SITE ANALYSIS & PLANNING

UNIT IV- DETAILED SITE ANALYSIS AND TECHNIQUES

Context of the Site
The term context refers to “the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement
or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood.” In the case of architectural site
context, the event, statement or idea‟ is building, and “circumstances”that surround it
range from the social, political, cultural and economic environment which it is built, as well
as the more obvious physical setting.
Aims for taking Site Context into concern during Site Analysis
All places/contexts are made up of an array of factors that come together ( these are:
topography, geology, soil chemistry, climate, vegetation, human history, culture, locally
available natural material – stone, earth, clay, trees and plants) .With the proper concern
and sensible response to these factors, an architectural project attains harmony with its
context and a sense of place.
The major aim here is to help develop a sensibility in the building design that is
grounded in a greater sensitivity to the broader environment. i.e; Like plants and animals,
a building must make an appropriate habitat for humankind, But at the same time it must
adapt itself to its habitat.
Sometimes the aim is to ensure the visual relationship with the surroundings; whereas
other times the environmental factors are taken into account with the aim of more easily
facilitating the life of those that shall live there and their comfort.
It also aims in being natural and adapting itself to the surroundings in the design’s
material and construction.
Functional planning also plays a large part in the design. In this sense, there is an aim to
interpret and incorporate elements such as sun, wind and topography into the design not
taking advantage of technology as much as possible.
In short, it comprises of: Functional aspects: circulation, concepts of movement – light and
vision within context Form– concept of scale, colour and relation to surroundings Meaning
– historical associations – notion of the age of surroundings Feelings of place - poetry
picturesque etc Nature – natural world –plants, topography.
The inclusion of all of these factors in the design is, in actuality, dependent upon the
designer’s personal approach many associated factors. As a result, some of these factors
may be seen more predominantly within a design. In a design that is looked at in a
contextual frame, everything is taken into account as a whole and the building will be
shaped according to the “place” in which it is found.
Introduction to Existing Master Plans, Land use for cities
Master Plan A master plan is a comprehensive long range plan intended to guide growth
and development of a community or region. It is a blue print for the future that sets public
policies regarding growth and development. A master plan creates a vision that is
supported by policies, guidelines and priorities.

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Land Use PLans Land use planning refers to the process by which land is allocated
between competing and sometimes conflicting uses in order to secure the rational and
orderly development of land in an environmentally sound manner to ensure the creation of
sustainable human settlements.
Land-use planning does not exist in isolation. It is necessary to view land-use planning as
an integral part of the process of national growth and development, thus obviously forming
an integral part of a master plan. Among other things, this process of evolving a master
plan and land use planning seeks to identify, articulate and satisfy the basic social/human
needs of a country’s population within the context of available economic/financial
resources and technical knowledge.
Plans are prepared to:
anticipate the development needs of an area;
identify relevant development issues;
identify opportunities for and constraints to development;
identify areas which are suitable/unsuitable for different types of development;
make proposals for the way in which the area should develop over time; and
establish policies and standardsto guide development.
Plans are also prepared for areas which are already experiencing significant
development pressures or some of the negative effects of growth and development in an
effort to find solutions to these problems and to manage future growth.
Development Control Rules
On the other hand, Some form of control is necessary to guide and and regulate the
functioning of these plans in an ordered, systematic, integrated manner once they have
been implemented. Development Control rules provide the mandatory techno-legal
framework for regulating building activity from planning, design to completion of
construction. After Governmental approval, the local bodies concerned enforce these rules
and regulations pertaining to development and building standards as building regulations
and building bye-laws in their respective areas.

 Some of the basic aspects governed by the Development control Rules & bye laws
are:
 Building permission
 Zoning
 Sub-division of Land
 Land use, open space, built-up area and height limitation.
 Floor space index
 Lighting and ventilation
 Structural design
 Material and method of construction etc.

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The development control rules seeks to manage and regulate property development to
ensure that all development takes place at an appropriate order and place and in such a
manner that it confirms to a pre determined set of policies or standards.
They have a responsibility to ensure :
that development occurs in the right place, at the right time;
that buildings are structurally sound and will not endanger the safety or lives of those
who live in or use them;
that they are provided with the basic services and facilities necessary to support the
purpose for which they are erected; and
that the environment and natural resources of the region are managed carefully and
prudently for the enjoyment of present and future generations.
India or Bharat – The Land of the oldest Civilization in the world.
With the many recent discoveries proving that the Indus Valley civilisation,(or the
Saraswati Sindhu civilization) that flourished along the SaraswatiSindhu river banks was
the earliest of the world civilizations which was far more developed and sophisticated than
all other civilizations of the world including Mesopotamia and Egypt, & with the examples
of excavated cities like Mohenjo daro, Harappa, Mehrgarh (7500 BC !) etc, it is clear
without doubt that India holds a great and foremost position in the concept of city planning
among the world nations.

The Saraswati Sindhu civilization was bigger than modern Pakistan, and four times bigger
than Britain! Over 1600 settlements have been found in the vast Indus/Saraswati region
that extended over 250,000 square miles. The biggest cities were Harappa and Mohenjo-
Daro. Each city had as many as 80,000 people.
Salient Features of the City Planning of Saraswati- Sindhu Civilization

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 The cities were laid out in grid iron pattern.
The most well known cities of the Indus valley civilization, Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa,
were built of kiln-fired brick and laid out on an exact north-south axis.
This means that the main streets of the city ran north-south, and the entrance of the
homes and public buildings faced east.
The cities were also built to the west of the rivers, so that they were on land that sloped
east to the river.
These facts, which may seem trivial on first glance, turn out to be highly significant.
The ancient architectural system of Sthapatya Veda prescribes detailed principles of
construction of homes and cities.
One of the main principles of Sthapatya Veda is that cities be laid out on an exact north-
south grid, with all houses facing due east. Another is that the buildings be oriented to the
east with a slope to the east and any body of water on the east. Most of the cities of the
Saraswati and Indus valley followed these principles exactly.
An Indus city was made of mud-brick buildings. It had walls and roads. Water was very
important to Indus people, so the builders started by digging wells, and laying drains. Main
streets were up to 10 metres wide, wide enough for carts to pass. Side streets were
narrow.
The streets had very well planned drainage and plumbing system.

A DETAILED EXAMPLE OF MASTER PLAN AND LAND USE PLAN : CHANDIGARH

CHANDIGARH was the first planned city after independence from British rule in 1947. It is
the capital city of the states of Punjab and Haryana.
The city is located at the picturesque junction of foothills of the Himalayas Mountain
range and the Ganges plains.
American architects Albert Mayer and Mathew Novicki were the first architects to be
appointed for the project.
After the death of Novicki in 1950, Le Corbusier was commissioned.
Chandigarh is one of the most significant urban planning experiments of the 20th century.
It is the only one of the numerous urban planning schemes of Le Corbusier to have
actually been executed. It is also the site of some of his greatest architectural creations. It

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has become a symbol of planned urbanism. It is as famous for its landscaping as for its
architectural ambience. Most of the buildings are in pure, cubical form, geometrically
subdivided with emphasis on proportion, scale and detail
BASIC PLANNING CONCEPTS
The city plan was conceived as post war ‘Garden City’ wherein vertical and high rise
buildings were ruled out, keeping in view the living habits of the people. Le Corbusier's
plan was based on the gridiron defined by a system of seven types of roads, which Le
Corbusier called the 7 Vs. Le Corbusier conceived the master plan of Chandigarh as
analogous to human body, with a clearly defined : Head (the Capitol Complex, Sector 1),
Heart (the City Centre Sector-17), Lungs (the leisure valley, innumerable open spaces and
sector greens), Intellect (the cultural and educational institutions), Circulatory system (the
network of roads, the 7Vs) and Viscera (the Industrial Area).
The primary module of city’s design is known as a Sector, a neighborhood unit of size 800
meters x 1200 meters.
Each sector catered to the daily needs of its inhabitants, which varied from 3,000 to 25,000
and had a green strip oriented longitudinally in north direction stretching centrally along the
sector in the direction of the mountains. The green strip was to stay uninterrupted and
accommodate schools, sports fields, walks and recreational facilities for the sector.
Organization of Vehicular traffic :
Vehicular traffic was completely forbidden in the green strips, where tranquility shall reign
and the curse of noise shall not penetrate. The roads of the city were classified into seven
categories, known as the system of 7 Vs.
V-1 Fast roads connecting Chandigarh to other towns;
V-2 Arterial roads;
V-3 Fast vehicular roads;
V-4 Free Flowing shopping streets;
V-5 Sector circulation roads;
V-6 Access roads to houses;
V-7 Footpaths and cycle tracks

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Detail Plan of a residential sector in Chandigarh

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Growth of the City
The original Plan of Chandigarh was prepared six decades ago by Ar. Le Corbusier to
meet the requirements of the Administrative City for a population of five lakhs. The 70
sq.km area acquired for the development of the first two phases (Sectors 1 to 47) of
Chandigarh had clearly defined land use zones based on the CIAM principles of Living,
Working , Care of Body and Spirit and Circulation planned within the modulor sectoral grid.

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Preparation of Matrix analysis & Composite analysis
MATRIX ANALYSIS – In a matrix type of analysis, the most important / significant
parameters / elements are taken into consideration for analysis / decision making or
working out proposals / alternatives.
DECISION MATRIX - A decision matrix is basically an array presenting on one axis a list
of alternatives, also called options or solutions, that are evaluated regarding, on the other
axis, a list of criteria, which are weighted dependently of their respective importance in the
final decision to be taken. (also known as comparison matrix, grid analysis, performance
matrix, evaluation matrix)
Uses :
1. Extensively used in comparison studies of site alternatives in the selection process of a
site
2. Can be used to evaluate between several sites for the same project / or for 1 site itself
Decision Matrix Activity In creating a decision matrix, use the COWS method, shown
below, that describes all the information you should come up with in order to make an
impartial decision:

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Composite analysis
A composite analysis is a drawing which combines and summarizes the layers of information
previously gathered and interpreted during the inventory process, beginning with a base map of the
site. As each layer of information from the inventory is added to the base map, a series of zones
will become apparent which reflect the characteristics of the included layers.

The composite analysis provides a means of simplifying a large quantity of complex information
into a form which can be used as a design tool.Since it will be used as a decision-making tool
during the design process, the composite analysis provides an ideal opportunity to identify and
emphasize the importance of the existing natural drainage features on a site. In addition, this stage
will help developers to see the limitations of the site. Some portions of the site will have relatively
few development constraints, while others will have many. Layers which will present physical
limitations to development include:steep slopes, soils constraints, and vegetation patterns. Other
layers will dictate where development can or cannot occur regardless of physical limitations; these
areas include property lines, setbacks, rights-of-way, easements, buffers or other restrictedzones.

The composite analysis should note site features which offer advantages as well as disadvantages
to development. Attractive views, access points for circulation, access to utilities, site amenities, or
climatic features, as well as those portions of the site which have existing drainage features and
significant vegetation should be noted so that these elements can be incorporated into the site
plan.

Disadvantages such as odors, noise, unattractive views orproximity to conflicting land uses should
be taken into considerationas well.Depending upon the complexity of the program for
developmentand the existing conditions found on a site, many additionalinventory layers can be
prepared to map out information which is pertinent to the specific site.

Such additional information may include surrounding land uses, historical resources, ecological
resources, zoning information, climatic information, visualinventories, utilities, access, or any other
information which needs to be considered during the design process. Some of this
additionalinformation will not relate directly to decisions regardingstormwater but will influence
other aspects of the design.

Once the various layers of information have been gathered and brought to a common scale, they
can be overlaid and evaluated to determine which portions of the site are best suited to the
development of each component of the intended land use. The process of overlaying the various
layers of information can be conducted manually with clear overlay sheets, or digitally by using a
computer.

A composite of the site inventory drawings will reveal the location and severity of constraints to
proposed development. Those areas which have the fewest or least severe constraints would
typically be best suited to most components of a development program. Constraints may dictate
adjustments in the design. For very small sites or sites which are not complex, asimpler method of
evaluating development constraints can be used, especially by individuals with significant
development experience. The overlay method is presented here as an illustration of the process of
gathering and interpreting information about a site.

TOPOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS- Topographic analysis gives a general understanding about an area,

its land form and ground surface variability (terrain). These are basically represented in the form of
slope, aspect, hillshade, contour, directional flow (curvature), area, volume, profile and steepest
path.

SITE SELECTION

The process of calculating the degree of resource use, and the degree of disturbance of existing
natural systems required to support a development begins with the process of Site Selection.

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Some keypoints to remember when selecting a site:

The most environmentally sound development is the one that disturbs as little of the existing site
as possible. Adaptive re-use of existing buildings or re-development of disturbed sites requires
minimal disruption of natural system. Hence these should be encouraged. The best way to
minimize transportation needs for a proposed site is to: A) Selecting a site which is located within
or adjacent to residential, shopping or work oppurtunities. B) Provide a mix of uses on site to meet
the needs of the occupants. Sites located within or adjacent to existing development allow for the
most efficient and cost effective extension of the utilities too.

Site selection criteria for Housing Development

1. Shape of the plot: Geometry of the plot for any kind of construction is very important which can
largely effect the appearance of your structure. Shape of the plot should be such that the
construction can be easily made with cost low as possible. And also in the future you can further
expand it. A plot with more routes will be considered a good one.

2. Location of the plot: The surround area of the residential plot is very important. It effects the
price and the beauty of the plot. Plot should be taken in the area provided with a lot of services.
And in a suitable environment free from all kind of pollutions. Efforts should be make to buy it near
to main road. Because such plots are more valuable as compared to the plots situated away from
the main road.

3. Availability of Amenities: Plot for a residential building should be taken in the area provided with
much number of amenities. Such as electricity, Telephone, Fax, Internet, Gas, School, Colleges,
University etc. and the most important is the good and fast transport system. so that
communication become more fast and quick.

4. Water table: The water table at the site of residential building should not be very high. otherwise
it will effect the quality of water which are used for drinking and domestic purposes. A plot with
normal water table will be more preferred as compared with other plots having high water table.
Also this would lead to easy differential settlement unless a suitable foundation is provided.

5. Sewerage System: There should be proper sewerage system at the site of residential plots. So
that the extra water of houses can easily be drawn out especially in rains and floods. if in case
there is no sewerage system the dirty water effect the building and as well the occupants as well.

Site selection criteria for Commercial Projects

1. Location: The value of a commercial building depends upon its location, whether it is
located in the center of the region or at the borders or on the main road or away from the
main road. For a good commercial building it should be on the main road and in the center
of the region.
2. Climate of Region: The strength and stability of building mainly depends upon the
climate of the region in which it is going to be constructed. As commercial buildings are
very important and expensive form economic points of so it must be constructed according
to the terms and conditions of region. So that it can be remain safe form floods, rains,
snowfalls etc.
3. Availability of Raw materials: Usually commercial buildings require more construction
materials as compared to a normal residential house. So before the construction of the
commercial building it must be sure that raw materials are available near by. Other wise it
will become uneconomical.

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4. Cost and time frame: Before the construction of commercial a through investigation
should made for the cost and time frame for the commercial building. Cost and time frame
mainly depends upon the location and the availability of Raw materials.
5. Populations of the region: Commercials building are constructed to meet the need of the
local population. So for this purpose it must be constructed in the region having sufficient
population in which the commercial building can restore its cost.
Site selection criteria for Institutional Projects
Size of the Plot: For an institutional project, it is essential to ensure there is ample area in
the site for both open (such as playgrounds, parking lots,open gathering spaces etc) and
closed (the building) spaces. Provision for service entry , comparison between the built up
area that would be available in the area with that of the future occupant capacity of the
project. Area for future expansion should also be taken into consideration.
Proximity to Important Existing Facilities : In most cases, adjacency to important basic
facilities is very important unless these provisions too are added along within the proposed
project plot. That is, the distance and travel time to such most adjacent existing
infrastructure should be evaluated and suitable steps be taken furthet in cases of
inadequacies.
Site Topography: Ideally, the Site should be fairly level with some topographical relief. In
cases where such a land is not available, detail study regarding the best zoning that can
be provided should be done, on the basis of convenience as well as economy. For
example, for an educational institution like a school, it is mandatory that the design must
have a playground within the campus. If the plot has got a sloping topogrphy, study should
be carried out regarding the cut and fill or any other grading processes best suitable for the
site to provide so.
Driveway Conflicts: An institutional building is without doubt meant for a larger mass of
people. Also, Driveway access options are limited by roadway frontage. With greater
frontage along the adjoining road, multiple driveways for internal circulation can be
provided. However, the position and number of main entrance gateways is an area of
great importance in view of the traffic conflict with the public roads outside. When choosing
a site for an institutional project, this should also be taken as a major factor.
Zoning / land use: Current and projected zoning and land use should be compatible with
the use of the site for an institutional building. If local regulations do not currently permit it,
it could be a lengthy process to obtain a change in zoning or a conditional use permit.
Evaluate this criterion according to the difficulty and associated risk.

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