Site analysis for architects useful for students and professionals

1. INTRODUCTION TO SITE STUDIES
PREDESIGN RESEARCH OF THE SITE CARRIED OUT IN THE QUEST TO
• IDENTIFY PROBABLE STRENGHTS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE SITE ON WHICH
A PROJECT IS PROPOSED
• IDENTIFY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY THE SITE AND ITS CONTEXT
SO THAT THE DESIGNER IS ABLE TO
ASSESS SOCIO CULTURAL AND
ECONOMICAL/FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY
OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
AND…

2. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
IF DEVELOPMENT IS FEASIBLE
THE DESIGNER IS ABLE TO
EXPLOIT THE POTENTIAL OF THE SITE TO THE FULLEST BY TAKING APPROPRIATE
DECISIONS WITH REGARDS TO
• SIZE AND LOCATION OF BUILDING FOOTPRINTS
• FORMS AND MASSING STRATEGIES OF BUILT AND UNBUILT
• LOCATIONS FOR PROGRAM FEATURESAND ACCESS POINTS WITHIN THE
SITE
• MATERIALITY
• FENESTRATION AND SHADING STRATEGIES
• LOCATIONS OF PROGRAM FEATURES OF THE UNBUILT
……AND MUCH MORE
SO THAT THE RESULTING DEVELOPMENT APPEARS AS EITHER A PART OF ITS
ENVIRONMENT OR IN TOTAL CONTRAST WITH IT CHALLANGING THE CONTEXT

3. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
LOCATION
NEIGHBOURHOOD CONTEXT
SITE AND ZONING
NATURAL FEATURES
MANMADE FEATURES
CIRCULATION
UTILITIES
HUMAN AND CULTURAL ASPECTS
CLIMATE
SENSORY PERCEPTIONS

4. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
LET US SEE ONE BY ONE THE CONTEXT THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPLORED..
LOCATION
• SETTING OF THE SITE
WHAT KIND OF CHANGE WOULD HAPPEN IF THE PROJECT IS IN
METROPOLIS,OR A REMOTE AREA A RURAL SETTING OR A CROWDED
CITY CENTER..?

5. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
NEIGHBOURHOOD CONTEXT
• EXISTING AND PROPOSED ROADS
• EXISTING AND PROPOSED BUILDING USES
• LANDMARKS
• ACTIVITIES AROUND THE SITE THAT AFFECTS VEHICULAR OR
PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC ON ACCESS ROAD
• EXISTING PEDESTRIAN AND VEHICULAR MOVEMENT PATTERNS
• STREET LIGHTING
• BUILDINGS OF HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE AROUND THE SITE
• MATERIALS AND ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

6. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
NEIGHBOURHOOD CONTEXT
EXISTING AND PROPOSED ROADS
ASSESSMENT TRANSPORT PROJECTIONS
POSSIBLE CATCHMENT AREAFOR PROPOSED USE
NOISE LEVELS
EASEMENTS/SETBACKS
ACCESS POINTS
BUILDING MASSIMG AND PROPORTIONS

7. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
NEIGHBOURHOOD CONTEXT
• EXISTING AND PROPOSED ROADS
• EXISTING AND PROPOSED BUILDING USES
• LANDMARKS
• ACTIVITIES AROUND THE SITE THAT AFFECTS VEHICULAR OR
PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC ON ACCESS ROAD
• EXISTING PEDESTRIAN AND VEHICULAR MOVEMENT PATTERNS
• STREET LIGHTING

8. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
NEIGHBOURHOOD CONTEXT
• BUILDINGS OF HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE AROUND THE SITE
• MATERIALS AND ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

9. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
SITE AND ZONING
• SITE BOUNDARY AND AREA
• OWNERSHIP
• EASEMENTS
• HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS/PERMISSIONS
• BUILDABLE AREA OF SITE AS PER STATUTE/GROUND COVERAGE

10. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
NATURAL FEATURES
• GEOLOGY
• SOIL
• TOPOGRAPHY
• WATER FEATURES
• FLOODING
• VEGETATION AND ITS TYPOLOGY

12. • ​AVOIDING STRAIGHT VERTICAL OR
HORIZONTAL PLANES THAT STAND OUT
WHEN LOOKING AT THE SITE.
• INCLUDING SPACE FOR PLANTING AND
VEGETATION TO SOFTEN THE VIEW OF
LARGE SCALE ​ENGINEERING STRUCTURES.
• MAKING STORMWATER PONDS APPEAR
LIKE NATURAL BODIES OF WATER, NOT
ARTIFICIAL ’BOXES’ WITH STRAIGHT SIDES.
• BALANCE CUTS INTO THE LAND WITH FILLS,
INSTEAD OF USING CUTS OR FILLS ALONE.
• INCORPORATE RETAINING AS PART OF THE
OVERALL BUILDING OR LANDSCAPING
PROPOSAL.​​

14. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
MANMADE FEATURES
• ACCESS POINTS
• EXISTING BUILDINGS
• COMPOUNDING ELEMENTS/EDGE
CONDITIONS
• EARTHWORK OR STEPS
• QUARRYING AND EXCAVATION ETC

15. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
CIRCULATION
• VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC
WITHIN THE SITE
• EXISTING PARKING LOTS,ROADS ACCESS
POINTS
• AVAILABILITY AND LOCATION OF PUBLIC
TRANSPORT
• TRAVEL TIME TO WALK ACROSS THE SITE

16. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
UTILITIES
• LOCATION OF ALL SERVICES BOTH
UNDERGROUND AND ABOVE GROUND
• ELECRIC LINES/HIGH TENSION ETC
• DRAINAGE ,TREATMENT PLANTS
• SUBSTATIONS
• BOREWELLS ETC

17. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
• NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE ISSUES SUCH AS
VANDALISM/PRESENCE OF POSITIVE
CULTURAL SITE
• ETHNICITY
• BEHAVIORAL ASPECTS OF PEOPLE AROUND
THE SITE
• POPULATION DENSITY,FAMILY
SIZE,EMPLOYMENT,
• RECREATION ACTIVITIES ETC
HUMAN AND CULTURAL ASPECTS

18. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
• SUN PATH DIAGRAMS
• CLIMATE TYPE
• RAINFALL DATA
• WIND DIRECTIONS
CLIMATE

19. PREDESIGN RESEARCH WITH RESPECT
TO SITE
• VIEWS FROM AND INTO THE SITE
• SITE COLORS TEXTURES AND PATTERNS
• NOISE
• ODOUR
• POLLUTION
SENSORY ASPECTS

20. TOOLS OF PUTTING THE RESEARCH
TOGETHER

21. PUTTING THE RESEARCH TOGETHER
WITH BUILDING PROGRAM-
SYNTHESIS

22. RESEARCH OUTPUT
FEASIBILITY REPORT
IDENTIFYING UNIQUE SITE
OPPORTUNITIES
RESOLVING ISSUES AT THE ONSET