Unit 3: SITE ANALYSIS

 Importance of site analysis;

 On site and off site factors;
 Analysis of natural, cultural and aesthetic factors
 topography, hydrology, soils, vegetation, climate, surface drainage,
accessibility,
 size and shape, infrastructures available
 sources of water supply and means of disposal system, visual aspects;
 Preparation of site analysis diagram.
 Site selection criteria for housing development, commercial and institutional projects
 SITE ANALYSIS

 SITE ANALYSIS is the act or process of investigating the natural and cultural
characteristics in and around the site to determine how these characteristics present
opportunities and constraints for achieving the project goals.
 It is a combination of inventory and program

Process involved:
1. Collection of site inventory – data.
2. Analysis.

Data:
 Hard data – physical site factors, involves no judgements.
 Soft data – involves judgements, deal with sensory and human aspects which
are not quantitative but are subjective.
Importance Of Site Analysis

 It will ensure meaningful response to external conditions.

 It will help us to establish the site’s advantages and constraints.
 It will help us to plan our activities with intelligence and sensitivity and avoid
undesirable effects that we can predict.
 It should attempt to deal with potential future conditions as well as present ones.
 Issue identification
We should think about the nature of the project, its needs, requirements and critical
issues. The hands-on direct encounter with site from a personal and sensory point of
view gives us another set of clues for choosing the types of site information that should
be addressed in our contextual analysis.
SITE INVENTORY 1. ON-SITE FACTORS
2. OFF-SITE FACTORS

ON-SITE FACTORS
1. Artificial elements
 Legal and physical boundaries, private holdings.
 Buildings, bridges, historical sites.
 Accessibility :Roads, walkways, and other transportation elements.
 Infrastructure- Electric lines, transformers, pipelines.
 Land-uses, size and shape of site
 Zoning regulations, health codes.
 Architectural and visual aspects
2. Natural resources
 Topography – high and low points, gradients, drainage patterns.
 Soil types – permeability, stability.
 Water bodies - hydrology.
 Subsurface matter – geology of underlying rocks.
 Ecology, Climate Vegetation, Sensuous qualities
 Wild life
ON-SITE FACTORS OFF-SITE FACTORS
3. Natural forces
 Temperature.  Geographic location
 Sun angles.  Land use pattern.
 Wind direction.  Surrounding population
 Precipitation  Economy & social, political structure
4. Perceptual characteristics  Stream and Drainage pattern.
 Views.  Neighbouring aesthetic character.
 Smells.  Public utility locations and capacities.
 Sound.  Transportation ways and systems.
 Spatial pattern.
 Lines, forms, texture, color, scale
5. Aesthetic features
 Natural features- water elements, rock formations
 Spatial pattern –views from site, sequential relationship
 Views and Vistas
6. Manmade features
 Utilities ,Land use pattern, Historic notes, Circulation & social factors.
Site analysis : ANALYSIS OF NATURAL, CULTURAL AND AESTHETIC FACTORS

NATURAL FACTORS:
1. Geological base & land forms
2. Topography
Maps, Slope Analysis, Reading Topography, Contours, Spot Elevations, Conventions, Drainage
3. Soils
Classification Of Type, Texture And Characteristics
4. Hydrography
Streams, Lakes, Swamps, Water Table, Flood Plain, Water Shed, Aquifer, Surface Drainage
5. Climatic factors
Sun, Wind, and Precipitation/Orientation To, Comfort Envelope
6. Vegetation
Trees ,Shrubs, Vines and Ground Cover
7. Wild life
CULTURAL FACTORS: AESTHETIC FACTORS:
1. Zoning/ Ordinances 1. Natural Features
Ownership, restrictions, density ratio, deed restrictions, 2. Spatial patterns
permits, height restrictions 3. Views and vistas
2. Traffic and Transit, Linkage and Circulation
Pedestrian, Vehicular , Relationships, Noise
3. Utilities
These 17 topic areas serve

Storm Sewer, Sanitary Sewer, Electric, Telephone, Cable, as a guide in the

gas, Below and Above ground development of site analysis
4. Existing Buildings – A Checklist as it were
On and Off site, Character and composition
5. Historic factors
History of site ,conflicts if any…
6. Context
Fabric; Urban, Suburban & Rural
7. People
Noise, Congestion, Pollution
ANALYSIS OF NATURAL, CULTURAL AND AESTHETIC FACTORS
 Natural physical features include but are not limited to landforms and ecosystems.

 It includes terrain types, bodies of water, natural units consisting of all plants animals
and microorganisms in an area functioning together with all of the non-living physical
factors of the environment.
TOPOGRAPHY
Gives major Topographic Features such as high points, low points, ridges and valleys, slopes and flat areas.

HILL DEPRESSION

 Topography specifically involves the recording of relief or terrain, the three-dimensional quality of the
surface, and the identification of specific landforms.
 It also includes the graphic representation of the landform on a map by a variety of techniques,
including contour lines, and relief shading.
 Topography also affects the microclimate and surface drainage.
 The basic landform or topographic structure of a site is a visual and aesthetic resource that strongly
influences the location of various land uses and functions.
HYDROLOGY-
Hydrology is the science that encompasses the occurrence, distribution, movement and properties of
the waters of the earth and their relationship with the environment within each phase of the
hydrologic cycle.
 Water is more than a physical necessity- it is a vital part of the landscape
both aesthetically and emotionally.
 Pool, river, fountain, or waterfall – water is one of the most fascinating of all
natural design elements.
 The swift moving water of a fountain or waterfall is dramatic and exciting,
both visually and aurally.
 Water also moderates the microclimate of a site.
 The sound of falling water may be used to mask urban noise from cars and
others sources.
 Where a body of water exists , the land near it is very desirable.
 One should preserve a water body by leaving it and the area surrounding it
in the natural, undisturbed state whenever possible.
 All the water on the earth , under the ground, and in the atmosphere is part
of one unified system called hydrologic or water cycle.
SOILS
The soil type determines suitability for construction, type of foundation, and spatial allocation of land use.

Types of soil: Clay, silt, fine sand, course sand, gravel, and boulders

COMMON PROBLEMS
1. Expansive soil:
Clay expands when wet and contracts when dry. Causes buckling, cracking of slabs, and foundations.
2. Weak soil:
Fine grained soils, peat and other organic soils. Structurally poor. Construction cost increases.
3. SOIL SUBJECT TO CREEP.
4. Poorly drained soil:
• Flat sites cause water stagnation.
• Clayey soils will expand.
5. Excessively drained soil:
Sand, gravel, and steep slopes.
6. SOIL EROSION:
Loose top soil.
VEGETATION

1. Plants are the important site design element and provide beauty and vitality to the outdoor
environment.
2. A site development without plants would be like a moonscape- stark and lifeless.
3. Vegetation is one of the most moderating influences on the environment.
4. Trees block both sun and wind.
5. They act as nature’s air conditioning cooling ,humidifying and filtering the air.
6. They create sheltered zones by reducing wind speeds.
7. Trees help to control erosion, destructive runoff, and flooding.
8. They absorb sound
 CLIMATE

CLIMATE ELEMENTS:

1) SUN:

- Existing elements(natural or manmade)on and around the site will have definite shading patterns.

- knowing the sun’s patterns at a given site will help in determining the location and shape of the
building.

2) WIND :

- wind on the site and different locations on the site can vary from the general wind data given for
the area.

- one can understand the wind direction and speed by using five basic principles of air movement

a)Velocity:

buildings at higher altitude are likely to experience higher wind velocities

b)Direction:

air tend to continue moving in same direction when it encounters an obstruction .

As a result, it tends to flow around objects.
 c) Air:

air flow from high to low pressure areas.

cross ventilation is created by

- positive pressure : windward side

- negative pressure: leeward side

d) Density:

Air flowing from forested area to meadow will tend to rise because it is exposed to
more solar radiation making air less warmer and denser.

e) Venturi Effect:

When air flow is channeled and restricted , pressure rises and the velocity increases.
This is known as venturi effect.
3)HUMIDITY:
Sites located near large water bodies or rivers tend to be more humid than inland areas.

4)TEMPERATURE :
- The microclimate temperatures of the site may be different from the general data collected
and can vary significantly at the site.
- Large water bodies will tend to stabilize temperatures
- site with more southern slope will be warmer because sun’s radiation is more perpendicular
to its surface.
- Northern sloping site would not receive much radiation and would therefore be cooler.

Microclimate refers to more localized area where conditions may deviate from the immediately
surrounding area, such as an area which is shaded and therefore cool longer or depressed.
Most climate data is based on regional rather than local conditions and includes:
Temperature
- Avg.daily max and min
-Extent of hot and cold
Solar characteristics which affects temperature:
-site latitude
-site longitude
-hourly sun azimuth
-hourly sun altitude
Wind
-monthly prevailing directions
-Avg. velocity
-storm winds
Humidity
-monthly averages
Precipitation
-amount
-distribution
SURFACE DRAINAGE

Drainage patterns on the site including directions of surface drainage (perpendicular to contours) ,
major and minor arteries of water collection, major drainage patterns onto the site from adjacent
property and from the site onto adjacent property and any neighborhood water - related patterns
such as via duct systems or storm sewers

The purpose of Preliminary Drainage Analysis is to:

 Analyze pre- and post- development drainage
conditions;
 Identify goals and objectives for future development
and maintenance of the site
 Explain qualitatively how the site gets its hydrologic
support;
 Analyze the effect that site development may/may not
have on groundwater and surface runoff;
 Describe water quality treatment and control of surface
runoff from project site;
Factors to be considered during site drainage analysis:
1. Topography will also affect runoff onto the site from surrounding properties.
2. Existing overland flow paths should be identified and retained.
3. Where modifications to these are unavoidable, they should be designed so as to maintain existing
hydrological conditions.
4. Drainage easements, natural watercourses and flood prone land should also be identified and
considered in the design process.
5. It needs to be borne in mind that drainage easements containing underground pipes can operate as
overland flow paths during intense rainfall events.
6. Buildings must be kept clear of drainage easements to ensure public safety and to allow maintenance
access.
7. Consideration also needs to given to local soil conditions.
8. Relevant factors include absorption capacity, erosion potential and the possibility of soil contamination
from past activities.

Major drainage patterns can be interpolated from Geological survey maps. These
can usually be purchased from the geological survey district office or the city
engineer
ACCESSIBILITY

Accessibility to site by vehicular, pedestrian

and cycle track

On site sidewalks, paths and other pedestrian movement

patterns include:
- Users
- purposes
- schedule of use
- volume of use.

Pedestrian Off site pedestrian movement patterns follows the same

characteristics mentioned for onsite movement.
Evaluation of the pedestrian pattern is important.
On site or adjacent vehicular movement patterns includes :
-type of traffic
-peak loads
-intermittent traffic such as parades, festivals, concerts, fire truck routes, etc
Off site or neighborhood vehicular movement issues such as traffic generators
as well as the other traffic characteristics are outlined under onsite traffic.
 Adjacent or nearby parking areas can be used for off site car storage.
Off-site traffic patterns should also include :
-the relation of the site to the public transportation routes
-stops at or near the site
- probable directions of dispersal of traffic from the building. Vehicular
Traffic analysis should document
-future projections to the extent they can be made.
-Locations of probable or optimum access to the site for each type of pedestrian
-and vehicular traffic (that will use the new building or move through the site).
Time
-Travel time to walk
-time to cross the site
-time taken to walk to or from related locations in the site.
SIZE AND SHAPE
•Dimensions of the boundaries of our site.
•Dimensions of the street rights of way around our site.
•Location and dimensions of easements.
•Present site zoning classification.
•Front, back and side yard setbacks required by zoning classification.
•Square feet of buildable area inside setbacks (should also subtract easements)
•Building height restrictions required by zoning classification
•The number of parking spaces required.

•Size
2 dimensional – l, b
3 dimensional – l, b, h

Maximum utilization of Space creates insecurity

site Built form - difficult for placing furniture

• The number of square feet of buildable area is calculated by taking the area inside the Site
boundary lines and subtracting the area of any setbacks or easements.
• Normally parking and on site roads may occupy the unbuildable area inside setbacks
• Shape – dictates the form, location of buildings, and salability.
INFRASTRUCTURES AVAILABLE

Basic needs of human life

Physical infrastructure Social Infrastructure

Education
Water supply Drainage Electricity
Recreation

Sewage Storm water

Health

Communication`
Recording the best connection opportunities requires an analysis of the utility data in relation to the
conditions on our site (distances to probable building sites, relation to contours, barriers, soil conditions,
etc….).
INFRASTRUCTURES AVAILABLE

FIRST TO BE CONSIDERED

Location, capacity and conveyance form (type of pipe, etc) of power, gas, sewer, telephone
and water utilities - above or below grade, location of power poles.
SECOND
Where utility lines stops short of our site boundaries, their distances from our site should be
given.

THIRD
Record the locations or edges on our site that seems to offer the best connections opportunities.
VISUAL ASPECTS
Factors influencing the visual environment:

 Natural influences – Landform, vegetation, water, climate

 Open spaces

Visual relief Visually linking areas

 Dominant features & views

 Landmarks – visual focus
 Important open spaces
 Visual orientation
 Sensuous qualities:
• Visual
• (+)ve – clear sky, skyline, valley, ridges, sun and moon rise and set
• (-)ve – pollution, smoke, slums, drainage

• Aural
• (+)ve – waterfall, birds, animals, ocean waves, streams
• (-)ve – factory, traffic, airport

• Olfactory
• (+)ve – flowers, fruits, soil, vegetation
• (-)ve – water pollution, chemical factories, slaughter houses

• Touch
• Hard landscape, water

• Taste
• (+)ve – water, fruits
• (-)ve – salinity, ferrous content, chlorine content
• All information about views on and around our site requires direct observation. We may
use photographs and sketches to assist in this regard.

• Noise data can be collected by direct experience on the site with the use of sensing
equipments and by studying noise related data in other information categories ( traffic,
surrounding , uses , etc.)

• It is important to document noise in terms of intensity ,source ,duration ,schedule and

direction.

• Odour , smoke and other pollutants require direct observation and experience on the site.
Where pollution is large in scale ,aerial photographs may help in studying source and
direction. The direction of prevailing winds, how they change over the day , from day to
night, etc. is also important.
PREPARATION OF SITE ANALYSIS DIAGRAM.

 It is generally necessary to interpret the information as we collect it.

 We can refine the diagrammatic forms to a more presentation oriented degree of finish.

 The conversion of collected data into graphical representation is the foremost process.
DIAGRAMMATIC FRAME WORK:-

There are 2 ways to approach the diagramming of contextual information:-

 One involves the integration of diagrams into 1 composite graphical form.
 The other separates each contextual data into separate diagrams.

THE COMPOSITE APPROACH:-

The composite approach attempts to show all site

data on a single drawing to visualize the total
situation and to sensitize us ,the relation between
the contextual factors.
The drawings are relatively large.
It becomes complicated and confusing.
This generally happens in a complex site.
Hence , a sense of clarity and hierarchy is to be
maintained.
THE SEGREGATED APPROACH:-
The segregated approach records the site information separately over simplified referent drawings of the
site.this can be repeated as many times as required if any data is to be presented.

This itemized approach helps to avoid confusion.

Each referent diagram has flexibility to shift the plan into elevation,section or perspectives.
PREPARATION OF SITE ANALYSIS DIAGRAM.
 In deciding whether to diagram in the integrated or segregated mode,
 we should think about how we design and which of these approaches fits most comfortably with
the way we ten to conceptualize our project.
 If we integrate these diagrams into one drawing, we may want to record the site data during collection
separately because this allows us to use smaller, more convenient referent drawings during the onsite
analysis.
Referent drawings may be plans, sections ,
perspectives , isometrics or elevations.

The choice of these relates the type of data

we record and view it as a site force.

Depending on how one represents the

geographical factor on site, the drawing will
extend a greater or lesser.
 Normally A typical referent drawing in a plan will include the site boundaries
and street pattern immediately adjacent to the site.
 The referent drawing should be as simple as possible. the data recorded should
be bolder than the referent information.
 Line weights should be considered.
 The referent must always be in the background.
DIAGRAMATIC FORMS:-
 The diagrammatic forms which are over the referent drawings may be representing the
physical things, qualities and conditions of physical things, actions and
activities,patterns,human issues.
 The drawing must be able to represent the visible and invisible forces, pressure,
problems, opportunities, and mandates of site.
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 SITE SELECTION CRITERIA FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCIAL AND
INSTITUTIONAL PROJECTS

SITE SPECIFIC EVALUATION

You must evaluate the development potential of specific site(s).
The following factors will help you decide whether a particular site is viable for
development:
• Site conditions—Slope, topography, and environmental conditions
• Physical constraints of site—Utilities, easements, and any existing structures that might need to be
demolished
• Accessibility and visibility—Roads serving the site, traffic count, proximity to public transportation
routes and major intersections, and site’s orientation
• Availability of contiguous parcels of land
• Size and shape of parcels—Length and depth of parcels: developers often want deep parcels
• Location and neighborhood—What is the context of site? Is it near amenities, institutional uses? Will
the proposed development and uses fit in neighborhood?
• Zoning—Specified use and requirements such as parking, building height, lot coverage and setbacks