Microstation V8 Tutorial 3D

Le Corbusierʼs Houses for Workers 1924

Contents
Starting Microstation / Setting Up the Seed File —p1

Set Up the Tools — p2

Attributes + Primary + Standard + 3D Main
Main Tools with Select and Delete (elements)

Set Up the Views — p2

View Four Windows — Tile — Extended Window
Window View Control — Zoom — Fit View — Window Area

Set Global Lighting / Render — p3

Visualisation Tools (Render)

Set Up White Background / Set Up the Tentative Button — p4

Work 1:1 / Draw a Rectangle to Scale the Reference File — p5

Accudraw — Place Block

Change Line Colour — p5

Referencing the Scanned .jpg image (Raster) to a 3D .dgn (design) file — p6

Raster Manager

Creating the Wall Using Move Parallel — p7

Move Parallel

Save Design / Save Settings — p8

Draw 2D Balcony — p8
Smart Line, Place Arc and Create Complex Chain

Draw 2D Pillar and 1st Floor — p9

Place Circle and Place Smart Line

Draw 2D Window & Door Profiles — p10

Place Block, Select and Move

Draw 2D Main Window Mullions and Transoms — p11

Select, Move and Copy, Place Block, Array

Extrude Surface to 3D / Thicken to Solid— p12

3D Main Tools, Extrude and Thicken to Solid
Cut Windows with 2D Profiles — p13
Use 3D Main Tools, Cut Solid and Move (no Copy)
 Janet Insull UEL © 2003

Microstation V8 Tutorial 3D
Le Corbusierʼs Houses for Workers 1924

Designed to provide minimum accommodation for workers

(there is no bathroom) and using a standardised format based
on the cube, these houses were never built.

You will model a simplified version using only one plan for
ground and first floor to draw in 2d and then extrude to 3d.

Drawings from Le Corbusier: An Analysis of Form,

Geoffrey H Baker
Starting Microstation and
Setting Up the Seed File

MicroStation has pre-defined files called SEEDS

for 2d and 3d both in metric and imperial measure-
ments. You will select and save 3d Metric under your
name and in your area.

• Select Start (bottom left) open Programs

• Select Microstation V8 and double click

• Select Program Files Drive and choose the

Bentley Folder

• Follow the Directories down

• Select 3dMetricGeneral.dgn

* Click OK

• Select File from the menu choose

SAVE AS

• Open the MSCorbForStudentsPC folder on

Drive H (Student) on your computer.

• Save file = yourNameCorb.dgn

H:

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 Janet Insull UEL © 2003

Set Up the Tools

• Select Menu > Tools >

Attributes + Primary + Standard

• ʻDOCKʼ the tool palettes at the top of the

screen

• Select Menu> Tools> Main + 3D

Main

• ʻDOCKʼ the tool palettes at the left

• Select then click on element to Select

• Select then click on element to Delete

Set Up the Views

To View Four Windows (currently View 2 - Iso)

Click windows ON and OFF
• Select Window from menu tick Dialog and
the Default Views appears at or drag to the
bottom left of the Screen

Window View Control — Bottom left of each

View Window (or check Scroll Bars on menu) Click to Extend window on Screen

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 Janet Insull UEL © 2003

Set Global Lighting and Render

• Selevct Settings from the menu choose

Render
and Select submenu Global Lighting

• Click on the Black Triangle

(to reveal the palette)

• Make sure that it is Not Locked

• Set up as here and for City choose London

• Close

• Select Tools from the menu choose

Visualisation Tools Select submenu
Rendering

• Dock the Render Palette

Use Update Views to

return to Wireframe

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 Janet Insull UEL © 2003

Set Up White Background

To Change the Background to White

• Select Workspace from menu and choose

Preferences

• Select View Options from side menu

• Tick Box

Set Up the Tentative Button

To Assign the Tentative Button

• Select Workspace from menu and choose

Button Assignment.

• Press the middle button on your

mouse and click into
this box

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 Janet Insull UEL © 2003

Work 1:1
Draw a Rectangle to use to
Scale the Reference File

Scale the referenced plan (a scanned sketch) to some known

dimension — a rectangle.

• Extend the Top View Window to fill the

screen by clicking in the extend box
ttop right hand corner

Using Accudraw and Place Block draw a

rectangle 7 metres square as a guide for scal-
ing. Accudraw should be ʻdockedʼ at the top of the
screen.

• Select Place Block

Drag diagonally to start the drawing
Type 7000.mm in X & Y in AccuDraw

Change line colour

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 Janet Insull UEL © 2003

Referencing the scanned .jpg image(Raster)

to your 3D .dgn (design) file

Reference the plan sketch to the seed file —

• Select File from the menu choose Raster

Manager (a Raster is an Image)

• Select File on the Raster

Manager Dialog box choose
Attach Interactive

• Make sure the View 1(plan) is checked

• Select the Plan2.jpg in the Attach Raster

Reference File dialog box — click OK

On Drive H

H:

ON THE SCREEN
The cursor becomes a cross-hair (+)

• Click on the top left hand corner of your

rectangle Drag diagonally across the
Top View Window to attach the referenced
scan.

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 Janet Insull UEL © 2003

Creating the Wall Using Move

Parallel

The inside of the external wall is created using Move

Parallel.

This inner line will be used for construction only to

Tentative Snap to draw internal lines.

• Select Move Parallel

Type Distance:140.00
Check Make Copy

You may need to ʻturn offʼ the

Reference file occasionally to view your
drawing.
Un-check the box.

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 Janet Insull UEL © 2003

Save Design and

Save Settings

• Click on Save Design on the Standard Tools

that should be ʻdockedʼ at the top of the
screen.

• Select File from menu choose Save Settings

Draw 2D Balcony
Use Smart Line, Place Arc and
Create Complex Chain

• Select Place Smart Line

• Snap on the inner corner of the plan

• Draw the line until the arc starts.

• Select Place Arc Select Edge

Click once to start the Arc
Click where the middle of Arc the will be
Click to end the Arc

• Select Place Smart Line

• Snap on the end of the arc and
draw the rest of the balcony

Joining the Lines

• Select Create Complex Chain

Click in turn on the three lines (they change

colour)
Click away from the lines Right
Click=ACCEPT

Repeat with the other balcony

Start from the middle of the
plan

Adjust views

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 Janet Insull UEL © 2003

Draw 2D Pillar and 1st Floor

Use Place Circle and Place Smart Line

• Select Place Circle

Type in Diameter : 260.00 click on the word
Diameter in the box

• Drag circle

Draw 1st Floor Triangular balcony

• Select Place Smart Line

Draw the 1st Floor triangle

• Close the Smart Line polygon by using the

Snap to find the end of the line
Closed Element must drop down

ADJUST VIEW

• Select Window from menu choose Tile

• Select View 2 Axo choose Fit View

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 Janet Insull UEL © 2003

Draw 2D Window & Door Profiles

Use Place Block, Select and Move

The rectangles drawn will be used as profiles

(sources) later for cutting windows and a door
through the walls.

EXTEND Window 3 — Front View 3

• Select Place Block

Draw a the Main Window profile a rectangle
3800mm x 3800mm (Tentative Snap on the
line at the bottom to start at 0)

• Draw a the Back Window profile a rectangle

1100mm x 1100mm

The window profiles need to be moved up the

walls

• Select Front View 3

• Select the Back window

• Select Move (No Copy) and move the profile.

Let Accudraw do the measuring

• Main Window: 1500mm high

• Back Window: 1500mm high

ADJUST VIEW

• Select Window from menu choose Tile

• Select View 2 Iso choose Fit View

The profiles need to be shifted nearer the walls

• Select the profile to be moved in Iso

• Select Top View 1

• Select Move (No Copy) and move the profile.

Repeat with the other profiles. 10
 Janet Insull UEL © 2003

Draw 2D Main Window Mullions and Transoms

Use Select, Move and Copy, Place Block, Array

You will use the Main Window profile as a template

for the mullions and transoms.

• Extend Front View 3 to fill screen

Arrange screen so you have room to work.

• Select Move Copy choose the Main

Window profile and drag. to the right

• Select Place Block

• Snap on the corner of the Window and

draw a rectangle
3800mm high 45mm wide

• Select Construct Array

• Type in the Construct Array

dialog box

• Select rectangle and Click

• Select Place Block

Snap on the corner of the

Window and draw a rect-
angle
80mm high 3800mm wide

• Select Construct Array

• Type in the Construct Array dialog box

Do this for both the mullion and transom

To move the main window

WHEN THESE RECTANGLES ARE IN

PLACE
Move the Main Window profile back to its
position over the plan
USE ACCUDRAW TO KEEP IT IN LINE

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 Janet Insull UEL © 2003

Extrude Surface to 3d Thicken to Solid

Use 3D Main Tools, Extrude and Thicken to Solid

The single lines will be extruded as a Surface object

(no thickness) and then they will be given a thickness

ADJUST VIEW

• Select Window from menu choose Tile

• Select View 2 Iso choose Fit View

Extrude
Outer Wall and Centre Circle
• Select Tools from the menu choose 3D Main
• Select Extrude — SURFACE
Distance: 6000.00
Click on the outside line to form the outer wall
and then the middle circle

Balcony
Select Extrude
Distance: 1000.00

First Floor
Select Extrude —SOLID
Distance: 100.00

Thicken to Solid

Outer Wall
• Select Thicken to Solid
Thickness: 140
• Click on the wall

Balcony
Select Thicken to Solid
Thickness: 100
• Click on the wall

•
• Select Construct Cut
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 Janet Insull UEL © 2003

Cut Windows with 2D Profiles

Use 3D Main Tools, Cut Solid and Move
(no Copy)

The window profiles will now be used to cut through

the walls

• Select Cut Solid from 3D Main

• Set up the Cut Direction

• Select the Wall then the Window Profile

Then Click to one side

• Select Move no Copy

• Move the Balcony and First Floor 3000mm

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