Import/Save Openings with IFC

Import IFC Openings as ARCHICAD Openings

Imported IFCOpeningElements are converted to Openings in ARCHICAD provided that:

The ARCHICAD host element is a Wall, Slab, Mesh, or Beam

The incoming Opening is empty (does not contain a Door/Window)

The incoming Opening shape is rectangle, circle or ellipse

IFC Openings that do not meet these conditions are converted to a Morph, which is in a Solid Element Operation with the host element.

Convert IFC Provision for Void to ARCHICAD Opening

An IFC Provision for Void is a simple Building Element Proxy with a special IFC Attribute (Provision for Void) assigned to it. An IFC Provision for Void cannot contain a Door or Window.

Architects receive Provisions for Voids from other design disciplines as an IFC model. This model might contain other model elements, or just the Provision for Voids.

The Building Element Proxies that represent IFC Provisions for Voids are imported to ARCHICAD as Morphs, and classified as Provisions for Voids.

See also Create Openings from Selection.

Export ARCHICAD Openings to IFC

As IFC Opening Element

Each ARCHICAD Opening is exported as a single IFC Opening Element (IfcOpeningElement), with a single host element.

If the ARCHICAD Opening cuts multiple elements, then:

The Opening part cut from the host (associated) element is exported as an IfcOpeningElement. It inherits all metadata (classification, properties, ID).

The Opening parts cut from additional elements are represented in IFC by holes (created by solid element subtraction).

As IFC Provision for Void

Provisions for Voids that are modeled using Morphs in ARCHICAD can be classified and exported to IFC as Provisions for Voids.

Exporting Host Elements to IFC

When exporting the host (associated) elements of Openings (e.g. Wall/Slab) to IFC, you can choose to export their gross geometry - that is, without the holes. To do this, use the “Export gross geometry” checkbox in the IFC Translator for Geometry Export. The opening elements are exported separately (IfcOpeningElement), and the exact subtraction can be carried out in IFC by the receiving application (e.g. for more accurate cost calculation).

See Export gross geometry of elements (Export holes separately).

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