Add a roof to a multipatch feature

When you create or edit a multipatch or 3D object feature, you can construct and add basic roof shapes using the roof construction tools. The base of a roof can terminate on the selected feature or be extruded downward to the active surface. The roof tools are available on the multipatch toolbar.

Roof construction tools

Create a flat roof

The Flat Roof tool Flat creates a roof consisting of one top section that can be used to represent flat or shed roofs.

To create Flat roof, complete the following steps:

  1. Add your data and configure settings for editing.

    Confirm that the feature layer you are editing is editable, the coordinate system assigned to the active map is suitable for the type of edits you're performing, and snapping is configured to help you work efficiently and accurately.

    Tip:

    The multipatch toolbar containing roof feature construction tools appears when you edit an existing feature, edit a predefined shape, or create a multipatch or 3D object feature.

  2. On the ribbon, click the Edit tab. In the Features group, click Modify Modify Features.
  3. In the Modify Features pane, click Edit Vertices Edit Vertices.

    To find the tool, expand Reshape, or type Vertices in the Search text box.

  4. In the tool pane, click the Change the selection tool Active Select and select a polyline or polygon feature.

    The 3D geometry toolbar appears in the scene when only one feature is selected.

  5. Click the Flat Roof tool Flat.
  6. Hover over the top edge of the face where you want to create the roof.
  7. Click the edge when the orange extension line and control handle appear.

    A 3D handle appears at the center of the rooftop.

  8. Drag the 3D handle to draw the height.
  9. To extrude the base of the roof downward to the active surface, click and enable Extrude Roof Extrude on the toolbar.

    Disable this setting to terminate the base of the roof on the selected feature.

    A preview of the extrusion appears in the scene.

  10. Click Finish Finish on the toolbar, or press the F2 key to add the roof and finish the feature.

Create a gable roof

The Gable Roof tool Gable creates a roof consisting of two sloped sides that connect at a top ridge.

To create Gable roof, complete the following steps:

  1. Add your data and configure settings for editing.

    Confirm that the feature layer you are editing is editable, the coordinate system assigned to the active map is suitable for the type of edits you're performing, and snapping is configured to help you work efficiently and accurately.

    Tip:

    The multipatch toolbar containing roof feature construction tools appears when you edit an existing feature, edit a predefined shape, or create a multipatch or 3D object feature.

  2. On the ribbon, click the Edit tab. In the Features group, click Modify Modify Features.
  3. In the Modify Features pane, click Edit Vertices Edit Vertices.

    To find the tool, expand Reshape, or type Vertices in the Search text box.

  4. In the tool pane, click the Change the selection tool Active Select and select a polyline or polygon feature.

    The 3D geometry toolbar appears in the scene when only one feature is selected.

  5. Click the Gable Roof tool Gable.
  6. Hover over the top edge of the face where you want to create the roof.
  7. Click the edge when the orange extension line and control handle appear.

    A 3D handle appears at the center of the rooftop.

  8. Drag the 3D handle to draw the height.
  9. To extrude the base of the roof downward to the active surface, click and enable Extrude Roof Extrude on the toolbar.

    Disable this setting to terminate the base of the roof on the selected feature.

    A preview of the extrusion appears in the scene.

  10. Click Finish Finish on the toolbar, or press the F2 key to add the roof and finish the feature.

Create a hip roof

The Hip Roof tool Hip creates a roof consisting of slopes at all edges that connects at one or more top ridges.

To create Hip roof, complete the following steps:

  1. Add your data and configure settings for editing.

    Confirm that the feature layer you are editing is editable, the coordinate system assigned to the active map is suitable for the type of edits you're performing, and snapping is configured to help you work efficiently and accurately.

    Tip:

    The multipatch toolbar containing roof feature construction tools appears when you edit an existing feature, edit a predefined shape, or create a multipatch or 3D object feature.

  2. On the ribbon, click the Edit tab. In the Features group, click Modify Modify Features.
  3. In the Modify Features pane, click Edit Vertices Edit Vertices.

    To find the tool, expand Reshape, or type Vertices in the Search text box.

  4. In the tool pane, click the Change the selection tool Active Select and select a polyline or polygon feature.

    The 3D geometry toolbar appears in the scene when only one feature is selected.

  5. Click the Hip Roof tool Hip.
  6. Hover over the top edge of the face where you want to create the roof.
  7. Click the edge when the orange extension line and control handle appear.

    A 3D handle appears at the center of the rooftop.

  8. Drag the 3D handle to draw the height.
  9. To extrude the base of the roof downward to the active surface, click and enable Extrude Roof Extrude on the toolbar.

    Disable this setting to terminate the base of the roof on the selected feature.

    A preview of the extrusion appears in the scene.

  10. Click Finish Finish on the toolbar, or press the F2 key to add the roof and finish the feature.

Create a mansard roof

The Mansard Roof tool Mansard creates a gambrel-style hip roof with two slopes.

To create Mansard roof, complete the following steps:

  1. Add your data and configure settings for editing.

    Confirm that the feature layer you are editing is editable, the coordinate system assigned to the active map is suitable for the type of edits you're performing, and snapping is configured to help you work efficiently and accurately.

    Tip:

    The multipatch toolbar containing roof feature construction tools appears when you edit an existing feature, edit a predefined shape, or create a multipatch or 3D object feature.

  2. On the ribbon, click the Edit tab. In the Features group, click Modify Modify Features.
  3. In the Modify Features pane, click Edit Vertices Edit Vertices.

    To find the tool, expand Reshape, or type Vertices in the Search text box.

  4. In the tool pane, click the Change the selection tool Active Select and select a polyline or polygon feature.

    The 3D geometry toolbar appears in the scene when only one feature is selected.

  5. Click the Mansard Roof tool Mansard.
  6. Hover over the top edge of the face where you want to create the roof.
  7. Click the edge when the orange extension line and control handle appear.

    A 3D axis handle appears at the center of the rooftop.

  8. Drag the horizontal axis handle to specify the pitch, and drag the vertical axis to specify the height.
  9. To add a second slope, click the top face of the roof, and drag the horizontal and vertical axis handles to specify the slope and height, respectively.
  10. To extrude the base of the roof downward to the active surface, click and enable Extrude Roof Extrude on the toolbar.

    Disable this setting to terminate the base of the roof on the selected feature.

    A preview of the extrusion appears in the scene.

  11. Click Finish Finish on the toolbar, or press the F2 key to add the roof and finish the feature.

Create a dome roof

The Dome Roof tool Dome creates a circular or elliptical arch that is rotated 360 degrees.

To create Dome roof, complete the following steps:

  1. Add your data and configure settings for editing.

    Confirm that the feature layer you are editing is editable, the coordinate system assigned to the active map is suitable for the type of edits you're performing, and snapping is configured to help you work efficiently and accurately.

    Tip:

    The multipatch toolbar containing roof feature construction tools appears when you edit an existing feature, edit a predefined shape, or create a multipatch or 3D object feature.

  2. On the ribbon, click the Edit tab. In the Features group, click Modify Modify Features.
  3. In the Modify Features pane, click Edit Vertices Edit Vertices.

    To find the tool, expand Reshape, or type Vertices in the Search text box.

  4. In the tool pane, click the Change the selection tool Active Select and select a polyline or polygon feature.

    The 3D geometry toolbar appears in the scene when only one feature is selected.

  5. Click the Dome Roof tool Dome.
  6. Hover over the top edge of the face where you want to create the roof.
  7. Click the edge when the orange extension line and control handle appear.d

    A 3D handle appears at the center of the rooftop.

  8. Drag the 3D handle to draw the height.
  9. To extrude the base of the roof downward to the active surface, click and enable Extrude Roof Extrude on the toolbar.

    Disable this setting to terminate the base of the roof on the selected feature.

    A preview of the extrusion appears in the scene.

  10. Click Finish Finish on the toolbar, or press the F2 key to add the roof and finish the feature.