Central Atrium Homes

Eichler - Model LA-81
Over the ages many people have built homes fashioned after the Greek Portico style.  These are homes where a patio/atrium is placed in the center of the property and the home is built around this space.  During the 1960s a California developer named Joseph Eichler developed many housing tracts that incorporated this style of home.  Today, these homes enjoy the reputation of being different from the standard Ranch Style homes that were built by the thousands during this time period.  There are many websites devoted to the history and preservation of the Eichler homes.  The following picture is a 3DHA model of the LA-81 model built by Eichler.  The lesson that follows will explain how to create the "Open Air" center atrium found in the model.

Start off by adding the exterior walls.  Then add the 4 interior walls that will surround the Center Atrium.  You MUST make sure your design has at least 1 wall that connects the exterior walls to the interior walls.  In most cases that will not be a problem.  (This example has 2.)  But if it is, then create a connecting wall and make it invisible.  Also, the center atrium MUST cross the centerline of the roof that will later be built.  The picture above shows the centerline of the roof running through the opening for the atrium.   Next, select the Roof tool bar and the Roof Section at Wall tool.  Click an interior wall and the Roof Section at Wall dialog box opens.  Check Full Gable Wall and click OK.  Do the same for the other 3 interior walls.

Now we will make this a home with gabled walls at the front and rear of the home.  So make the front and rear walls gabled as shown in the picture also.
Now double click the center atrium and the Room Specification dialog box opens.  You will want to remove the check mark in the "Roof over this room" checkbox.  That will cause 3DHA to remove the check mark in the "Ceiling over this room" checkbox.  Now click OK to close this dialog box.

The last step is to create a roof.  Select the Roof tool bar and the Build Roof tool.  When the Build Roof dialog box opens, click OK.  Your roof should build and you should see a dotted line surrounding the center atrium.  That is the eave line of the roof.