L1- architectural

site planning
-strategies, appreciation &
reaction (historical context)
AR833 | architectural site planning | JAN-MAY 2022
Why do Site matters?
Edited by Carol Burns and Andrea Kahn

One of the trends in twentieth century

architecture and planning has been to
denigrate and ignore the site, or larger
context,  surrounding a building or set of
buildings.

Focusing on Le Corbusier's designs, Site

Matters presents that first considered
theory and vocabulary for the inevitable
reaction against Modernism  in planning,
beginning in the 1960s and swelling
through the 1980s as architects and
planners alike developed a new
appreciation of site, reincorporating the
wider context into their plans.
 Cefalu social housing by
Vittorio Greggoti
Not only are physical design projects
always located in a specific place, the
work of physical design also
necessarily depends on notional
understandings about the relationships
between a project and a locale (site).

Given that design reconfigures the

environment using physical and
conceptual means, articulate
comprehension of site in physical and
conceptual terms should be
fundamental.

Such received understandings of the

site, even if unnoticed, unexamined, or
inarticulate—inevitably it will precede to
design action.
Why do we need Site Planning?
The sense of place is the product of traditions, aspirations,
and values as well as geography, a fact that is well recognised
by those who survive on the land.

Recognising that places have value is fundamental to site

planning. But what values should guide the planning of a site?

Site planning begins with an appreciation of the site, out of

which grows a vision of what is possible (reaction).

Developing site thinking: values and principles

 vocabulary: the terms and
concepts normally drawn upon
to talk about site

history: how site-oriented

issues, design processes, and
Site Thinking the siting of specific projects
are treated by the
historiographical record (history
and archaeology)
investigates the manifestation
and derivation of site-related
design practices
 Fundamental principles
of site planning
1.Conserving an environment
capable of supporting
human life

2.Basic requirements of
environmental sustainability

3.Human well-being

4.Cultural diversity

5.Complementing the history

of the context
Hierarchy of the site
History & archaeology of the site
Every site is rooted in the history of its locality and the development of a
site should take account of this and, where appropriate, reflect this history.
This could take many forms such as retaining historic features on the site
or reflecting historic building lines. This will help to create a sense of place
and identity for the development, it will continue the narrative of the site,
and will add value. The site may also have archaeological importance that
needs to be protected and interpreted. Design tools to be used are
inventory of historic features, timeline of significant events, historic maps,
photos and paintings
Territory & Architecture by
Vittorio Greggoti
Questioning the site
Site planning towards
sustainability
Sustainable site planning is inherently context-sensitive, minimising
negative development impacts by respecting the locale’s natural and
cultural environments. The objective is to re-form a site in a way that
creates a new balanced ecology where humans & other species coexist.

Benefits of context-sensitive site planning

 class activity
AR833 | architectural site planning | JAN-MAY 2022
 • How to distinguish between protect and conserve?
Conservation is preserving something for later use, protection is the
preservation for use at particular times with it being less of a saving
sense.
 • How to distinguish between restore and reuse?
Restore is to recover is to get back, to regain, while reuse is e action or
practice of using an item, whether for its original purpose (conventional
reuse) or to fulfil a different function (creative reuse or repurposing).
Mesin Niaga by TR
Hamzah & Yeang
(the building scale)
 Parc de la
Villette by OMA
(the urban park scale)
Brasilia by Oscar Niemeyer
(the city scale)
 group tutorials
AR833 | architectural site planning | JAN-MAY 2022