To create an external courtyard within a block, go to the required block by clicking on the navigator entry or double-clicking the block in the 'Edit' screen and then click on the 'Draw void perimeter' tool. You can the select a perimeter shape and set the required wall thickness in the 'Drawing Options' data panel:
After completing the perimeter, a courtyard is automatically generated within the block:
Important note: the void space is modelled as being exterior to the building and not as any sort of zone. If you need to create an atrium space whose temperature and other conditions are calculated then avoid use of the Draw void tool and instead model it like any other zone within the block using partitions.
If you would like DesignBuilder to automatically punch voids through new blocks drawn on top of existing blocks having voids, then use the Automatically include voids from lower blocks model option which can be set on the Miscellaneous Edit tab of the model options dialog.
Restriction: The void perimeter lines you draw to create a void cannot touch any other external or internal wall, so you can't for example use the void command to take chunks out of the external wall - the void must be wholly contained within the block.
Restriction: You can't create any other objects within a void - the void space is reserved and you will get intersection errors if you try to draw a block in the void space.