Further Development: Digital Prototyping (SketchUp)

In this post I described the process of creating a digital prototype in SketchUp. I decided to create a more detailed 3D model based on the physical prototype that I described in the previous post. In the end I plan to get a template with right dimensions.

Final result

Process

I needed to make a floor with the slope, so first I drew the line that goes up, after that I drew the plane at the starting point on the line and used the tool ‘follow me’. I got the 3D object with slope but I also needed the upper and lower planes of the object be straight. Therefore I started to research how to make it.

I found the video on YouTube with the tutorial where the author explains how to create the ramp. 

YouTube video

I found this example useful and tried to repeat it. The author built the 3D object, then selected all side edges of the upper plane, welded them and moved one line down. I decided to use this principle in the creation of the shape.

First I drew the 2D drawing of the building in the top view.

Then I rounded the corners: 2000 mm for the outside corners and 1000 mm for the inside. When I rounded the first outside  corner I repeated the same actions for others, clicking twice in the place where the corner should be rounded. Then, I repeated this for inside corners.

After that, I used the tool ‘push/pull’ that creates the volume from solid planes and I extruded the shape with height 3500 mm.

Then I drew additional structural lines that I plan to move creating a slope.  

After that, i selected all side edges of upper plane and welded them.

Then I moved one edge that i did not weld with others and moved it down.

I repeated the same actions with the lower plane, then with all others planes and created a model of the exhibition space - path with slope 6% that will be comfortable to walk on and for disabled people. I also decided to create the path that leads from the roof to the first floor, not to the underground performance space as I wanted. I changed this because a path to the underground level would have required much steeper slope, which would be uncomfortable for people.

 To create a slope 6% I had to find the height to which I moved the edges down. And to find these heights I measured the length of every plane and multiplied it by the 6% (or 0,06). 

I also added an inside space. I created a few similar variations of the idea, changed only the visibility of walls of the inside space and presence of columns. I chose the variant with the columns as this creates an additional support.

Next, I plan to create a physical model based on this digital prototype.

References:

HMZ Designs (2024) ‘Curve ramp in SketchUp’, [youtube video]. Available at: https://youtube.com/shorts/HNNolPHtTEI?si=X5d0KVoI2OrCVfB0 (Accessed: 7 June 2026).