Read the structure report with a clear question in mind
The preliminary structure report helps you follow how the concept's weight is passed toward the ground. Start with its assumptions, then use the findings to identify parts of the design to discuss further.
Choose the scene you want to review
Use Export → Structure to download a text report for the scene open in the editor. The Structure control in the generation conversation reports on that thread's generated plan. If you have made manual changes, choose the source that matches what you want to review.
The preliminary structure report is included on every plan. Opening it uses no generation allowance.
Read the assumptions first
Construction system
A generated design may carry a declared construction system. The report uses nominal material and assembly assumptions for its calculations. When no system is declared, it assumes brick and says so.
The thickness visible in the 3D model and the assembly used for the weight calculation are different pieces of information. Check the stated assumption before interpreting a load figure.
Dead and live loads
Dead loads represent the assumed weight of the building's materials and assemblies. Live loads represent assumed use of the spaces. The report follows these gravity loads through the concept using preliminary calculations.
Follow the load path
| Topic | What it describes | A useful question |
|---|---|---|
| Walls and slabs | The areas and loads assigned to these elements. | Do the assumptions match the intended construction? |
| Stacking and transfers | How upper walls relate to support beneath them. | Which walls sit above open space or a different layout? |
| Lintels and columns | Preliminary load information around openings and point supports. | Which openings or support positions need closer review? |
| Footings and totals | How loads reach the ground in the calculation. | Where do loads collect, and what site information is needed next? |
Read the finding labels in context
A finding labelled “noted” records an observation. “Needs-support” identifies a support issue within the report's assumptions. Locate the named element in the model and keep the finding with the relevant plan or view.
The report also compares the load applied with the load delivered to the ground. This checks the calculation's accounting; it is one part of reading the report.
Example brief: keep vertical relationships clear
This excerpt from the dual-access urban hillside house gives a useful set of questions to carry into a structural discussion:
“Design a four-level multigenerational home on a 50-foot by 130-foot plot with an upper northern street, a lower southern service lane, and approximately 28 feet of fall. Allow 4,500 to 5,200 square feet of enclosed space. Place arrival and parking above the main living level, with quieter bedrooms and accommodation for grandparents below. Use a regular structural grid, align structural walls vertically, restrain cantilevers, and keep the future lower apartment separate from family circulation. Carry the seismic-resilience requirements into the structural design discussion.”
Use the floor arrangement to identify where upper walls, large shared rooms, and lower entrances meet. List the questions against those locations so the concept and its priorities can be reviewed together.
Carry the report into the next conversation
The report is preliminary and gravity-only, with unfactored loads. It is not an engineered design or approval; wind, earthquake, lateral earth pressure, and code checks require a separate professional assessment.
Share the report with the matching design version, its construction assumptions, and your open questions. Generate a fresh report when the scene changes so the documents describe the same idea.
Keep exploring
Try it with your own design
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