Niche, Recess, Slit, Opening

Task area Components + Interior Finish

You can use this tool to insert niches, recesses, slits and openings in walls.

Differences between niche - recess - polygonal recess

(1) Niche
(2) Recess
(3) Polygonal niche
(4) Polygonal recess
Fig.: Differences between niche - recess and polygonal niche - recess

Note: As opposed to niches, recesses in vertical surfaces are ignored in quantity takeoff operations.

To create a niche, recess, slit or opening

1. Click Niche, Recess, Slit, Opening (How).
   

   Activate Niche, Recess, Slit, Opening in one of the following ways

   • Actionbar:Role Architecture Task Elements Task area Components

   • Menu bar: Create Architecture Basic: Walls, Openings, Components

   • Palette: Tools Create area in the following module(s):

   Basic: Walls, Openings, Components

2. Set the anchor point of the niche, slit, recess or opening.
   

   In the icon, click to place the transport point.

   The following options are available:

   

   

   

   With openings (for instance doors and windows) only the following options are available:

   

   A preview of the opening is attached to the crosshairs.

3. Click the wall. The system will automatically display the offset between the point you clicked and the nearest reference point (represented by a small arrow). You can accept or change this value. Press ENTER to confirm this value.
4. If you want, you can now change the type and the parameters of the opening.
   The context toolbar provides several options.
   

   • Click Properties to set the parameters in a dialog box.
   • Click Match properties to copy the settings from an existing element.
   • Click Load favorite to select saved parameter combinations.
5. The system will display the width and depth of the opening in the dialog line again, so that you can check it a final time. Press ENTER to confirm each of the values.
6. If you specified a smart symbol in the property sheet, the system will prompt you for its reference point. Place it and press the right mouse button to confirm the position of the smart symbol.
7. Repeat steps 2 to 6 to draw more niches, slits, recesses or openings. Otherwise, press ESC to quit the tool.

Note: For quantity takeoff that are compliant with German building regulations, check that the openings are within the components.

Tip: Openings applied to vertical surfaces in rooms are not taken into account as these openings will usually be closed later. Consequently, they are not displayed in the animation. Niches, on the other hand, remain open. Consequently, they are taken into account when you apply vertical surfaces and they are also displayed in the animation. To display an opening in the animation, you can enter a wall niche without a rear surface.