> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.strata.hendersonengineers.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.strata.hendersonengineers.com/workflows/workspace/workspace-overview.md). # Design environment overview Understand the design environment layout, top nav bar, and shared views. The design environment is where all project design work happens (`/Projects/:id/SystemPlanning`) — it hosts all three disciplines. Use the discipline switcher for [Mechanical](/workflows/mechanical-planning/mechanical-planning-overview.md), [Electrical](/workflows/electrical-planning/electrical-planning-overview.md), or [Plumbing](/workflows/plumbing-planning/plumbing-planning-overview.md). > 📸 **Screenshot — Design environment layout** The full design environment with a floor plan loaded: top nav bar, left layers panel, center canvas with a few colored zones, right detail panel, and the bottom canvas toolbar. Annotate each region (top nav, left panel, canvas, right panel, bottom toolbar). *** ## Layout | Area | Description | | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Top nav bar** | Hamburger, project switcher, discipline switcher and floor switcher (together on the left), view switcher (Canvas/Data/Topology), overlay views button, project summary, user presence | | **Left panel** | The Layers tree for the active discipline and floor — its contents depend on discipline (spaces/zones/sources for Mechanical, the electrical hierarchy for Electrical, services/groups/spaces and fixtures for Plumbing) | | **Center** | Active view: Canvas, Data, or Topology | | **Right panel** | Detail panel — building summary, or the selected item's details | | **Action bar** | Floating bottom-center toolbar: drawing tools, create/group buttons, cutouts, place equipment, duplicate/delete, undo/redo, fit-to-screen, feedback. Context-sensitive — see [The action bar](/workflows/workspace/canvas-view.md#the-action-bar) | | **Hamburger menu (≡)** | File, Edit, View, Help, theme, logout | Both side panels are docked to the edges of the page and can be resized — see [Resizing the side panels](#resizing-the-side-panels). *** ## Three views Switch between views using the **view switcher in the top nav bar**: * **Canvas** — Draw spaces on a floor plan image. See [Canvas View](/workflows/workspace/canvas-view.md). * **Data** — Tabular entry for the active discipline's hierarchy. * **Topology** — Visual diagram of the system hierarchy. See [Topology View](/workflows/workspace/topology-view.md). Not yet available for Plumbing. The Canvas and Data views are complementary — changes made in one are reflected in the other. *** ## Starting a project When a project has no floor plan and no spaces, the design environment shows a start prompt with two paths: * **Canvas View** — **Upload Floor Plan** (a PDF) to draw spaces on. If Revit import is enabled for you, an **Import Revit Model** option also appears here. * **Data View** — **Upload CSV** to bulk-import spaces, or **Add Space** to create one manually. If another discipline already has spaces, you can bring them across instead of starting over — see [Copy and Clone Spaces](/workflows/workspace/copy-and-clone-spaces.md). > 📸 **Screenshot — Empty state / start prompt** The two start cards (Canvas View and Data View) shown when a project is empty, including their buttons. See [Floors](/workflows/workspace/floors.md) to upload a floor plan, and each discipline's Data View page to import spaces. *** ## Hamburger menu (≡) | Menu | Actions | | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Go to Dashboard | Return to the Projects list | | Project Settings | Open the project settings modal | | File → Import | Clone Spaces; Revit Model (if enabled for you) — see [Copy and Clone Spaces](/workflows/workspace/copy-and-clone-spaces.md) | | File → Export | Grid Data (all disciplines), plus Schedules and map overlays where available — see [Exports](/reference/exports.md) for what each discipline supports | | Edit | Undo, Redo, Select, Cancel, Plop Fill, Cutout Rectangle, Cutout Polygon, Copy Spaces, Paste, Clear Clipboard, Duplicate Selected, Delete Selected, Calibrate Scale | | View | Space Labels, Equipment Labels, Zoom In, Zoom Out, Fit to Screen | | Help | Strata Documentation, Keyboard Shortcuts, Send Feedback | | Theme | Dark Mode / Light Mode toggle | | Log Out | End session | **Space Labels** and **Equipment Labels** are on/off toggles. **Strata Documentation** opens this documentation site in a new tab. > 📸 **Screenshot — Hamburger menu expanded** The hamburger menu open showing the File / Edit / View / Help groups and the theme + Log Out footer. *** ## Project summary The project summary button in the top nav bar (info icon) opens a panel of whole-project figures. It currently reports total project square footage. *** ## Resizing the side panels Drag the inside edge of either side panel to change its width, between roughly 250 and 450 pixels. Strata remembers each panel's width in your browser, so your layout persists between sessions on that machine. Drag the left panel narrower than its minimum and it collapses. Reopen it with the collapse button at the bottom of the panel. *** ## Related * [Canvas View](/workflows/workspace/canvas-view.md) * [Topology View](/workflows/workspace/topology-view.md) * [Floors](/workflows/workspace/floors.md) * [Copy and Clone Spaces](/workflows/workspace/copy-and-clone-spaces.md) * [Mechanical Planning](/workflows/mechanical-planning.md) * [Electrical Planning](/workflows/electrical-planning.md) * [Plumbing Planning](/workflows/plumbing-planning.md)