Create a Linear Curtain Wall

To create a linear curtain wall, add an architectural wall and select a curtain wall type from the Type Selector.

1. Open a floor plan view or a 3D view.
2. Click (Wall: Architectural).

   Where is it?

   • Architecture tabBuild panelWall drop-down (Wall: Architectural)
   • Structure tabStructure panelWall drop-down (Wall: Architectural)
3. Select a curtain wall type from the Type Selector drop-down.
4. To create a wall with automatic horizontal and vertical curtain grids, specify the Vertical and Horizontal Layout properties for the wall type.

   For more information, see About Type-Driven Curtain Element Layout.

   Attention: You cannot move automatic curtain grids after drawing a wall, unless you make them independent. To do this, select a curtain grid and on the Properties palette, under Other, select Independent for Type Association. Alternatively, you can select the grid, and click the pin that is displayed. When an automatic grid is independent, its position remains fixed if you resize the wall or change the grid layout using the type properties of the curtain wall. This parameter allows you to adjust the position of certain grids after creating even-grid spacing. If you had placed the grid on the curtain wall, it would not be part of the grid layout calculation.
5. Create the wall, using one of the following methods:
   • Draw the wall: By default, Line is active. (If it is not active, click Modify | Place Wall tabDraw panel (Line), or select another draw tool.) See Sketching.

     As you draw a wall, you can quickly set its length by entering a value on the keyboard, taking advantage of the listening dimension feature. See Use Listening Dimensions.

     If you want to flip the orientation of the wall about its location line, press the Spacebar as you draw the wall. This works for all wall drawing tools, such as rectangles, circles, and 3-point arcs.

   • Pick Lines (): Select existing lines. Lines can be model lines or edges of elements, such as roofs, curtain panels, and other walls.
   • Pick Faces (): Select either a massing face or a generic model face. The generic model could be created as in-place or family file based. See Creating Walls from Mass Faces.
     Tip: To highlight all vertical faces on the mass or generic model, press Tab. Click to place walls simultaneously on each highlighted face.

   To exit the Wall tool, press Esc twice.

6. To change a panel type, do the following:
   1. Open an elevation or a view where you can see the curtain wall panels.
   2. Select a panel.

      Move the cursor over a panel edge, and press Tab until the panel is selected. Watch the status bar for information, and then click to select it.

   3. Select the appropriate panel type from the Type Selector drop-down.
7. If you sketched a curtain wall without automatic grids (About Type-Driven Curtain Element Layout), you can add grids manually. See Add a Curtain Grid.
8. If needed for the design, add mullions to the grids.

   See Place a Mullion on a Curtain Grid.

Completed curtain wall