SITE CONTEXT -In site planning, the architectural style of a particular

site is being followed and physically manifested to

● Marco Planning: arranging activities and maintain the context of the site.
buildings in response to immediate natural and ● Materials and Construction: The use of local
man-made surroundings. materials as well as the construction techniques
● Micro planning: arranging buildings and used are considered in building the aesthetic and
activities within the site. physical formation of a site context.
● A contextual analysis: getting data and seeking -should be manifested to ensure the context of
for patterns and trends the site
● Weather (Microclimate): Atmospheric conditions
In terms of the built environment, "context" can may influence site planning and design decisions
refer to the conditions which surround a particular to ensure comfortability and safety of the users
site or project, and to which it should relate and and the site itself from natural risks.
connect to in some way.
1. Aesthetics ➢ Microclimate has an important effect on two
2. Physical Considerations aspects of the built environment:
● Context Area: defined as the area over which a
proposed development will have an impact. 1. Energy consumption for the heating and cooling of
buildings
Site Context Includes: 2. The comfort of the people in outdoor settings
1. Topography S
2. Site History
3. Local Culture Easements
4. Local Materials and Open public space from the body of water to the
5. Construction Techniques private land. According to NBC;
6. Weather and Microclimate
7. Laws and Codes Economy 1. 3.00m min for urban areas 2
8. Political Conditions Architectural Style 2. 0.00m min for agricultural lands
9. Others that are past, present, and future of the site 3. 50.00m min for forest areas
4. Depends on LGU
● Topography: Important factor in
site planning decisions. ● Political Conditions: Politics may have influenced
● Topographic Maps: provide info on the the context of a site especially in its planning
biophysical and cultural context of a community. process.
● Site Topographic Surveys: -recognise the importance and links between
○ -larger in scale problem solving and decision-making skills of a
○ -are usually completed by a licensed site context
land surveyor.
● Site History: Knowing the history of the site and ● National & Local Policy: The policies, national
its previous uses and local, are a must in considering the context of
-will guide the planning process to a site;
connect the idea with the existing context. -should be followed and taken as a guideline or
● Local Culture: The local and existing culture of basis in building and site planning.
the site affects the context of the space along with
its flow of activities and circulation.
Some site contexts are basically grounded by national and
-The culture of a site is important because the planning local policies.
process must acknowledge and respond to the cultural
needs and values of a certain site. 1. National Building Code
2. PD 957 Subdivision and Condominium Act
● Architectural Style: is highly significant 3. BP 220 Socialized Low-Cost Housing Act
4. LGU Land Use and Zoning
5. HLURB (Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board)
 6. DHSUD Department of Human Settlement and
Urban Development IMAGES AND SYMBOLS (Natural Resources)
7. NEDA - National Economic and Development 1. Water Bodies
Authority 2. Mountains
8. Other agencies 3. Hills
4. Others
● State of the Economy: greatly affects its context
because of the influences brought by the existing Deck and Patios
economic status. 01. There are different drawings for a particular
a) Views: views on a site may either be pleasing or material of decks or patios.
objectionable. 02. Bricks are drawn just how brick will appear.
-They may bear heavily on the orientation of a 03. Stone will be drawn with a bold line covering its
building and therefore should be carefully studied. area and within are stone looking drawings.
b) Vistas: This may be a natural or completely man 04. Exposed are the same as th stone, but this time
made view. with smaller stone looking drawing to
-It has a dominant focal point or terminus that is illustrate irregular aggregate materials.
strongly emphasized and is framed and balanced 05. The wooden deck is characterized with slanting
by minor elements forming masses to enclose the lines all over the identified area.
vista and screen out conflicting objects from its
composition. SENSUOUS QUALITIES:
c) Visual Barriers. In some case elements such
as elevated highway that cut off views of
● The Sense of Place: its visual impression and
parts of a community or natural feature such as
appeal to one's senses
river,
-sensory information will be done through first hand
experience
IMAGES AND SYMBOL -Info is obtained from sketching and photographs
1. Placement of vegetation around the
building ● Touch: The sensuous experience of a place
2. Shading and rendering is first a spatial one.
techniques are -perception of the volume of air
sometimes inappropriate to the site -affected by the feel of a surface
3. Measurement of crowns of trees are ● Visual Resources
often overlooked a) Views: a scene observed from a
4. Lack of detail vantage point.
A landscape is seen from a limited set of viewpoints:
● Vegetation the path of the observer and certain key station
● Google Maps: allows us to see the views on all
A) Place accent trees with broad crowns far enough sides
away from buildings that the canopy has ample -allow us to see the street view of a site
room to grow.
a) Landscape beds can be composed of a SENSUOUS QUALITIES (Visual Resources)
collection of plants with a specific theme, such as 1. LIDAR - Light Detection and Ranging
an herb garden, a wildflower garden, a rose bed, A remote sensing method used to examine the surface of the
or a perennial bed. Earth.
b) A large tree may provide shade on 1 side
c) Plan symbols may be modified to ● Vista
reflect texture or other plant -Confined view, usually directed toward a
characteristics. dominant feature.
- A view is usually better if enframed or seen
B) Ground Covers: probably the simplest through an appropriate screen.
- sketches in a down-up stroke that looks like the
penmanship ● Visual Resources
-May cut off views of parts of a community or natural
feature.
-Views may either be pleasing or objectionable.
-The experience of a site may be enhanced by changing the
position of the observer.
● Visual Barriers: A sense of the enclosure
May be created with landform, followed by an expansive
opening to a larger landscape
● Hearing:
-Sense of hearing also convey the shape of space
- Blind users use echolocation to move through the
world and experience spaces
- An absence of echo is interpreted as extended
openness.
- Noise Pollution in a site can be alleviated by
seldomly used areas away from the source.
● Smell
-Odour is one of the most overlooked factors in
properly planning a site.
- Proper site analysis can help avoid choosing sites
that receive undesirable odors.
Maggie's Centre London
-Users are bombarded with fragrances
of lemon and rosemary from the foliage placed on
the walkways.
Vocabulary of Space:
2. Spatial dimensions are reinforced by light, color,
texture, and detail.
I. overlapping of distant object by closer ones
II. parallactic movement of objects
III. the farther the things will be higher above the
horizontal baseline and vice versa.
SENSUOUS FORMS (Vertical Elements in
Outdoor Perception)
I. Outdoor spaces are rarely created by complete
enclosure. They are only partially bounded; form is
completed by the conformation of the floor and by
smaller vertical elements that mark out imaginary
aerial definitions.
II. Level changes can define space, they can open
views; and they can create effects of silhouette,
truncation, or dynamic movement.
● PROPORTION AND SCALE
-Space differs in character according to their
shape and their proportions.
-Proportion is an internal relation
-judged by their scale with respect to objects
outside themselves.
- In relation to the environment and the user.
-Will define and determine the spaces and its
corresponding functions.

● Enclosure: impression of size, space, dimensions

Types of external spaces experiences by the users
● Symbolic Connotations: indicate their purpose on
- Used to create relationship with the natural
site plan.
landscapes harmoniously
● Light: naturally needed for sight
Examples:
-gives liveliness that is naturally appealing to
senses
● Maze
● Visible Activity: able to see activity within a space
● Tunnel
● Slope
● Valley
● Park

SENSUOUS FORMS (Space Illusions)

● The looseness of outdoor space - combined with

the difficulty that all but trained eyes have in estimating
distance, geometry of plan, level, or gradient - allows a
certain freedom in layout.

1. Rhythm and direction will be supported by the

form of all visible elements.