Appearance
Plan aspects — shell, facade, structure, finishes
The Plan workspace shows one aspect of the house at a time. An aspect is a layer of the same building model — switching aspects changes what you can edit, never what exists. Your walls stay put while you style the facade or place columns.
What does each aspect own?
| Aspect | What you author there |
|---|---|
| Shell | Walls, rooms (Spaces), doors, windows, passages, stairs — plus plot and site context through Site Systems |
| Structure | Structural basis, column grid, columns, beams, lintel bands, slabs, footings — from the right-panel step board |
| Facade | The exterior in interactive 3D: entrance compositions, chajjas (sunshades), balcony railings, parapets, cladding |
| Finishes | Materials by role: exterior, interior, and stair surfaces, room finishes, door and window finishes, railings |
Site controls are not a separate aspect — Site Systems rides alongside Shell so the plot and setbacks stay visible while you draw. Construction data remains part of the model and its derived outputs, but its dedicated Plan aspect is currently retired.
Why does a shortcut do nothing in another aspect?
A tool's shortcut only fires while its aspect is active. W draws a wall in Shell; pressed while Structure is showing, it does nothing — a hidden command must never arm silently. If a shortcut seems dead, check which aspect is active first.
The editing tools work in every aspect: Select (Esc), Dimension (M), Trim (X), Mirror (F), Offset (O), Corner close (C), and Reference Image (I).
When should I switch aspects?
Switch when the task's owner changes — roughly in construction order:
- Shell first. There is nothing to frame, style, or finish until walls and rooms exist.
- Structure once the shell is drawn — grid, columns, beams, slabs, foundations.
- Facade once the exterior exists — entrance, chajjas, railings, parapets, all in 3D.
- Finishes once surfaces exist — plaster, paint, flooring, opening finishes.
The order is a recommendation, not a rule. You can return to Shell at any time, and Structure, Facade, and Finishes all describe the same house.
Related
- Plan aspects overview — the aspect pages
- Shell · Structure · Facade · Finishes
- Plan workspace — full tool index