PLANNING 1 – SITE PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION Best area to locate building due to:
Introduction to Site Planning and Landscape
Architecture
What is Site Planning?
Site Planning is the art of arranging structures on the
land and shaping the spaces between, an art linked to
architecture, engineering, landscape architecture and
city planning.
It is the organization of the external physical environment
to accommodate human behavior. It deals with the
qualities and locations of structures, land, activities, and
living things. It creates a pattern of those elements in
space and time, which will be subject to continuous
future management and change. The technical output-
the grading plans, utility layouts, survey locations,
planting plans, sketches, diagrams, and specifications-
are simply a conventional way of specifying the complex
organization.
Professionals related in this practice are the Architects,
Landscape Architects, Engineers and Environmental
Planners - for large scale projects. Kindly refer to
Republic Act 10587 or Environmental Planning Act of
2013.
What is Landscape Architecture?
Landscape Architecture is a profession that deals with
the act of planning, designing, specifying, supervising
and giving general administration and responsible
direction to the funtional, orderly and aesthetic
arrangement, changing and development of natural
scenery and land areas to produce the most desirable
effect for human use and enjoyment of various outdoor
spaces which consist of landscape components and the
softscape of plants; the protection, conservation and
rehabilitation of the natural environment and scenery to
enhance the ecological system and quality of life; and as
further defines by Republic Act 9053 otherwise known as
the "Philippine Landscape Architecture Act of 2000".
A Landscape Architect is a person qualified to practice
said profession.
Parameters of Site Selection and Analysis
Preliminary Site Investigation and Analysis
The process of site planning begins with the gathering of
basic data relating specifically to the site under
consideration and the surrounding areas.
The data should include such items as: master plans and
studies, zoning ordinances, base and aerial maps,
surveys, topographic data, geological information,
hydrographic data, soil classification, vegetation and
existing easements.
After all information has been obtained, it must be
examined and analyzed.
Establish the site’s advantages and limitations.
Conclusions should be established.
After a thorough analysis of the site and after all
conclusions have been studied, it is then possible to
determine whether the land is suitable for the proposed
use. If the land is found suitable, the data should be
analyzed further to establish other specific parameters of
the site. These include item such as:
 Soil condition
 Topography
 Soil erosion
 Drainage patterns
 Land contour
 Natural attractions of the site
Further studies, if needed, should be provided such as:
 Computer applications in site planning -
Computer graphics for easy pictorial and
analytical studies
 Perspective and isometric depictions of
topography
 Slope analysis
 Cut-and-fill calculations
 Watershed analysis
 Simulation studies
The Sequence in Producing a Site Plan
Survey
A survey is a checklist of information or data pertaining
to a site. The kind of data that would be required in some
rather normal example of site planning. Such a list would
be drawn up after an initial analysis of the problem. To
guide the first survey, information would be gathered
continuously as the problem develops.
Steps that could be followed in conducting a survey
(Based from Kevin Lynch):
1. Initial personal reconnaissance notes, sketches,
photos – apparent character, problems and possibilities.
2. Collation of existing data: base and contour maps,
aerial photos, geological soil and water surveys, climate
records, ecological studies, engineering reports, borings,
census materials, histories, social studies market
reports, traffic studies, legal and public control
documents, official proposals, record of current
controversies.
3. Summary description of the off-site context and its
changes: geographic location, surrounding populations,
social and political structure, general economy,
ecological and hydrographic system, land use patterns,
access system, principal off-site destinations and
facilities.
4. Data on the site and its immediate context:
A. Physical data
1. Geology and Soil
a. Underlying geology, rock character and depth
PLANNING 1 – SITE PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
b. Soil type and depth, value as an engineering
material and plant medium
c. Fill, ledge, slides, subsidence
2. Hydrology
a. Existing water bodies – variation and purity
b. Natural and man-made drainage channels –
flow capacity purity
c. Surface drainage pattern, amount, blockages,
untrained depressions
d. Water table – elevation and fluctuation,
springs
e. Water supply – quantity and quality
3. Topography
a. Pattern of landforms
b. Contours
c. Slope analysis
d. Visibility analysis
e. Circulation analysis
f. Unique features
4. Climate
a. Regional data on variation of temperature,
precipitation, humidity, solar angle, cloudiness,
wind direction and force
b. Local microclimates: warm and cool slopes,
air drainage, wind deflection and local breeze
shade, heat deflection and storage, plant
indicators
c. Sound levels, smell, atmospheric quality
5. Ecology
a. Dominant plant/animal communities – location
and relative stability
b. Their dependence on existing factors, self-
regulation, and sensitivity to change
c. Mapping of general plant cover, including
wood areas
d. Specimen trees to be retained: their location,
spread, species, and elevation at base
6. Man-made Structures
a. Existing buildings outline, location, floor,
elevations, type condition use
b. Circulation facilities (road, paths, rails, transit,
etc.) location, capacity and condition
c. Utilities (storm and sanitary sewers, water,
gas, electricity, telephone, steam, etc.)
d. Location, elevation and capacity
7. Sensuous qualities
a. Character and relations of visual spaces
b. Viewpoints, vistas, visual focal points
c. Character and rhythm of visual sequences
d. Quality and variation of light, sound, smell,
and feel
B. Cultural Data
1. Resident and using population
a. Number and composition
b. Social culture and institutions
c. Economic structure
d. Political structure
e. Current changes and problems
2. On-site and adjacent behavior settings:
nature, location, rhythm, stability,
participants, conflicts
3. Site values, rights, and restraints
a. Ownership, easements and other rights
b. Legal controls: zoning and other regulations
c. Economic values
d. Accepted territories
e. Political jurisdictions
4. Past and future
a. Site history and its traces
b. Public and private intentions for future use of
site conflicts
5. Images
a. Group and individual identification and
organizations of the site
b. Meanings attached to site, symbolic
expressions
c. Hopes, fears, wishes, preferences
i. Classification of site by areas of similar
structures, quality and problems
ii. Identification of key points, lines, and areas
iii. Analysis of current and likely future changes-
the dynamic aspect of the site
iv. Identification of significant problems and
possibilities
5. Data correlation:
a. Classification of site by areas of similar
structures, quality and problems
b. Identification of significant key points, lines
and areas
Identification of significant problems and
possibilities
Take Note:
When selecting a site, it should be noted that the future
considerations and expansion should be met. Never
select a site for its immediate application.
[PPT]
INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURAL SITE
ANALYSIS
Why is site analysis important?
 A project’s success is built on its relationship to
its site and surroundings, and therefore by
default should always be bespoke to and based
PLANNING 1 – SITE PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

on its location and local characteristics.  Rights to Lines

 Legal Restrictions
1. Every site has very specific solar orientations,  Noise Levels
views (good and bad) and often a very explicit  Legal Restrictions
character and atmosphere. Each one of these  Conservation Areas
areas is an opportunity to generate a meaningful  Convenants and Easements
conceptual approach and a way to devise a  Rights of Way
building’s shape, layout, form and materiality.  SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest)
o Once established, further analyze of  TPO’s (Tree Preservation Orders)
access, wind direction, site levels,  Previous Planning Permissions and
vegetation, local context, privacy, Applications
services (electrical lines, drainage,
 Access
telephone lines) will help cement any
 Public Routes
early conclusions made.
 Private Routes
o “Good design is generated from strong,
 Vehicle Access
simple, and well-established concepts.”
o Site analysis forms the backbone and  Pedestrian Access
foundation of a successful design  Existing Circulation Routes Within
response for any given site.  Topography
 Levels
Points to Consider  Gradients
 Key Features/Restrictions
AESTHETIC FACTORS
 Exposure
 Natural Features  Sun Paths
 Visual Resources – vies and vistas  Sun Paths
 Spatial Patterns – spaces and seques  Solar Gains
 Shading
NATURAL FACTORS
 Wind Patterns
 Climate – solar orientation for buildings, best  Prevailing Direction
facing slope, wind flows for breezes  Shelter
 Wildlife – habitats (openland, woodland,  Exposure
wetland)  Public Transport Links
 Vegetation – climatic control (solar radiation,  Buses
wind), environmental engineering (air  Trains
purification, noise, glare, erosion), architectural  Taxis
uses (space definition, view control, mood)  Tricycles
 Geology – Earth: its composition, the processes  Trees and Vegetation
that shaped its surface, and its history (rocks)  TPO’s and Protected Species
 Geomorphology – physiography, landforms,  Root Protection Areas
soils, drainage, topography and slopes, and soil  Items for Removal
erosion  Items to Maintain
 Hydrology – surface and groundwater  Ownership
(watershed)
 Ecology
CULTURAL FACTORS  Protected Species
 Protected Zones
 Historic Factors – historic building, landmarks,  Impacts
and archeology  Site Restrictions
 Utilities – sanitary, storm-water, water supply,  Visibility
power supply, and communications
 Light
 Existing Land Use – ownership of adjacent
 Views
property, off-site nuisances
 Neighbors
 Traffic and Transit – vehicular and pedestrian
 Pollution
circulation on or adjacent to site
 Flooding
 Density and Zoning – legal and regulatory
 Landslides
controls
 Features
 Socio-economic Factors
 Areas to Expose/Use
What to look for  Areas to Improve
 Area to Hide
 General
 Hazards
 Geographic Location
 Electricity Lines, Drainage, Telephone
 Site Boundary
Lines, Sub Stations
 Entrance Location and Types
 Derelict Buildings
 Site Security
 Unfinished Building Works
 Existing Buildings
 Neighboring Buildings It may not be a requirement to present your site analysis
 Distances information, but in many cases it is.
 Heights
Whether you are putting together a couple of plans with
 Uses your findings, or a full report, here are some tips and
 Vernacular ideas to help you get the information across.
 Site Lines
PLANNING 1 – SITE PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
TIPS
1. Give an overview of the site and the information
you have found.
2. Show some of the key photographs of the site.
3. Give more detail about the elements of your site
analysis that you feel will be important in your
design process.
4. Present any relevant data found (climate, sun
paths, etc.). Keep data clear and concise, don’t
bore everyone with complicated graphs and
tables. Instead, make your own chart or table
that picks out the important information.
5. Present your sun paths and angles as some sort
of annotated drawing. Sketchup can be a useful
way of presenting sun path drawings.
6. Depending on what has been asked of you,
sometimes it is useful to present a couple of
overlay drawings showing some initial ideas you
have worked on. This will demonstrate your
understanding of the site.
The most essential thing to remember when presenting
your site analysis is to make sure the information is clear
and that the reader understands what you discovered.
There is little use in slaving away on flashy visuals if the
material is unclear and difficult to understand.
[PREZI]
SITE PLANNING
What is Site Planning?
 The art of arranging structures on the land and
shaping the spaces between.
 The art and science of arranging the uses of
portions of land.
 The critical thinking process of research,
analysis, and synthesis that makes a major
contribution to the formation of design decisions.
Methods of Establishing a Site
 Development Suitability Process – select the
best use and development suited for a given site
 Site Selection Process – select a site that suits
best the given use of the project
ANALYSIS
Site Analysis Factors
 Aesthetic – natural features, visual resource,
spatial patterns
 Natural – climate (solar orientation for buildings,
best facing slope, wind flows for breezes),
geology (earth: its composition, the processes
that shaped its surface and its history),
geomorphology (physiography, landforms, soils,
drainage, topography and slopes, soil erosion),
hydrology (surface and groundwater), vegetation
(climatic control, environmental engineering,
architectural uses), wildlife (habitats: openland,
woodland, wetland)
 Cultural – historic, density and zoning, traffic and
transit, existing land use, socio-economic,
utilities
SELECTION
Site Selection Criteria Factors (Sample Rating)
Natural, Environmental, Physical
 20% Land Area/Lot Size
 10% Accessibility (Modes of Transportation)
 10% Soil Characteristics and Condition
 10% Accessibility of Utility and Service Needs
 10% Vulnerabilities to Natural Hazards
 5% Site Drainage
 10% Topography
 10% Climate
 5% Orientation
 5% Existing Vegetation
 5% Future Expansion Plan
Example Evaluation for Each Criteria
 Land Area
1. Lot size is inadequate to meet the
suggested minimum lot size requirement
set in the NBC
2. Lot size is adequate to meet the
suggested minimum lot size requirement
set in the NBC
3. Lot size exceeds 50% of the suggested
minimum lot size requirement set in the
NBC and provides area for another
adjacent amenities and activities
4. Lot size exceeds 75% of the suggested
minimum lot size requirement set in the
NBC and provides area for another
adjacent amenities and activities
5. Lot size exceeds 100% of the suggested
minimum lot size requirement set in the
NBC and provides area for another
adjacent amenities and activities
 Accessibility Network
1. Accessed by taxis and private vehicles
2. Accessed by PUVs, taxis, and private
vehicles
3. Accessed by jeepney, PUVs, taxis, and
private vehicles
4. Accessed by public bus, jeepney, PUVs,
taxis, and private vehicles
5. Near an airport terminal and accessible
through public bus, jeepney, PUVs,
taxis, and private vehicles
 Soil Condition
1. Soil is unstable all over and soil mostly
consists of made ground or fill
2. Soil is unstable for most parts of site and
mostly consists of peat and organic soil
3. Some remote area of the sire have
unstable soils and mostly consists of
cohesive soils (hard clays, gravel, and
sand)
4. Most areas of the site have stable soils
and mostly consists of non-cohesive
soils
5. Soils are stable and mostly consists of
rocks (igneous, gneissic, limestone,
sandstone, schist, slate, mustone)
Legal, Institutional, Administrative, Aesthetic
Factors
 20% Proper Land Use and Zoning
 Ease of Ownership
PLANNING 1 – SITE PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
 Land Cost
 Compatibility with Adjacent Land Use
Socio-Economic and Cultural Factors
 20% Site Potential
 30% Accessibility to Major Roads
 20% Must be within urban area
 15% Accessibility to important existing facilities
 15% Pedestrian Access and Circulation
MODULE 2: SITE ANALYSIS
Ecological and Natural Considerations
GEOLOGY
 Geology is the natural science that studies the
Earth – its composition; the processes that
shaped its surface; and its history.
Types of Rock
 Igneous Rocks - rocks produced by
crystallization from a liquid.
 Sedimentary Rocks - when igneous rocks are
exposed to surface and weathering reduces
them to particles, these particles are moved by
erosional process and deposited in layers into
rivers and oceans.
 Metamorphosed Rocks - when sedimentary
rocks are pushed to deeper levels of the earth,
they transform into metamorphosed rocks due to
changes in pressure and temperature.
o Two (2) main ways in which geology
influences site planning decision-
making process:
 The soil bearing capacity
limiting what can be built on the
site
 The presence of geological
features which restrict the
options for development
because of varying degrees of
hazard to life
Geophysical Investigations
 Geophysical Investigations are made to
determine the geologic conditions that affect the
design, safety, effectiveness and cost of a
proposed project.
 Geophysical exploration methods: seismic,
electrical resistivity, sonic, electrical logging,
magnetic and gravity methods
 Subsurface borings: probing, wash borings,
core drilling, calyx drilling, borehole
photography, chum drilling, jack and hammer
drilling
 Test pits, trenches, tunnels 
o Geological faults are lines of weakness
caused by previous movements of the
earth’s crust and always have a
potential for further movement. If a
building is to be built in areas
susceptible to earthquakes, special
precautions have to be taken to enable
the buildings and structures to withstand
the movement. This will add
substantially to site development
costs.     Legend:
 Fault Types: (1) Quiescent
Fault; (2) Normal Fault; (3)
Thrust and Reverse; (4) Lateral
Slip, Strike Slip or Transform
Fault; (5) Normal and Slip Fault
Combination; (6) Graben; and
(7) Horst
o Rock Outcrops on the site can be both
problems and assets depending on the
purpose for which the site is to be
developed. For leisure areas, these rock
outcrops can be used as part of the
landscape, i.e., used for rock, climbing,
fossil finding, as habitats for relatively
rare wildlife. If used for other purposes
aside from recreation, rock outcroppings
can be costly to remove, obliterate, or
hide.
o Mineral Reserve: The site planner
needs to establish if the rocks, gravel
deposits or sands underlying the project
area are of any economic value.
o Critical Subsurface Problems:
 Geologic fault lines
 High or fluctuating water table
 Presence of peat or other
organic soils, or of soft plastic
clay, loose slit, or a fine water-
bearing sand
 Rock close to the surface
 New, unconsolidated fill or land
previously used as dump, esp. if
any toxic material may be
present
 Evidence of slides, floods or
subsidence
 Soil Liquefaction - generally
associated with the reduction in
strength and stiffness of a soil
as a result of increased pore
water pressure caused by
earthquake shaking or rapid
loading
 Presence of underground
caverns
 Landslips occurring where
surface materials are not yet at
a stable angle in relation to the
local geological structure
GEOMORPHOLOGY
Geomorphology is that branch of Geology that deals
with the origin, nature and distribution of landforms.
 Physiography - refers to the description
of landforms.
 Landforms – are irregularities on the earth’s
surface. They are derived from volcanic, glacial,
or erosional processes.
When designing a piece of property for architectural,
landscape architectural  and engineering usage, it is
essential for the designer to first confront the  nature of
the land, particularly its form, its slopes, and its inherent
capabilities  for surface and subsurface discharge of
water, for supporting vertical and  horizontal structures,
and for resisting erosion. This exercise requires four
basic geomorphologic information such as:
Soil Properties
1. Soil Profile
PLANNING 1 – SITE PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
o O – a thin organic-rich layer at the
surface that consists of devaluating
plant material and humus
o A - also known as the topsoil layer, it
consists of organic material mixed
completely with the mineral soil particles
o B - also known as the subsoil, it is the
next layer where materials leached from
the overlying soil layers have been
deposited
o C - represents the unconsolidated
material that has not been affected by
the soil formation process
o Bedrock or Ledge - if it exists near the
surface, it is found below the C horizon,
and bedrock is found directly below the
B horizon
2. Soil Texture
 Soil is made up of a mixture of stone
and earth.
 Soil can be classified either through a
laboratory test or a field test.
 Soil can be identified by such
characteristics as the kind and numbers
of horizons or layers that have
developed in them. The texture (relative
amount of stones, gravel, sand, silt, and
clay), the kinds of minerals present and
their amounts, and the presence of salts
and alkali.
3. Soil Engineering Properties
o Soil Stability
a. Shear strength determines the
stability of a soil and its ability to
resist failure under loading.
Shear strength is the result of
internal friction and cohesion.
Internal friction is the resistance
to sliding between soil particles,
and cohesion the mutual
attraction between particles due
to moisture content and
molecular forces.
b. Under typical condition, sand
and gravel are cohesion less.
Clay soils have higher cohesion
but little internal friction.
c. As a general rule, the slopes
constructed on cohesive soils
require flatter angles as the
height of the slope increases.
Because of their internal friction,
the shear strength of sand and
gravel increases in relation to
increased normal pressure;
therefore, the angle of slope
need not decrease with
increased height.
d. Care must be taken when
construction takes place at the
top or bottom or a relatively
large slope, and particular
attention must be given to the
handling of the storm runoff.
e. Soil failure occurs when shear
stress exceeds shear strength.
The reason for failure is either
increased stress or decreased
strength brought about by
natural or human-induced
activity, i.e., when load at the
top of a slope is increased or
lateral support at the base of a
slope is removed through
excavation or erosion; when
moisture of the soil is increased,
etc.
o Soil Bearing Capacity - is the ability of
the surface and subsurface material to
carry the weight of the structures. The
weight of the building can cause
settlement of the solid which in time can
damage the building.
4. Soil for Landscaping
 Topsoil is a critical medium for plants.
 Soil Features: Excellent Drainage; Content
of Humus; Relative Acidity (pH); and
Presence of Available Nutrients particularly
Potassium, Phosphorus, and Nitrogen
DRAINAGE
Good Drainage refers to the soil’s ability to transfer
gravity water downward through:
1. Infiltration - the rate at which water penetrates
the soil surface (usually measured in cm or
inches per hour);
2. Permeability - the rate at which water within the
soil moves through a given volume of material
(also measured in cm or inches per hour)
3. Percolation - the rate at which water in a soil pit
or pipe within the soil is taken up by the soil
(used mainly in wastewater absorption tests and
measured in inches per hour)
Poor Drainage means that gravity water is not readily
transmitted by the soil and soil is frequently or
permanently saturated and may have water standing
on it caused by:
1. The local accumulation of water;
2. A rise in the level of groundwater within the soil
column;
3. The size of the particles in the soil being too
small to transmit infiltration water.
 TOPOGRAPHY
The topographic surface, the boundary between earth
and air, is the zone richest in living things. It has a
particular implication for site development. The
topography itself sometimes determines the plan. The
gradient of paths, the flow of utilities, the use of areas,
the disposition of buildings, and the visual aspect are all
affected by it.
 Topography is the art or practice of graphic or
exact delineation in minute detail, usually on
maps or charts of the physical features of any
place or region especially in relation to their
exact position and elevation. Topographic
elevations are indicated along given contour
lines. A graphic and numerical scale is displayed
along at the base of the drawing.
 Contours are sets of imaginary lines in a
topography map that connect all points of some
arbitrary equal elevation on the ground.
To avoid costly construction and to make maximum use
of grade variation, plans should always be studied in
relation to accurately drawn topographical maps or
sketches if possible, directly over them.
Topographic Maps are printed in 5 colors:
PLANNING 1 – SITE PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
1. Black – cultural features such as roads,
railroads, and civil boundaries
2. Blue – water bodies
3. Green – woodlands
4. Red – developed urban areas
5. Brown – contour line
Drawing a Section
 Steps:
1. Indicate cutting plane.
2. Draw parallel lines according to contour interval
and proposed vertical scale.
3. Project perpendicular lines from the intersection
of the contour line with the cutting plane to the
corresponding parallel like.
4. Connect the points to complete the section and
delineate the ground line.
Slope Analysis is useful for making decision about the
distribution of land use to have a plan showing the
location of the vertical and near-vertical banks, the very
steep land, the steep land, the moderately sloping land,
the gently sloping land and the flat land.
Different angles of slope have different implications for
development:
 Bldg. cost (structural)
 Land development cost (earth shifting)
Examples, if the project area is to be used for a building,
the angle of slope can have severe repercussions on
buildings cost. It cost money to flatter sites or to terrace
them for development. Earth shifting can do
considerable damage, often to areas much larger than
that covered by the building, so a slope analysis that is
produced to ensure the minimal area of disturbance is,
therefore, a vital piece of information for the site planning
process.
Slope and Land Use:
 <1% --------> do not drain well
 <4% --------> usable for all kinds of activities
 4-10% --------> suitable for movement and
informal activity
 >10% --------> can be actively used only for hill
sports or free play
 17% --------> approaches the limit that an
ordinary loaded vehicle can climb, for any
sustained period
 20-25% --------> normal limit of climb for
pedestrians without resorting to stairs
 >50% --------> may require terracing or cribbing
ANGLE OF REPOSE – angle at which soil can be safely
inclined and beyond which it will fail
A Slope Map is prepared to visually express these slope
patterns on the topographic map. Here’s how to:
1. Establish the site boundaries on the map.
2. Make a constructed graduated scale on the
edge of a cardboard sheet, representing the
distances of each slope pattern (using same
scale as the topo map).
3. Place the scale on the map (see illustration
above) and mark the edges where the scale
matches the distances between contour lines.
4. Color – or hatch-code each area delineated by
these edges.
5. The result is a colored or gradient-hatched slope
map.
Level Site
Though not completely without problems, the level site
offers the planner the best and easiest solution to site
development.
Advantages of a Level Site:
 Economical in site development
 It is adaptable to a great variety of planning
forms (groupings of buildings) - it is adequate to
all types of street patterns.
Disadvantages of a Level Site:
 Grouping of buildings should be carefully studied
to create satisfactory system of drainage
 Surfaces or recreation areas and yards require
some pitch for discharging water to surface
inlets.
Types of Building Layouts Suitable for Level Sites
 Elevations
 Plans
Sloping and Rolling Terrain
Sloping Terrain
Next to a level site; a sloping site provides the planner
with a variety of building types and groupings. Different
street patterns could be employed.
Advantages of a Sloping site:
 Variety of building types and building groupings
 Drainage problems are simpler. Water flows to
lowest level
 Adaptable to a great variety of street patterns
Rolling Terrain
More difficult to manage but creates a far more
interesting land development.
Advantages of a Rolling terrain:
 More interesting land development could attract
high end buyers
 Economies of first cost in sewer and drainage
lines
 The practice of building parallel to contours will
reduce costly construction, grading and filling
 On very steep sites, the building itself could
serve as the retaining wall.
Disadvantages of a Rolling terrain:
 Less variety of street pattern
 Less variety of building type
A better way is to build with nature which provides the
human scale and the charm we find so appealing in the
older cultures where economy of materials and space
PLANNING 1 – SITE PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
dictates a close relationship of structures and landscape
form.
Irregular Shape and Sites with Adverse Condition
It is sometimes unavoidable that sites with irregular
shapes and adverse conditions come up. These can be
best analyzed upon knowing its potentials and
constraints.
Planning problems inherent in the site:
 Unsuitable for low rent housing
 Difficult street pattern: a mixture of meandering
and curvilinear could be used
 Complex building arrangement
 Abnormal grading arrangement
 Limited natural platforms and space for buildings
and tenant yards
 Inefficient utility layout
 Expensive and extensive drainage layout
 Unusable fragmented areas
 Force high site improvement cost and recurring
maintenance problems
SOIL EROSION
 When rocks are broken down (weathered)
into small fragments, and carried by wind,
water, ice and gravity. Energy for this
process is solar and gravitational.
Four factors to consider in forecasting erosion rates:
 Vegetation
 Soil Type
 Slope Size and Inclination
 Frequency and Intensity of Rainfall
Vegetation
 Foliage intercepts raindrops
 Organic litter on the ground reduces impact of
raindrops
 Roots bind together aggregates of soil particles
 Cover density, in form of ground cover or tree
canopy, decreases soil loss to runoff
Soil Type
 Intermediate textures like sand will usually yield
(erode) first
 To erode clay, the velocity of the runoff should
be high enough to overcome cohesive forces
that bind the particles together
 Similarly, high velocities would be needed to
move masses of pebbles and particles larger
than those of sand
Slope Size and Inclination
 The velocity of runoff is closely related to the
slope of the ground over which it flows. Slopes
that are both steep and long produce the
greatest erosion because they generate runoff
that is high in velocity and mass.
 Slope also influences the quantity of runoff since
long slopes collect more rainfall and thus
generate a larger volume of runoff.
Frequency and Intensity of Rainfall
 Intensive rainfalls produced by thunderstorms
promote the highest rates of erosion.
 Accordingly, the incidence of storms plus total
annual rainfall can be a reliable measure of the
effectiveness of rainfall in promoting soil erosion.
The geomorphological processes which interest the
site planner are those which have an impact on the land
over a relatively short time scale and, in particular, those
which might left the surface unstable and difficult to
develop.
 Erosion and deposition along rivers which
results in rivers changing their course and
making it ill-advised to develop near them, or in
the slow eating away of the land along parts of
the river, while along others the silt is slowly
deposited. Erosion is any process by which
sediment is entrained (eroded) and moved away
from its original location by gradational agents,
which include gravity, water, wind, ice and
humans. Sedimentation is the deposition and
accumulation of transported sediment, or
precipitation of deposits from water.
 Erosion of cliffs by the sea
 Rocks breaking away from mountain sides
because of frost action on the joints
 Landslips occurring where surface materials are
not yet at a stable angle in relation to the local
geological structure
HYDROLOGY
 Watershed – a geographic area of land
bounded by topographic features and height
of land that captures precipitation, filters
and stores water and drains waters to a shared
destination. Knowledge of watershed boundaries
is critical to water quality and storm water
management.
 Aquifers are underground “reservoir” of water.
The water is not usually held in ponds of water
but in the pores between individual particles
which make up the rock, or in the fissures of the
rock. It is the water tapped when drilling artesian
wells.
 Careful use of the site is important to protect the
aquifers. Contamination of the soil can cause
damage to the underground water. Aquifer can
be contaminated by apparently normal events
such as oils from automobiles, fertilizers, waste
disposal etc.
 Water table – is the upper boundary of the zone
of groundwater; the top of unconfined aquifer.
o It is vital to know the information
regarding the locations and levels of the
water table in the site.
o Low Water Table - problem for water
supply and for vegetation
o High Water Table - site is liable to
flood; difficulties in excavation cause
PLANNING 1 – SITE PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
flooding in basements, flood utilities and
unstable foundations
o Fluctuating Water Table - will cause
heavy clay soil alternatively to shrink
and swell which damages building
foundation
o Underground Water Course - critical
and no structure should be sited over
them
 Floodplain is a larger area with a low to
moderate flood susceptibility. A floodway is an
area contained within a floodplain which has
high susceptibility to flood within which flood is
unmanageable.
 Storm Surge result from high winds forcing
water ashore above normal tide levels. The
surge is the difference in water level elevation
between normal tide level and the storm tide.
VEGETATION
The relevance of Plant Materials in site planning is in
their role in:
Climatic Control
a. Solar Radiation – is Earth’s source of light and heat.
It warms the earth’s surface, is reflected by paving and
other objects, and produces glare.
Trees are one of the best controls for solar radiation
because:
 they block or filter sunlight;
 they cool the air under their canopies providing
natural air conditioning;
Scientists have recorded that with an air temperature of
84deg F, surface temp of a concrete paving was 108
deg, while surface temp under shade trees were 20deg
lower.
b. Wind – helps to control temperature. When winds are
of low velocity, they may be pleasant, but when velocity
increases, may cause discomfort or damage.
Trees help to buffer winds in urban areas caused by
convection and Venturi effects.
c. Precipitation – plants help to control precipitation
reaching the ground. By intercepting rain and slowing it
down, they aid in moisture retention, and in the
prevention of soil erosion. They also help soil retain
water by providing shade, or protection from the wind, or
by water shedding function of trees’ roots.
Environmental Engineering
a. Air Purification – Plants clean air through
the process of photosynthesis where they use up carbon
dioxide emissions of cars and trucks and in the process
release oxygen in the air.
Trees also help filter out other pollutants, i.e. sulfur
dioxide, dust, pollen, and smoke.
b. Noise  plants of moist to wet sites, excluding
 The sound level of normal conversation is about
60 decibels; a plane taking off produces 120
decibels at a distance of 200 ft
 Sound energy usually spreads out and
dissipates in transmission.  Sound waves can be
absorbed, reflected or deflected.
 Plants absorb sound waves through their leaves,
branches, twigs, especially those with thick
fleshy leaves and thin petioles.
 Tree trunks deflect sounds and it has been
estimated that a 100 ft. depth of forest can
reduce sound by 21 decibels.
c. Glare and Reflection – Plants reduce glare and
reflection caused by sunlight. A light source received
directly produces primary glare while reflected light is
secondary glare. Plants may be used to filter or block
glare by use of plants with the appropriate size, shape,
and foliage density.
d. Erosion Control – Plants are a primary means of
preventing erosion from stormwater runoff and of
controlling erosion during construction. Erosion is also
minimized by the plants action of intercepting rain,
decreasing splash, and increased water absorption.
Vegetation with extensive root systems imparts stability
to slopes.
On sandy slopes, the presence of woody vegetation can
increase the angle of repose by 10 to 15 degrees.
Architectural and Aesthetic Uses
a. Space Definition – Plants can help in several ways:
As wall elements to form outdoor spaces, as canopies to
provide shade, or as ground covers to provide color and
texture on the base plane.
b. View Control – While trees and shrubs can screen
out objectionable views, they can also provide backdrops
for sculpture and fountains. Additionally, they may
provide filtered views of buildings or spaces, or frame a
view, maximizing its effect.
c. Mood – Plants affects peoples’ moods.
WILDLIFE
Wildlife relates closely to habitats provided by plant
communities. The three groups of habitat elements
essential to the different species of wildlife are:
1. Openland Wildlife – includes birds and
mammals commonly associated with crop fields,
meadows, pastures, and non-forested lands.
Habitat elements essential for openland wildlife
include:
 Grain and seed crops
 Grasses and legumes
 Wild herbaceous upland plants
 Hardwood woody plants
2. Woodland Wildlife – These species need
various combinations of:
 Grasses and legumes
 Wild herbaceous upland plants
 Hardwood woody plants
 Cone-bearing shrubs such as pines.
3. Wetland Wildlife – wetland species include birds
and mammals needing habitats with:
 Wetland food plants or wild herbaceous
submerged or floating aquatic plants;
 Shallow water development with water
impoundments not deeper than 5 ft.;
 Excavated ponds with ample supply of water
at least one acre and average 6ft depth.
 Streams
CLIMATE
PLANNING 1 – SITE PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

CULTURAL, SOCIAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL

CONSIDERATIONS

BEHAVIOR SETTINGS

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

PERTINENT LAWS

SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS

UTILITIES

AESTHETIC AND PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS

MODULE 3: SITE DEVELOPMENT