Understanding Site &

Carrying Out Site Analysis

for Architectural Projects
 Ar. Jit Kumar Gupta
 Former Director, College of Architecture; IET Bhaddal
 [email protected]
Site& Site Analysis--Role and Importance
 Site- Remain critical and valuable for any Architectural Project to be made
qualitative, rational, Realistic
 Site- Ignoring site and its distinct character/features invariably leads to wrong
architectural solutions
 Site- does not provide space for any Pre-meditated designs to be fitted
 Site- determines and dictates the contours of the buildings to be planned and
designed
 Site– defines space on which building is to be conceptualized, planned,
designed, constructed, made operational
 Site- determines the size/shape of the buildings to be planned/designed
constructed
 Site- determines the space for buildings, parking, landscaping, pavement , hard
and soft surfaces
 Site- determines the relationship between built spaces within and outside.
Site& Site Analysis--Role and Importance
 Site- gives distinct character to the building typologies
 Site- supported by orientation & wind direction, helps/enables architects in
understanding the context and contours of the project
 Site – supported by approach and accessibility determines the placement and
orientation of the project
 Site- Globally all architectural projects ,known for their quality, are outcome of
respecting/ valuing site
 Studying/ understanding/analyzing /valuing site remains important for architects
before taking up design solutions.
 For realistic understanding/analyzing of Site- Carrying out SWOT analysis
remains critical
 Site has to be seen studied both from within , from without/outside , from top
and from bottom for understanding its complexity and peculiarities.
Site Analysis- Factors for Evaluating site
i. Locating site on the Map of the city
ii Understanding its location and land use- in terms of City master
plan, local plans , name of area, relation with city/area landmark
iii Understanding Site --Looking at the area, size, shape and contours
of the site
iv. Marking accessibility to site- Roads and connectivity with city
network
iv Identifying existing physical features on site including
encumbrances - HT electric lines, services, bult-structures, water
bodies etc.
v. Understanding Climate – Regional, City and Site Climate.
vi Mapping Orientation- in terms of cardinal directions
vii. Mapping the Solar Movement related to site
viii Mapping Wind direction in relation to site
Site Analysis- Factors for Evaluating site
ix Evaluating Soil conditions
x. Studying Topography of site- flat/undulating- mapping by studying
contours of the site
xi Marking Vegetation and Natural Features existing on site- variety,
location, canopy
xii Documenting local Hydrology and Precipitation
xiii Locating city Infrastructures- water supply; sewerage, roads,
electrical
xiv Looking at Surrounding Land uses & typologies of Buildings
xv Identifying Vision / Visual Linkages- from and to site
xvi Studying Development Controls- in terms of Floor Area Ratio/
Ground Coverage/ Height/ Setbacks/Parking, Land uses etc.
xvii Mapping Legal Prohibitions- Regarding accessibility, height,
setbacks, distances between buildings, projections, ventilation etc.
Location ; Shape, size
 Understanding Climatic
 Five Climatic Zones In India-
 Hot and Dry
 Warm and Humid
 Moderate / Temperate
 Cold (Cloudy/Sunny)
 Composite
 All green buildings need not-- to be same
All zones have specific requirements regarding:
--light,
--heat,
--ventilation and
--thermal comfort
Different zones require different design strategies regarding --building envelop,
 --HVAC,
 -- Lighting ,
 -- Fenestration,
 -- Performance standards
Climatic Zones of India
 Site Analysis- Understanding, Location
i) Understanding Site –
• Most critical in design process
•. Detailed site analysis needed to--
- Recording elements existing at site
- understand various features
--Evaluate information on site/ its surroundings
-Use of Site as per Master Plan
ii)Location
First aspect that one needs to be looked at----
• Where site is located?
• How site is approached?
• Name of street/ road etc-- on which site is located?
• How far away is major junction- major land mark
Understanding and Location of Site
 Site Analysis- Orientation
iii)Orientation -- position/positioning of site with relation
to points of the compass or other specific directions
•Orientation of site plays important role in siting of
building.
When combined with:
•-- wind direction and
•-- sun path
-- would give a good idea as to how building /
design should be oriented to :
--optimize design.
•Orientation /sun path will also determine
•-- placement of rooms inside buildings.
Site Analysis- Orientation
Understanding Sun- its Path/Movement Summer/Winter
Site Analysis- Wind Direction
iv) Wind Direction
.Most locations will have a
general major direction from which
wind comes.
• However, this will not
always hold true and will vary from
location to location.
• For designing a
climatologically responsive
building----
important to consider
--direction of wind
--so that it can be channelized
through interiors.--
Site Analysis- Wind Direction/ View to and from Site
 Site Analysis-Soil Conditions
vi) SOIL
Soils vary from place to place.
• with Properties also varying according to type of
soil.
-Sandy soil,
- clayey soil,
--laterite etc
all have different properties
– load bearing, water retentivity /absorption,
homogeneity
-- which impact design of building.
•Soil conditions -- important from structural point of
view while designing High Rise buildings.
Site Analysis-Soil Conditions
 Site Analysis-Topography
vii) Topography –
--refers to slope & level
of land whether
--- land is flat/plain or
--- sloping/ undulating
• Designing--a sloping site will
be more challenging.
• In sloping, sites-- exact slope can be interpreted from a
detailed Contour map.
•Locations/ spacing of contour-- play a big role in siting of
building.
• Always better to design buildings along contours,
• integrating contours into design reduces unnecessary
cutting / filling of soil.
Site Analysis-Topography
 Site Analysis-Vegetation & Natural Features

•Viii) Vegetation and Natural Features

•Natural vegetation present on site very important.
• Every good design will
-- integrate
---highlight &
---accentuate
-- in design Natural vegetation to create perfect harmony.
•Vegetation comprises of
•-- trees, flora / fauna present on site.
•These should be marked on site plan
•-- so that it will assist during design stage along with ;
--location, ---
-- type ,
-- size ,
--diameter or
- spread of branches/ heights etc
Site Analysis-Vegetation & Natural Features, Sun ,Wind
 Site Analysis-Precipitation & Hydrology
ix) Hydrology and Precipitation:
•Amount of rainfall
• Time period during which rainfall occurs/ site receives
•-are to be mapped/ found out.

• Relative Humidity found out to --determine moisture content in

atmosphere.

• Higher relative humidity suggests a humid climate,-- cross

circulation of wind at body level is must for comfort.
• A lower relative humidity suggests a dry climate
•Great rainfall/ Snow– Roof to be sloping
•- Draining of water to be ensured
•- Large proportion of site to be kept landscaped /open
Site Analysis-Precipitation & Hydrology
Site Analysis-Precipitation & Hydrology
 Site Analysis- Infrastructure Facilities
x) Infrastructure
•Infrastructure facilities-- refer to services present in vicinity of
Site.
• Major facilities to be considered are :
-- water supply,
-- Storm water drainage ,
-- Waste disposal,
-- Electricity supply
- Roads
-Communication network etc.
• important while planning / zoning in site for :
--promoting economy and
--making optimum use of services
Site Analysis-Land Use/Visual Linkages
xi)Surrounding land uses & buildings –
. For optimum design solution —
--surrounding land uses and
--buildings
.need close focus and consideration
•-- Incompatible land-uses lead to creation of issues in design.
•Height /setbacks of adjoining buildings important in ensuring
•--flow of air
--- sunlight.
xii) Prominent Vision lines / Visual linkages –
•Important element in design process.
•-- Views to site as well as
•--views from site
• -- need careful consideration, while designing.
Site Analysis-Land Use/Visual Linkages, Sun Path, Views
Site Analysis-Land Use/Visual Linkages, Surroundings
Site Analysis-Land Use/Visual Linkages
Building Regulations- FAR; Height, Ground Coverage, Setbacks
Conclusions
 All sites remain unique and distinct
 No two sites are similar
 Accordingly design solutions for all sites have to be different &
distinct
 Study and analysis of site remains critical and valuable for any good
design
 Good design are outcome of detailed study and understanding the
site.
 Ignoring, inadequate understanding and misinterpreting the site
always lead to wrong design solutions
 Please make detailed study/analysis/understanding of site integral
part of architecture teaching-learning/architectural practice
 Great Projects are all products of respecting and valuing site
Falling Water HOUSE- FLWright
Ronchamp Chapel- Corbusier
Guggenheim Museum- F L Wright- NewYork