Landscape Wall Tools

The Vectorworks Landmark program includes three tools for creating landscape walls.

A landscape wall object (retaining wall) can be set to be a site model modifier. It changes the proposed site model when the site model is updated.

To draw straight, arc, and Bézier landscape walls, either use the landscape wall tools, or draw a polyline and then select the Create Objects from Shapes command (see Creating Objects from Shapes). Place the different types of landscape walls next to each other to achieve a particular design or effect.

To create a row of straight and curved landscape walls, use the Create Objects from Shapes command.

Straight Landscape Walls

2. Click and drag to define the length and angle of the landscape wall. Click again to set the end point. If this is the first time the tool is used during this session, the Object Properties dialog box opens. Accept the default values and click OK.

The straight landscape wall parameters can be edited in the Object Info palette.

Parameter	Description
Z	Elevation of starting point of wall
Rot	Angle of rotation of wall
Length	Total length of all wall sections in the object
Top Width	Width of wall at top (see diagram)
Step Height	When the wall starting point and ending point are different, this parameter indicates the height of the step between sections
Wall Height	Wall height above Z value
Rise	Difference in height between wall starting and ending points
Left/Right Pitch	Angle of wall on left and right sides (see diagram); for a straight wall with site modifiers, the left side is always the side that retains earth
Use Site Modifiers	Adds a pad and grade limits to each wall section and allows the landscape wall to modify the site model
Use Grade Limits	Uses grade limits to define the site modifier modification area
Left/Right Grade Limits Off.	Controls the grade limit offsets on either side of the wall (applies only when site modifiers are used)
Show Joints	Displays the connecting joints between wall sections

Arc Landscape Walls

2. Click to define the placement of the arc landscape wall and click again to set the rotation. If this is the first time the tool is used during this session, the Object Properties dialog box opens. Accept the default values and click OK.

Parameter	Description
Z	Elevation of starting point of wall
Radius	Radius of all wall sections
Top Width	Width of wall at top (see diagram)
Step Height	When the wall starting point and ending point are different, this parameter indicates the height of the step between sections
Wall Height	Wall height above Z value
Rise	Difference in height between wall starting and ending points
Inside/Outside Pitch	Angle of wall on the inside and outside (see diagram); for an arc wall with site modifiers, the side of the wall that retains earth must be selected in Retained Side
Show Joints	Displays the connecting joints between wall sections
Retained Side	For an arc wall with site modifiers, select the side of the wall that retains earth
Arc Sweep	Angle, in degrees, of arc (see diagram)
Use Site Modifiers	Adds a pad and grade limits to each wall section and allows the landscape wall to modify the site model
Use Grade Limits	Uses grade limits to define the site modifier modification area
Inside/Outside Grade Limits Off.	Controls the grade limit offsets on either side of the wall (applies only when site modifiers are used)

Bézier Landscape Walls

3. Adjust the control points of the Bézier wall by clicking and dragging to obtain the desired curvature.

Parameter	Description
Z	Elevation of starting point of wall
Wall Length	Total length of all wall sections
Top Width	Width of wall at top (see diagram)
Wall Height	Wall height above Z value
Resolution	Select a 3D display resolution; low resolution displays fastest, but high resolution provides the best quality
Rise	Difference in height between wall starting and ending points
Left/Right Pitch	Angle of wall on left and right sides (see diagram); for a Bézier wall with site modifiers, the left side is always the side that retains earth
Show Joints	Displays the connecting joints between wall sections
Use Site Modifiers	Adds a pad and grade limits to each wall section and allows the landscape wall to modify the site model
Use Grade Limits	Uses grade limits to define the site modifier modification area
Left/Right Grade Limits Off.	Controls the grade limit offsets on either side of the wall (applies only when site modifiers are used)