Setting up your file
A-Space relies on layers within a .DWG or .DXF file to identify various architectural elements. This page will walks you through how to get your file ready to use on A-Space.
Last updated
A-Space relies on layers within a .DWG or .DXF file to identify various architectural elements. This page will walks you through how to get your file ready to use on A-Space.
Last updated
.DWG and .DXF are both CAD file formats which can be exported to and imported by all popular CAD & BIM software. A-Space is designed to read geometry from various layers within a .DWG or .DXF file in order to understand your floor-plan. There are 2 categories of layer: Required Layers: These are the bare minimum required for A-Space to work.
Optional Layers: These are additional layers to provide more information to you and the software. Once your layers are ready, please follow the Export guidance at the bottom of this page. Make sure that your file is to scale in the CAD file, as A-Space will not work on plans under 37sqm or over 200sqm.
The following video is a walkthrough of how to setup your file. Everything covered in the video is also covered in this document.
For successful generation, it's crucial to have all the required layers. The model won't recognize the floor plan unless the following four layers are present. Double-check that the layer names are spelled correctly and that all geometries in the required layers are closed polygons.
After successfully creating the 4 required layers, you can proceed to Export the file and run it through A-Space. If you want to enhance the generation process and provide additional visual context, explore the Optional Layers.
This layer outlines the usable floorspace for generating the layout and should have only one geometry. The Ai model will assume the by default that the internal polygon is surrounded by walls - wherever you have not placed a window (in the window_external layer) or door (in the door_external layer).
This layer comprises all external doors providing entry or exit from the property, encompassing front doors and garden/balcony doors. Ensure that each of these polygons connects with the internal_polygon for the entire length of each door_external; the box can be of any depth.
In this layer you will put all of the external windows. All geometry inside this layer works exactly the same as door_external, except of course they are windows instead of doors.
In order to tell the Ai model which door is the Front-Door, draw a circle inside a layer called entrance_primary. Place this circle so that it touch the front door, (a polygon in the door_external layer). The size of the circle is flexible; but make sure it only touches one door
Optional layers offer additional information but are not mandatory. They will also allow you to see more building and its surroundings on the A-Space app as you design. The optional layers that A-Space can recognize are as follows:
With the exception of decorative, all geometries inside these layers also need to be closed polygons.
Skylights differ from windows_external in that they should be entirely contained within the internal_polygon without touching it. Simply draw a box or closed loop around the area where the skylights are located. In the bellow reference you can see regardless of how the skylights are drawn, all you need is a simple box around each one.
While this layer does not affect the generation process, it provides a clearer view of the bounding walls within the application. To add walls to your file, trace around the existing external walls of the property. Ensure that they all touch the inner_polygon and do not overlap with it. Also, make sure they do not overlap with each other.
Similar to window_skylight, the geometry in the wall_internal_structural layer should be entirely contained within the inner_polygon. These walls will remain unchanged throughout the generation process.
To help the model recognize which doors (within the door_external layer) lead to usable outdoor spaces, such as terraces, gardens, and rooftops, annotate them with a circle in the door_outdoor layer.
This layer is exclusively used to control which way the front-door swings. Like the entrance_primary and door_outdoor layers this layer is a circle that touches a door_external. Simply create a circle on the corner of the door where the door hinges as shown below. The size of the circle does no matter.
All other elements in the file that are useful for design context, including window details and outdoor areas, should be placed in the decorative layer. Geometry in this layer is purely cosmetic and does not impact the generation of layouts.
Note: While garden doors and windows may have swing geometry, ensure that the front door does not. A-Space automatically generates a front door.
The final step is to export the file from your CAD/BIM software to .DWG or .DXF. Make sure your plan is to Scale and within the 37-200sqm range. If you are using Rhino, follow these steps: select the geometry you want to export, go to File > Export Selected, name the file, and save it as .DWG.
