In brief
- The ARCHICAD 29 documentation describes the Renovation Palette as a tool for assigning element statuses and changing the view filter.
- Element statuses are Existing, New and To Be Demolished.
- Filters can set each status to Show, Hide or Override.
- Renovation filters are stored with the project and affect drawing documentation when saved with a view.
Archicad’s Renovation tools can be used on projects that need to show an existing structure, elements to be removed and new construction in the same model. This guide is based on Graphisoft’s ARCHICAD 29 Renovation Palette documentation and the Renovation Filter Options documentation for ARCHICAD 23 and earlier. Assigning statuses to elements and configuring filters makes it possible to track existing, demolished and new elements across different project views.
1. Assign renovation statuses to elements
First, identify which phase each element in the model belongs to. Graphisoft’s documentation defines three statuses: Existing refers to existing elements that will be retained; New refers to elements that will be built and retained as part of the renovation; and To Be Demolished refers to elements scheduled for demolition. This classification is the basis for determining which elements the filters show.
Following the path in the ARCHICAD 29 documentation, open the Renovation Palette via Window > Palettes > Renovation Palette. To assign a status, select the relevant elements and click the appropriate status icon in the palette. Since you can select multiple elements, items belonging to the same phase can be classified together.
You can also set the default status for newly placed elements. With no element selected, click the status you want in the palette; according to the documentation, this setting applies to elements placed afterwards, regardless of the tool used. This can help reduce the risk of new elements being assigned the wrong status. However, existing elements should be checked separately: the ARCHICAD 21 documentation states that all elements are Existing by default, and that newly added elements in that version are also initially set to Existing. Because behavior differs between versions, verify how the version you are using handles this in your model.
2. Choose a Renovation Filter for the view
After assigning statuses, use the Renovation Filter drop-down menu in the Renovation Palette to choose which phase to show. According to the ARCHICAD 29 documentation, the filter can also be changed from the Quick Options palette. For example, when preparing a demolition plan or a new construction view, select the filter defined for that view.
If you want an element to appear only when a particular filter is active, use the relevant icon in the upper-right section of the Renovation Palette to limit the element to the current filter. This option controls how the visibility of a single element is handled across filters; it is not the same as changing the statuses of all elements.
3. Set filter options for showing, hiding and graphic overrides
To open or edit filters, use the path specified in the ARCHICAD 23 documentation: Document > Renovation > Renovation Filter Options. The same window can also be opened from the drop-down menu in the Renovation Palette. Filter settings are stored in the project. You can edit an existing filter or duplicate the selected filter to create a new one. A saved filter can be exported as an .xml file and imported into another project.
There are three basic behaviors for each renovation status. The options below are as defined in the ARCHICAD 23 documentation:
| Setting | Recommended value | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Existing | Show, Hide or Override as needed | Shows existing elements with their normal styles, hides them or highlights them using graphic rules. |
| New | Show, Hide or Override as needed | Determines how new elements are represented in the selected view. |
| To Be Demolished | Show, Hide or Override as needed | Shows or hides elements to be demolished, or distinguishes them using Override Style. |
Show displays elements using the fills, colors and line types defined in their own settings. Hide removes elements with the relevant status from the view. Override displays elements using the Override Style defined in the Graphic Override Rules window. So if you choose Override, you should also check the rules for the intended appearance.
4. Simplify demolition and existing-condition plans
Additional options in Renovation Filter Options let you refine the display of Existing and To Be Demolished elements and annotations. For example, you can hide opening dimension markers for existing elements, display existing wall fills as solid, or use Do not Intersect to prevent intersections between new and demolished walls from affecting existing walls.
For elements to be demolished, options are available to hide opening dimension markers, door/window/opening symbols, zones or objects. Transparent Fill represents the location of an element to be demolished with lines instead of a fill; Mark Openings with “X” Symbol displays doors and windows to be demolished with an X. Enable these options according to the communication needs of the plan you are preparing; not every drawing type needs every additional graphic treatment.
If you do not want the filter to change dimensions, texts and labels, or drafting fills and lines, consider the annotation options Do not Override Dimensions/Texts/Labels and Do not Override Drafting Fills/Lines. This can help keep notes and dimensions in their normal appearance while, for example, elements are distinguished in a demolition view.
Impact on architecture and interior design workflows
Renovation filters can help architecture and interior design teams communicate existing conditions, demolition and new construction in separate views based on the same project model. The key to this workflow is assigning element statuses consistently and choosing the right filter for each view. When a filter is saved with a view, the Graphisoft ARCHICAD 21 documentation says it also affects the documentation view of drawings.
Since graphic rules can conflict, check the view output. The ARCHICAD 21 documentation states that Renovation Filter rules have lower priority than other Graphic Override Combination rules; if multiple rules apply to the same element, the rule in the other combination may be applied first. So if you see unexpected color or appearance differences, check not only the renovation filter but also other Graphic Override settings.
Common mistakes
Choosing a filter before assigning element statuses: Filters rely on status information, so check the classification first.
Assuming the default status applies to all elements: Verify how the ARCHICAD version you are using behaves and check the statuses of existing elements.
Choosing Override without checking the graphic rules: Review the Override Style definitions and the priority of other Graphic Override rules.
Overlooking changes to annotations: Check dimension, text, label, fill and line options against the purpose of the plan.
Version coverage
The steps for assigning statuses and changing filters through the palette are based on GRAPHISOFT’s ARCHICAD 29 documentation. Filter definitions, additional Override options and import/export information are described in ARCHICAD 23 Help; the ARCHICAD 21 documentation explains how filters relate to views and Graphic Override rules. Menu paths and feature names may vary between versions, so consider them in the context of the versions specified.
Sources
3 sourcesSource texts are not republished; short quotes are marked, everything else is our own summary and commentary.
For architecture and interior design offices in Turkey, the practical value of renovation filters lies in communicating existing conditions and intervention decisions in separate drawing views based on a single model. Classifying elements correctly from the outset can reduce the need to adjust views individually later.
However, efficiency depends more on model organization and team standards than on hardware. Since differences between versions can affect default status behavior, test the workflow in a small sample project before using it in office templates. In demolition and new construction plans, pay particular attention to annotations and the priority of other graphic rules.
Frequently asked questions
How do you show elements to be demolished in Archicad?
Assign the elements the To Be Demolished status, then choose Show or Override in the relevant Renovation Filter. Filter options also include settings such as marking elements to be demolished with an X symbol or showing them without a fill.
Where do you open Archicad Renovation Filter settings?
The ARCHICAD 23 documentation gives the path as `Document > Renovation > Renovation Filter Options`. You can also open the window from the drop-down menu in the Renovation Palette.
Can Renovation Filters be transferred to other Archicad projects?
A filter can be exported as an `.xml` file and imported into another project. This function is described in ARCHICAD 23 Help.
