S P ITE LANNING

EVERY LANDSCAPE DESIGN
PROCESS BEGINS WITH A THOROUGH
SITE EVALUATION AND ANALYSIS OF
EXISTING CONDITIONS. 

Site planning typically begins by assessing a

potential site for development
through thorough site analysis.

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Information about slopes, soils, hydrology, vegetation, parcel ownership, orientation, etc. are
assessed and documented. This is done by arranging the compositional elements of landform,
planting, water, buildings and paving in site plans.

Where is the water coming

from? The following elements of your site all
Where is it going to go and influence the final design of a building:
What’s going to happen  Topography  Weather
when it gets there?  Vegetation
 Culture
 Existing buildings
“Howard Cohen”  Infrastructure

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FOLLOW THE SUN

Understanding of sun and shade patterns on the

property will determine the type, size, and location of
plant materials to be installed. When the hardscape is
being designed we are leaving room for the plants to
grow and spread to their proper size. If we don’t leave
enough room for the plants, the area will be a mess
when they grow in.

Natural Factors Affecting the Site Planning:

 Geology  Vegetation
 Topography-slope analysis  Wildlife
 Hydrography-streams, lakes,  Climate factors – solar orientation,
summer, winter winds, humidity, etc.
swamps
 Soil – classification of types and
uses

SITE PLANNING PROCESS: The site design process is divided up into three phases
Research Analysis Synthesis.

 Research phase: The first step is defining the problem and its definition.
 Analysis phase: The next step involves integrating site and use functions. Access, Shape,
surroundings etc. are being studied and analyzed.
 Synthesis phase: This phase deals with schematic design of a site plan.
 Chronology of steps after synthesis.
i. Developed designs and a detailed cost estimate.
ii. Preparation of construction documents for the plan
iii. Bidding and contracting for the project.
iv. Construction

Information to be collected before Planning

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 i. Availability of water and electricity
ii. Drainage facilities
iii. North direction
iv. Desirable view
v. Level of the road and plot
vi. Existing structures in neighboring plot
vii. Rainfall, maximum – minimum temp. in summer and winter
viii. Type of locality
ix. Access roads

The topic itself branches

into the boundaries of
architecture, landscape,
engineering, real estate
development, economics,
and urban planning
disciplines.

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Elements of Site Analysis

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  Location: The site should be related to existing roads and landmarks. Time & distances
from major nodes should be recorded.
 Neighborhood context: zoning of the neighborhood is important. Numerous issues like
architectural patterns, street lighting, and condition of existing buildings must be
observed. This would also include the immediate surroundings of the site. The reaction of
the surrounding buildings towards the site and people moving around should be analyzed.
 Subsurface Features: This includes analysis of following,
i. Geology: Geological history of the area, bedrock type & depth etc.
ii. Hydrology: Underground water table, aquifers, springs etc.
iii. Soil Genesis: Erosion susceptibility, moisture, bearing capacity etc.
 Natural Surface Features: Most of this information will be derived from the
topographic features on the site. A contour map of this magnitude can be drawn. Trees,
ground cover, ground texture, and soil conditions could be directly observed. Study of
vegetation should be done in relation to type, size, location, shade pattern, aesthetics,
ecology etc. Slope study must entail gradient, landforms, elevations, drainage patterns
etc.
 Manmade features: Buildings, walls, fences, patios, plazas, bus stops, shelters etc. shall
be carefully recorded on maps. Size and zoning Land use of site, adjacent use, zoning
restrictions, easement etc. Site boundaries can be located by either verifying the
dimensions physically or through map records of land.
Development controls such as MOS, height restrictions, ground coverage, FAR parking
requirements could be obtained from development plans.
 Circulation: Study of important nodes and linkages. The uses of streets, roads, alleys,
sidewalks, and plazas are important. .
 Sensory: Aerial photography, sketching, visual surveys and other methods of direct
observation to be employed. Sensory elements such as noise, odors, smoke, and pollutant
areas must be detected and recorded.
 Human and cultural: Census data to be used for social factors such as population,
population density, literacy, sex ratio, occupation pattern, ethnicity, cultural typology etc.
 Climate: Information on precipitation, annual rain/snow, humidity, wind direction, solar
intensity & orientation, average max & min temperature can be obtained through the

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 local weather service. Rainfall, humidity & temperature over months must be recorded.
Annual sun path data throughout an entire year to be noted importantly.
 Aesthetic Factors: Visual analysis Scenic views, flora and fauna, rock formations, water
bodies, green cover valleys, rivers and mountains etc. add to value of site. Any such
features if available shall need call for designing preferential locations.

CONCLUSION: A good site plan will show all of the following features.

i. Existing contours and new contours

ii. Setbacks and easements
iii. Existing structures
iv. Driveways and sidewalks (size and location)
v. Parking areas
vi. Physical characteristics such as rock outcroppings, streams, rivers, lakes, etc.
vii. Compass bearings for the site
viii. Utility locations
ix. Streets and curbs
x. Bench marks
xi. Slope and runoff directional indicators
xii. Symbols legend, title and scale

LANDSCAPE DESIGN IS A CONSCIOUS DESIGN AND

MANAGEMENT OF OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT.

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 COMMENT ON THIS STATEMENT.

Landscape design is an independent profession and a design and art tradition, practiced by
landscape designers, combining nature and culture. In contemporary practice, landscape design
bridges the space between landscape architecture and garden design.

Landscape design typically involves artistic composition and artisanship, horticultural finesse
and expertise, and emphasis on detailed site involvement from conceptual stages through to final
construction.

Landscape architecture focuses more on urban planning, city and regional parks, civic and
corporate landscapes, large scale interdisciplinary projects, and delegation to contractors after
completing designs.

Design factors include objective qualities such as: climate and micro-climates; topography and
orientation, site drainage and groundwater recharge; municipal and resource building codes; soils
and irrigation; human and vehicular access and circulation; recreational amenities (i.e., sports
and water); furnishings and lighting.

EASSY ON CHANDIGARH – AN OPEN LABORATORY OF

LANDSCAPE DESIGN

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 CHANDIGARH HAS THE RARE ACCOLADE OF BEING ONE OF THE FEW CITIES IN
THE WORLD WITH PLANNED LANDSCAPE.

Chandigarh is the best-planned city in India, with architecture which is world- renowned, and a
quality of life. As the capital of the states of Punjab and Haryana, and the Union Territory of
Chandigarh it is a prestigious city. The face of modern India, Chandigarh, is the manifestation of
a dream that Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru envisaged and Le Corbusier executed.

Le Corbusier tends to avoid historical referencing although, in the case of Chandigarh, he made
use of symbolism associated with the traditional Mughal paradise garden. In this context, it can
be argued that Chandigarh is perceived as an example of anachronism, 9 which appears to be a
central part of Indian modernism.

Serenity and a city are two diametrically opposite concepts, which however, get belied in the
City Beautiful. It is here that the trees and plants are as much a part of the construction plans as
the buildings and the roads. India’s first planned city, is a rich, prosperous, green city rightly
called “THE CITY BEAUTIFUL”.

The Leisure Valley, that runs north to South through the city, not only provides a landscaped
environment for all the inhabitants but also acts as a storm drain during the monsoons. One of the
parks within the Valley, adjoining the shopping area in Sector 17, contains a Rose garden amid
sprawling lawns; it is the site of the Rose festival, where a carnival of dance and music is held
every February. The other parks and local spaces located within each sector are in constant use.
The artificial Sukhna Lake, designed to act as the water reservoir for the city, provides a popular
promenade for families, boating and is extremely used for recreation. The most popular public

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attraction for visitors is Nek Chand’s Rock Garden. Started in the jungle by Chand, a transport
official, in the 1970s as a sculpture garden made of recycled materials; it covers some 24 acres in
Sector 1 and now attracts about 5,000 visitors a day.

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