
- Chief Experts Blog
