& Construction

Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
& Manufacturing

Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Place an architectural column to box out a structural column within a wall.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
6 min.
Tutorial resources
These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:
Transcript
00:03
In
00:04
an architectural column will inherit the layers and finishes of the wall.
00:08
It is joined to,
00:09
they are used to box out around the structural column that's built into a wall
00:14
or to create pillars and masonry walls where needed,
00:18
the architectural column can also be used as the decorative encasing
00:22
to a standalone structural column.
00:24
And if I zoom into the column at the top right corner of the plan, here,
00:28
we can see we have a concrete column which is built into the complex external wall.
00:34
If I select the column,
00:35
we can see it's the 12 by 12 inch concrete rectangular column type,
00:40
this has been positioned so that it's recessed into
00:43
the external wall in line with the cmu layer
00:46
with the external finishes continuing past the column.
00:50
And we would like the internal finishes
00:52
to encase the column.
00:54
However, at the moment, they run through the column
00:57
which makes it appear as if they stop either side of the column.
01:01
So we'll use an architectural column joined to the wall
01:05
to extend these finishes around the column.
01:08
And as we've seen, the concrete column is 12 by 12 inches,
01:12
the finishes for this wall are three inches thick.
01:15
So therefore,
01:15
we would need six inches bigger than that to allow for the finishes on both sides.
01:20
So
01:21
let's go to the architecture ribbon tab and from
01:23
the build panel under the structural column tool,
01:26
we choose to place an architectural column
01:29
looking at the type selector. We have the 24 by 24 inch column.
01:34
So we'll choose the 18 by 18 inch type.
01:37
And now we can place this
01:39
by just snapping into the center of the
01:41
column or the intersection of the grid lines here
01:44
and straight away, we can see that it inherits the finishes of that external wall.
01:49
And they're now extended around the outside of the column
01:52
to give us the inca
01:53
and detail that we want.
01:57
So next,
01:57
I will choose zoom to fit from the navigation bar so we can see the whole plan again
02:04
and now zooming into the middle of the area where the petitions are.
02:09
We can see that we have some steel columns placed.
02:13
And ideally, we would like the petition finishes to encase those columns.
02:19
So once again, we'll go to the architecture ribbon tab
02:22
from the build panel on the column. We'll choose the architectural column.
02:26
We got the 18 by 18 inch column selected. So
02:29
we'll click to place that
02:31
in the middle of the column here.
02:33
And again, we can see those finishes be inherited by the column
02:36
and follow around the outside.
02:39
However, they are a little bit big. So let's select the column
02:43
and then from the properties pallette, we'll choose edit type
02:46
to access its type properties.
02:49
We'll then click duplicate to create a new version.
02:52
And we'll name this 16 inch by 16 inch,
02:57
then click, OK, to accept that new name and create the new column.
03:01
And we can see we have the parameters here for depth and width.
03:04
So we'll change each of these to be 16 inches
03:13
and then we'll click. OK.
03:15
And we can see that new column type applied to the one that we already had placed
03:19
and the finishes are now closer to the column
03:21
as we want for this detail.
03:24
So now we can just copy this architectural column across to the next. So
03:27
with it selected from the modified columns, ribbon, we choose the copy to
03:32
and then we can snap from the middle of the
03:33
steel column to the middle of the next steel column.
03:37
And again, as soon as it's placed, we can see those finishes be inherited once more.
03:43
And now zooming out a little,
03:45
we can see we have this masonry wall which spans the entire width of the building.
03:50
And although it does have a pillar in the middle of it,
03:52
we do need to add one more either side of this
03:55
to strengthen it and make it structurally more stable.
04:01
So once again, from the architecture tab,
04:04
we'll choose to place the architectural column.
04:07
And this time we'll choose the 18 by 24 inch one.
04:11
And now, as we go over the wall, we can use the space bar to change its orientation.
04:16
We could place it a line to the edge of the wall. So it was thicker on just one side, but
04:21
we'll place it centrally.
04:23
And then we can see that it inherits that masonry
04:26
material and it extends out to give us the pillar
04:29
in the middle of the wall.
04:31
So now we just need to make it central along the length of that wall.
04:35
So we'll go to the annotate ribbon tab from the dimension panel,
04:38
we'll choose the aligned dimension tool.
04:42
And first, we'll select the center of the column we've just placed.
04:45
So then we'll select the grid line in the middle
04:48
and then the grid line above or the center of the column.
04:51
And then once we have those, we can click to place the dimensions down
04:55
and now we'll click the equality toggle for these dimensions
05:00
and this will set them to be equal,
05:02
which in turn will mean that the column will be equally spaced
05:06
between the middle grid line and the upper
05:09
grid line that we selected for the dimensions.
05:12
So now we just need to copy this column down to the wall below.
05:17
So
05:18
we'll select it first
05:20
and then from the modify columns, ribbon tab,
05:23
we'll choose the mirror, pick access tool.
05:26
And then we just need to click on the middle grid line
05:29
and then the column will be mirrored into position on the wall below.
05:34
So finally,
05:35
we'll just delete the dimensions that we created as we don't need those in the plan.
05:39
So
05:40
we'll select those
05:41
and then from the modified ribbon tab, we'll just choose the delete tool
05:45
and we'll be given a warning that we cannot ignore.
05:48
And this tells us that the dimension had the quality constraint toggled on.
05:52
And if we delete the dimension,
05:54
the equality constraint will remain if we choose. OK,
05:57
let's click un constraint
05:59
to remove the constraint from the column.
Video transcript
00:03
In
00:04
an architectural column will inherit the layers and finishes of the wall.
00:08
It is joined to,
00:09
they are used to box out around the structural column that's built into a wall
00:14
or to create pillars and masonry walls where needed,
00:18
the architectural column can also be used as the decorative encasing
00:22
to a standalone structural column.
00:24
And if I zoom into the column at the top right corner of the plan, here,
00:28
we can see we have a concrete column which is built into the complex external wall.
00:34
If I select the column,
00:35
we can see it's the 12 by 12 inch concrete rectangular column type,
00:40
this has been positioned so that it's recessed into
00:43
the external wall in line with the cmu layer
00:46
with the external finishes continuing past the column.
00:50
And we would like the internal finishes
00:52
to encase the column.
00:54
However, at the moment, they run through the column
00:57
which makes it appear as if they stop either side of the column.
01:01
So we'll use an architectural column joined to the wall
01:05
to extend these finishes around the column.
01:08
And as we've seen, the concrete column is 12 by 12 inches,
01:12
the finishes for this wall are three inches thick.
01:15
So therefore,
01:15
we would need six inches bigger than that to allow for the finishes on both sides.
01:20
So
01:21
let's go to the architecture ribbon tab and from
01:23
the build panel under the structural column tool,
01:26
we choose to place an architectural column
01:29
looking at the type selector. We have the 24 by 24 inch column.
01:34
So we'll choose the 18 by 18 inch type.
01:37
And now we can place this
01:39
by just snapping into the center of the
01:41
column or the intersection of the grid lines here
01:44
and straight away, we can see that it inherits the finishes of that external wall.
01:49
And they're now extended around the outside of the column
01:52
to give us the inca
01:53
and detail that we want.
01:57
So next,
01:57
I will choose zoom to fit from the navigation bar so we can see the whole plan again
02:04
and now zooming into the middle of the area where the petitions are.
02:09
We can see that we have some steel columns placed.
02:13
And ideally, we would like the petition finishes to encase those columns.
02:19
So once again, we'll go to the architecture ribbon tab
02:22
from the build panel on the column. We'll choose the architectural column.
02:26
We got the 18 by 18 inch column selected. So
02:29
we'll click to place that
02:31
in the middle of the column here.
02:33
And again, we can see those finishes be inherited by the column
02:36
and follow around the outside.
02:39
However, they are a little bit big. So let's select the column
02:43
and then from the properties pallette, we'll choose edit type
02:46
to access its type properties.
02:49
We'll then click duplicate to create a new version.
02:52
And we'll name this 16 inch by 16 inch,
02:57
then click, OK, to accept that new name and create the new column.
03:01
And we can see we have the parameters here for depth and width.
03:04
So we'll change each of these to be 16 inches
03:13
and then we'll click. OK.
03:15
And we can see that new column type applied to the one that we already had placed
03:19
and the finishes are now closer to the column
03:21
as we want for this detail.
03:24
So now we can just copy this architectural column across to the next. So
03:27
with it selected from the modified columns, ribbon, we choose the copy to
03:32
and then we can snap from the middle of the
03:33
steel column to the middle of the next steel column.
03:37
And again, as soon as it's placed, we can see those finishes be inherited once more.
03:43
And now zooming out a little,
03:45
we can see we have this masonry wall which spans the entire width of the building.
03:50
And although it does have a pillar in the middle of it,
03:52
we do need to add one more either side of this
03:55
to strengthen it and make it structurally more stable.
04:01
So once again, from the architecture tab,
04:04
we'll choose to place the architectural column.
04:07
And this time we'll choose the 18 by 24 inch one.
04:11
And now, as we go over the wall, we can use the space bar to change its orientation.
04:16
We could place it a line to the edge of the wall. So it was thicker on just one side, but
04:21
we'll place it centrally.
04:23
And then we can see that it inherits that masonry
04:26
material and it extends out to give us the pillar
04:29
in the middle of the wall.
04:31
So now we just need to make it central along the length of that wall.
04:35
So we'll go to the annotate ribbon tab from the dimension panel,
04:38
we'll choose the aligned dimension tool.
04:42
And first, we'll select the center of the column we've just placed.
04:45
So then we'll select the grid line in the middle
04:48
and then the grid line above or the center of the column.
04:51
And then once we have those, we can click to place the dimensions down
04:55
and now we'll click the equality toggle for these dimensions
05:00
and this will set them to be equal,
05:02
which in turn will mean that the column will be equally spaced
05:06
between the middle grid line and the upper
05:09
grid line that we selected for the dimensions.
05:12
So now we just need to copy this column down to the wall below.
05:17
So
05:18
we'll select it first
05:20
and then from the modify columns, ribbon tab,
05:23
we'll choose the mirror, pick access tool.
05:26
And then we just need to click on the middle grid line
05:29
and then the column will be mirrored into position on the wall below.
05:34
So finally,
05:35
we'll just delete the dimensions that we created as we don't need those in the plan.
05:39
So
05:40
we'll select those
05:41
and then from the modified ribbon tab, we'll just choose the delete tool
05:45
and we'll be given a warning that we cannot ignore.
05:48
And this tells us that the dimension had the quality constraint toggled on.
05:52
And if we delete the dimension,
05:54
the equality constraint will remain if we choose. OK,
05:57
let's click un constraint
05:59
to remove the constraint from the column.
How to buy
Privacy | Do not sell or share my personal information | Cookie preferences | Report noncompliance | Terms of use | Legal | © 2025 Autodesk Inc. All rights reserved
Sign in for the best experience
Save your progress
Get access to courses
Receive personalized recommendations
May we collect and use your data?
Learn more about the Third Party Services we use and our Privacy Statement.May we collect and use your data to tailor your experience?
Explore the benefits of a customized experience by managing your privacy settings for this site or visit our Privacy Statement to learn more about your options.