6

Site Selection

While planning and designing a building the first thought of an architect is about the
general scope or the purpose of the proposed building. General scope of the building is
associated with the requirements of accommodation which depend on the functional needs.
Site is the other influential factor which has large bearing on the layout and design of the
proposed building. The relation of the site with its environment largely infuences the
architect's views. The topographical features of the site are to be taken into account while
planning and designing a building.

Selection of site for any building is a very important and experts job and should be
done very very carefully by an experienced engineer. The requirements of site for buildings
with different occupancies are different. The site which is suitable for residential building may
not be suitable for other purpose buildings. So all the buildings proposed for different
and thus diferent considerations for their site selection.
purposes have diferent requirements
Considerations applicable for site selection of residential buildings have been listed in this
chapter. It is almost impossible to find such an ideal site fuliling all the conditions. However,
these considerations will remind of all the desirable things at a glance and it is for the individual
to discriminate those points only on which greater stress is to be given. If there are more than
one alternative sites, it is advisable to go to each of the sites and discuss the pros and cons of
of the suggestions given here.
each in light
1. If available, a free hold plot is the best of all. If it is leese-hold plot, the period of
the leese should be at least 99 years.
2. The site should be in fully developed area or in the area which has potential of
development. Such a site might be a litile more expensive but investment is safe.
If the locality is undeveloped it is by chance that you may get the right type of
people coming in as your neighbours.

3. The site should command a good view of landscape such as a hill, river, lake ete.
4. There should be good transport facilities such as railway, bus service, for going to
office, college, market, etc.

5. Civic services such as water supply main, dranage sewers, clectric lines, telephone
lines etc. should be very near to the selected site so as tu obtain their services with

no extra cost.
Site Selection
135

6. Soil at the site should not be of made up type as far as possible. The buildings
constructed over such soils normally undergo differential settlement and sometimes,
become the cause of collapse. Craoks in buildings in such conditions, are quite
common.

The site should further be on an

The site should not be of very much undulating.
site adds to the expression of importanoe
elevation. Building located on an elevated
and repose of the building. Such site affords wider and brightcr outlook and
facilitates drainage.
Besides this build-
in depression causes drainage problem.
8. Building site if choosed General impression
looses grandeur and impressiveness.
ing located in depression
shall be depressing and not enhancing.
of so located building
both to ensure the building abundant
9. The selected site should be large enough,
over dominance by the neighbouring buidings.
light and air and to prevent any which are generally beauti
This care is particularly for public buildings
necessary,
and add in the beautification of the city.
fully designed
it should be the back and not towards the front.
rising towards
10. If the site is sloping, elevation and also gives feeling of comfort
Rising slope towards rear improves elevation. On slopes, planning
down towards rear, defeat
whereas the sites sloping
The garage and miscellaneous utilities
becomes possible.
with differential floors
can be
accommodated in the basement.
like store, laund1y etc.
at the site should not be very high.
11. The ground water table considered good for
Neorness of schools, hospitals,
railway station, market etc. are
12. significance in the selec
but these facilities do not carry any
residential house site
other public buildings.
tion of site for
available at reaonable depths. This aspect saves
foundation soil should be
13. Good
the cost of the buildings.
quite a bit in
accommocdate all the essential necessories of the
be adequite to
14. Selecied site should

building should be located away

from the busy commercial road.
house sites
15. Residential from the busy areas
buildings should be located away
Hospitals, schools, college roads.
the edge of the market
should be located along
Shops factories because such
houses should not be located near workshops,
16 Residential
noise.
to continuous
locations are subjected
of view, but sea breeze being
from enjoyment point
the sea shore is good
17. Site along metallic fittings are liable
to be corroded.
health. All the
damp is not good for
lime kilns, dirty nallas
neighbourhood of quarries, brick kilms
site in the industrial plants
also be away from the
Avoid a
18. clean. They must
etc. which are not kept
of smell and noise
giving for
136
Building Planning Deaigning und
19. The
Neheduling
shape of the plot site should not be very
or
irrogular Instead of s
if it is slightly irrcgular, it looks more
urtistie. But if it has too rectangle
and irregular boundaries, its area and cost many ncute corners
any advantage of space. The lenpth of the
proportionally increase without
giving
increased.
boundury also unneccarily gets

20. There should be no easement rights in the plot. Easement in

right possessed by a
a
municipality or a public utility company for laying pipes, crecting poles or to
inspect, dig up, or repair thcir property which lies or runs through yours.
21. A corner plot is a luxury but
it often
expensive luxury. Unles situated on quiet road
an

proves a nuisance. It costs moro,

requires. longer compound wall, two
attractive elevations of the building,
and unless the plot is large enough to install
the building far inside the two fronts, it is
the high ways.
quite
likely to loosc your privacy from

22. Buy land where there bye-laws framed by a local authority, enforcing permanent
are
restrictions such fixing the maximum proportion of built-up area to the arca of
as
the plot, space in front and on sides,
hei ght of buildings, separate zones for indus
trial and residential areas etc.
They no doubt restrict your liberty, but they are
very desirable as they protect you against unscrupulous
people having commercial
tendencies who build on every centimeter of available land to
ful of the inconvenience
carn proflits, unn1ind
and nuisance they cause to the
neighbours.
23. Before buying the plot, sce that the title is clear. It is
very very important matter.
Lending agencies can lend you money only if title of the plot is clear.
24. Buy a plot inlocality where social status of the people in the neighbourhood
a

should neither be too high nor too low as compared with

yours. Fifty per cent of
the pleasure will be lost if the
neighbours are not of the proper type.
25. Arca of the plot should be enough for
your present requirements with sufficient
provision for future enhanced requirements.
26. The surface should be of good
garden soil. If it is rocky site you save in founda
tions but cven little excavation for foundation and for
drains becomes very costly
Besides, you are permanently deprived of the pleasure of a garden and geod trees.
The ideal conditions are that there
should be two to three feet of black or red
overlying sand or muram. so
27. Don't invest than about 30% as a maximum of
more
1or the
your total money earmarheu
housing project on the plot of land if the property is fully developea witn
al the amenities such as water
supply, street lights, drainage In
places where these amenities are partially supplied, no more than 10, up-country
ctc.
should be
invested on plot.
28. Don't make hurry in
buying. It is better to take time to look at the bargain froi
every sidc. fin spite of all the precautions you have purchased a plot which you

Site Selection
unwise
later find it was an
it
it, abandon it, give
Orientation of the site also
9 morning
137
of building on it,
SelI
move, don't make another error
else except building on it.
in charity, or do anything
away
Site should be such
its nelection,
has some bearing on
wun and late evening
sun is accepted in the

in our country
that early
available in most of winter.
and mavimum sun light is
building in s u m m e r

side of the city which has

better prospectus of
that
Always try to acquire plot
on
30.
development. the master plan
selection for any building
it is better to go through
While making site of
idea as t0 which
side there are better prospectus
an
of the city once. This will give you
development. For hospital site it is
has its own peculiarities,
one's own or public, It should also
Every building, quite and healthy
environment,
be located in calm,
that it should the business cent re a s it is
very essential
A bank should be located in
to the public. educational buildings should
be
be easily approachab!e Institutional and
business transaction.
Now a
involved mostly with industrial zone of the city.
Industrial set up must be in separate
allocated for
located in open area. different zones are
in such a way that
modern towns are planned in educational z o n e .
days most of the will automatically come up
cducational building
each activity. Naturally industrial z o n e of the city.
Factory sites which
up in
building will c o m e
should be located far out
Similarly an industrial other dangerous product
bacteriacides or any
that one at Bhopal
manufacture explosives,
likely mishap in the factory like
habited area to avoid any
side, away from
in India. considerations in followiag
that site selection involves
be said in short
In the end it can

fiveheads
9 Physical conditions

soil
(2) Type of
(3) Sanitary requirements

(4) Civic facilities

etc.
such as sun, wind
(5) Climatc conditions