Best Practices for Floor Type Creation in ArkDesign.AI
Creating floor types in ArkDesign.AI involves a strategic, sequenced workflow designed to ensure efficient vertical circulation, structural consistency, and overall building performance. While the platform offers flexibility in floor type development, following a structured approach helps maintain optimal coordination between levels and enhances design outcomes.
1. Start with the Ground Floor
Ground floor development serves as the foundation for the entire building. This is where core placement, entry conditions, and primary circulation patterns are established.
Key reasons to begin here:
- Defines vertical circulation systems such as stairs and elevators, which must align continuously across all levels.
- Sets the building’s entry experience, accessibility, and circulation flow.
- Establishes core sizes and locations, influencing structural and service layouts for the rest of the building.
Since all upper floors rely on ground floor decisions, this stage sets the architectural and functional framework for the full project.
2. Develop the Typical Residential Floor Next
After the ground floor is set, the next step is designing the typical floor—usually the most repetitive and economically significant part of the project.
Why this level is critical:
- It determines unit mix, efficiency ratios, and layout logic.
- It has the largest area impact on the building’s financial feasibility.
- Unit layouts must align with previously established cores and circulation elements.
Optimizing the typical floor ensures the rest of the building performs efficiently and meets revenue expectations.
3. Configure Upper Floors, Setback Levels, and Roof Access
Once the typical floor layout works effectively, upper floors—such as setback levels, mechanical levels, and rooftop access—can be developed.
These floors often require:
- Adjustments for zoning setbacks
- Accommodation of mechanical equipment
- Integration of amenity or roof programs
Building on the stability of the typical floor allows these specialized levels to be refined without disrupting core building logic.
4. Use an Iterative Workflow Across Floor Types
ArkDesign.AI supports continuous iteration among floor types, enabling refinements as the design evolves.
Recommended workflow approach:
- Establish initial layouts quickly for all floor types.
- Iterate across levels to optimize circulation, structure, and mechanical systems.
- Adjust floor types as needed to improve vertical alignment and performance.
This iterative refinement ensures that design updates to one floor type properly influence others, resulting in a fully coordinated building model.
Conclusion
Strategic sequencing—starting with the ground floor, optimizing the typical floor, then refining specialized floors—enables designers to fully leverage ArkDesign.AI’s vertical integration capabilities. This approach ensures efficient circulation, enhanced building performance, and a more reliable workflow from early concept through feasibility.
