Creating Hardscape Objects

A hardscape object is comprised of paved areas with joint patterns and optional borders. A hardscape object can be drawn with the Hardscape tool, or by creating a polyline and then selecting the Objects from Polyline command (see Creating Objects from Polylines). The hardscape object can modify the site model.

 

To create a hardscape object:

1.	Click the Hardscape tool from the Site Planning tool set.

2.	Click Preferences from the Tool bar to specify the default Hardscape tool parameters for this session.

The Hardscape Object Settings dialog box opens.

 

Parameter	Description
Definition
Name	Enter a name for the hardscape object, which displays as the ID in the ID tag
ID Tag Style	Select the ID tag display style. Select ID Only to display the name of the hardscape object only (as defined in the Name field). Select ID-Area(s) to display the hardscape object name, area and, if applicable, the area of the border. Select ID-Area(s)-Perim to display the hardscape object name, perimeter length and, if applicable, the area of the border. To display the ID tag, select Right or Left in the Tag Display field of the Object Info palette. The ID tag is automatically classed to the Landscape-Spec class.
Configuration	Sets the boundary and pathway parameters for the hardscape object
Boundary/Pathway	Boundary defines the hardscape object with a user-defined polyline as the outer edge of the hardscape object (e.g. define regular or irregular patio areas), while Pathway defines the hardscape object with a user-defined polyline as an alignment for a linear path
Width	Width of the pathway hardscape object
Offset	Offset of the pathway centerline from the placement line
Joint Pattern	Select the main joint pattern The Set Joint Pattern Options dialog box opens when Flagstone, Pavers-Grid, or Pavers-Running is selected. Enter the pattern size and angle and click OK. The joint pattern origin has a control point marked with a red locus for identification. The joint pattern origin is editable. The Choose Fill dialog box opens when Hatch or Stipple is selected. The stipple patterns displayed are saved symbols in the current file (see Saving the Stipple Object Settings). The displayed hatches are from either the default resources or the current file’s resources (see VectorWorks Design Series Default Resources or Defining Hatches). Select the desired hatch or stipple pattern and click OK. The selected resource’s name displays beneath the Joint Pattern list.
Draw Border	Select to include a border pattern along the edges of the hardscape object
Width	Enter the width of the border
Joint Pattern	Similar to the main hardscape Joint Pattern, select the border paving pattern. The Enter Value dialog box opens when Spaced Joints is selected. Enter the desired joint spacing value. The Choose Fill dialog box opens when Hatch or Stipple is selected. The stipple patterns displayed are saved symbols in the current file. The displayed hatches are from either the default resources or the current file’s resources. Select the desired hatch or stipple pattern and click OK. The selected resource’s name displays beneath the Joint Pattern list. The joint pattern origin has a control point marked with a green locus for identification. The joint pattern origin is editable.
Border Background Color	Click the color box to select the desired border color
Path Border at Ends	Select the border configuration for pathway hardscape objects with borders
Draw 3D	Select to draw a 3D hardscape object
3D Type	The hardscape object can act as a 3D slab object or as a pad or texture bed site modifier for a DTM. Select the type of 3D element to create. Select Slab or Pad if the paving area is flat. Select Texture Bed if the paving area is a pathway that covers a large area of a site with some topographical changes. For more information, see Modifying the Site Model.
Thickness	For a slab or texture bed, enter the thickness parameter (for texture beds, this is the distance of the bed above the site)
Class	Enter the class for the texture bed
Sketch Style	Select the joint display option to use when sketch rendering is applied to the hardscape

Both the Flagstone and Stipple joint patterns are processor-intensive actions for large hardscape objects and can significantly increase regeneration time. To decrease the regeneration time for large flagstone areas, increase the pattern size.

When drawing a hardscape object with a curved boundary, speed the regeneration time by setting the 2D conversion resolution in VectorWorks preferences to low (see Edit Preferences).

3.

Click OK.

4.	Click the appropriate mode in the Tool bar to specify the creation method of the hardscape object.

For information on the Polyline tool modes, see Creating Polylines.

5.	Click to set the hardscape object’s start point.

6.	Click to set the end of the segment and the beginning of the next. Continue drawing segments in this manner until the hardscape object is complete.

7.	Update the site model. Select the site model and click Update from the Object Info palette.

Editing the Hardscape Object Settings

The parameters can be edited for selected hardscape objects through the Hardscape Settings button on the Shape tab of the Object Info palette. To modify the default hardscape object settings, click the Preferences button on the Tool bar.

Many of the parameters are identical to those used to create the hardscape object (see Creating Hardscape Objects). However, certain parameters are accessible in the Object Info palette only.

 

Parameter	Description
Hardscape Settings	Click to edit the selected hardscape object; for more information, see Creating Hardscape Objects
Save Hardscape	Click to save the selected hardscape object as a symbol; for more information, see Saving the Hardscape Object Settings
Tag Display	Determine the method of displaying ID tags for the hardscape object; select Right or Left to display the text to the right or left of the tag control point. Select None to display the hardscape object without an ID tag.
Joint Pattern Size	Specifies the size of the joint pattern units
Joint Pattern Angle	Specifies the rotation angle of the joint pattern
Border Pattern Angle	Enter the angle of the pattern inside the border
Main Area	Displays the size of the main area
Border Area	Displays the size of the border area
Perimeter	Displays the perimeter measurement

Reshaping the Hardscape Object

Double-click the hardscape object to activate the 2D Reshape tool. Select the object handles to reshape the hardscape object. For more information, see Reshaping Objects.

Saving the Hardscape Object Settings

Once the hardscape object is set to the desired appearance, the settings can be saved for future use or importing into other files, by saving the hardscape object. When inserted from the Resource Browser, all the hardscape object settings are preset.

To save the selected hardscape object settings:

1.	Select a hardscape object.

2.	In the Object Info palette, click Save Hardscape.

The Enter String dialog box opens.

3.	Enter a unique name.

4.

Click OK.

The hardscape object is saved in the “Hardscapes” symbol folder in the Resource Browser. Boundary and pathway hardscape objects are assigned unique thumbnail view icons for easy identification. For more information on the Resource Browser, see Using the Resource Browser.

5.	To use a saved hardscape object, double-click on it in the Resource Browser.

Editing Hardscape Object Fills

Hardscape object fills can be changed through the Attributes palette. If a joint pattern was specified, the joint pattern is drawn over the fill attribute of the hardscape object. Hardscape objects can also use images and gradients as fills. Use the Attribute Mapping tool to adjust the fill direction and size.

For more information on using image or gradients, see The Attributes Palette; for more information on using the Attribute Mapping tool, see Editing Gradient and Image Fills.

The angle or origin point of a hardscape fill can be adjusted. Move the control point at the center of the hardscape to control the origin point of the paving pattern (including a hatch) and change the Joint Pattern Angle value to adjust the angle.

When joining bordered hardscape objects with similar borders, the top hardscape object should use a pathway configuration. Draw the path from the inside edge of the bottom hardscape object, so that the borders meet cleanly, with the bottom object’s border covered.

To coordinate the joint patterns of several hardscape objects, configure the hardscape objects with the same settings and drag their main pattern origin control points (marked with the red locus) to a common location.