A

SITE CONTEXT

THE ‘CONTEXT’ REFERS TO THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH A DEVELOPMENT IS LOCATED. IT

IS THE SPECIFIC AND IMMEDIATE SETTING IN WHICH THE DEVELOPMENT SITS AND WITH
WHICH IT ENGAGES. IT COULD BE AS SMALL AS A ROW OF HOUSES, OR AS LARGE AS A
VILLAGE CENTER. AS THE EXAMPLES AT THE RIGHT SHOW, THERE IS A LONG HISTORY OF
DESIGNERS RESPONDING IN THOUGHTFUL WAYS TO THE PENINSULA’S BUILT AND NATURAL
ENVIRONMENTS. IT IS THIS ABILITY AND WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE WITH THE SPECIFIC
QUALITIES OF THE SITE AND CONTEXT THAT HAS LED TO MANY EXAMPLES OF FINE
DEVELOPMENT.

ADVANTAGES OF GOOD ANALYSIS:

- BETTER VALUE
- BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
- BETTER CONNECTIVITY
- BETTER ACCESSIBILITY
- BETTER SECURITY
- BETTER HEALTH AND WELL-BEING BENEFITS
- BETTER SENSE OF PLACE
- BETTER COST EFFECTIVENESS

ANALYSIS MEANS ‘PULLING APART’ THE CONTEXT AREADESCRIPTION TO FIND THE

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DESIGN. THE CONTEXT DESCRIPTION EXPLAINS THE FEATURES OF
THE CONTEXT AREA. ANALYSIS USES THIS INFORMATION TO ASSESS THE QUALITIES OF
THE CONTEXT AREA, THE WAYS THE DEVELOPMENT WILLIMPACT UPON THESE QUALITIES,
AND HOW THE DESIGN CAN OPTIMIZE THE DEVELOPMENT’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
CONTEXT AREA. THE ANALYSIS SHOULD ALSO IDENTIFY SITE OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS
VALUABLE VIEWS, SUNLIGHT FOR LIVING SPACES AND QUALITY OF EXISTING VEGETATION
SITE CONTEXT: TOPOGRAPHY

IN SITE PLANNING, TOPOGRAPHY REFERS TO THE ARRANGEMENT OF NATURAL AND

ARTIFICIAL PHYSICAL FEATURES OF A GIVEN AREA. UNDERSTANDING A SITE'S
TOPOGRAPHY IS ESSENTIAL FOR DESIGNING SPACES THAT ARE BOTH FUNCTIONAL AND
HARMONIOUS WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS: THESE MAPS DEPICT THE CONTOURS, ELEVATIONS, AND SLOPES OF
THE LAND, PROVIDING VALUABLE INFORMATION FOR PLANNING AND DESIGN. READING
AND INTERPRETING THESE MAPS ENABLE DESIGNERS TO ANTICIPATE SITE CONSTRAINTS
AND OPPORTUNITIES.

SITE CONTEXT: SITE HISTORY

SITE HISTORY REFERS TO THE COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF A LOCATION'S PAST,

ENCOMPASSING ITS HISTORICAL EVENTS, PREVIOUS STRUCTURES, CULTURAL
SIGNIFICANCE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSFORMATIONS. INTEGRATING SITE HISTORY
INTO THE PLANNING PROCESS IS ESSENTIAL FOR CREATING DESIGNS THAT ARE
CONTEXTUALLY RELEVANT, CULTURALLY SENSITIVE, AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE
SITE CONTEXT: LOCAL CULTURE

INCORPORATING LOCAL CULTURE INTO SITE PLANNING IS ESSENTIAL FOR CREATING

SPACES THAT RESONATE WITH THE COMMUNITY'S IDENTITY, FOSTER SOCIAL COHESION,
AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. BY UNDERSTANDING AND REFLECTING THE
CULTURAL NUANCES OF A LOCATION, PLANNERS AND DESIGNERS CAN CRAFT
ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE BOTH MEANINGFUL AND FUNCTIONAL.

SITE CONTEXT: ARCHITECTURAL STYLE

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE PERTAINS TO THE DESIGN ELEMENTS AND AESTHETIC CHOICES

THAT DEFINE THE VISUAL AND FUNCTIONAL ASPECTS OF STRUCTURES WITHIN A GIVEN
ENVIRONMENT. INTEGRATING ARCHITECTURAL STYLE THOUGHTFULLY INTO SITE
PLANNING ENSURES THAT NEW CONSTRUCTIONS HARMONIZE WITH THEIR
SURROUNDINGS, RESPECT CULTURAL CONTEXTS, AND MEET THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS.
SITE CONTEXT: MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION

UNDERSTANDING AND INTEGRATING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS

ARE CRUCIAL FOR DEVELOPING FUNCTIONAL, SUSTAINABLE, AND CONTEXTUALLY
APPROPRIATE SPACES. THIS INVOLVES SELECTING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
METHODS THAT ALIGN WITH THE SITE'S CHARACTERISTICS, ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS,
AND COMMUNITY NEEDS.

SITE CONTEXT: WEATHER (MICROCLIMATE)

MICROCLIMATE—THE LOCALIZED CLIMATE CONDITIONS OF A SPECIFIC AREA—IS

ESSENTIAL FOR CREATING ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE COMFORTABLE, SUSTAINABLE, AND
ENERGY-EFFICIENT. MICROCLIMATES ARE INFLUENCED BY VARIOUS FACTORS, INCLUDING
TOPOGRAPHY, VEGETATION, WATER BODIES, AND BUILT STRUCTURES. BY ANALYZING AND
INTEGRATING THESE ELEMENTS, PLANNERS CAN OPTIMIZE THE DESIGN AND
FUNCTIONALITY OF OUTDOOR SPACES
3. SENSOUS QUALITIES

WHEN DESIGNING A SPACE, IT’S CRUCIAL TO CONSIDER HOW PEOPLE WILL EXPERIENCE IT
NOT ONLY THROUGH SIGHT BUT ALSO THROUGH TOUCH, SOUND, AND SMELL. EACH OF
THESE SENSORY EXPERIENCES CAN PROFOUNDLY AFFECT HOW WE PERCEIVE A SPACE
AND INFLUENCE OUR EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. BY INCORPORATING THESE
SENSUOUS QUALITIES THOUGHTFULLY, ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS CAN CREATE
ENVIRONMENTS THAT FEEL MORE IMMERSIVE, HARMONIOUS, AND ENGAGING.

A. TOUCH (TACTILE EXPERIENCE)

TOUCH IS ONE OF THE MOST INTIMATE AND IMMEDIATE WAYS WE EXPERIENCE A SPACE.
THE MATERIALS USED IN A BUILDING, THEIR TEXTURES, AND HOW THEY FEEL AGAINST THE
SKIN CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INFLUENCE THE COMFORT AND ATMOSPHERE OF THE
ENVIRONMENT.

B. VISUAL RESOURCES (SIGHT)

VISUAL APPEAL IS OFTEN THE FIRST SENSORY QUALITY WE NOTICE IN A SPACE. THE WAY A
BUILDING LOOKS, HOW LIGHT INTERACTS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THE VISUAL
BALANCE OF MATERIALS AND COLORS ALL CONTRIBUTE TO THE EMOTIONAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO A SPACE.
SITE CONTEXT: POLITICAL CONDITION
C. HEARING (AUDITORY EXPERIENCE)
POLITICAL
SOUND IS ACONDITION
POWERFUL OF A REGION
SENSORY ISTHAT
TOOL CRUCIAL FOR NAVIGATING
INFLUENCES LEGAL
HOW A SPACE FRAMEWORKS,
FEELS. WHETHER
POLICY GUIDELINES, AND THE BROADER POLITICAL LANDSCAPE THAT MAY AFFECT
IT’S THE HUM OF CITY TRAFFIC, THE RUSTLING OF LEAVES, OR THE REVERBERATION OF A
PROJECT'S
SOUNDS WITHIN A BUILDING,ACOUSTICS
DEVELOPMENT. POLITICAL
CANCONDITIONS CAN THE
GREATLY IMPACT INFLUENCE
EMOTIONALLAND
TONEUSE
OF
REGULATIONS,
AN ZONING LAWS, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF
ENVIRONMENT.
FUNDING OR RESOURCES.

D. SMELL (OLFACTORY ELEMENTS)

SMELL IS CLOSELY TIED TO MEMORY AND EMOTION, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST
SITE CONTEXT:
POWERFUL STATE OF
SENSES. THE ECONOMY ENVIRONMENT CAN EVOKE SPECIFIC SMELLS
A WELL-DESIGNED
THAT ENHANCE THE SENSORY EXPERIENCE.
THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY IS CRUCIAL, AS ECONOMIC CONDITIONS DIRECTLY
INFLUENCE DEVELOPMENT FEASIBILITY, INVESTMENT ATTRACTIVENESS, AND COMMUNITY
PROSPERITY. ECONOMIC FACTORS SUCH AS MARKET DEMAND, FUNDING AVAILABILITY,
AND EMPLOYMENT RATES SHAPE THE PLANNING, EXECUTION, AND SUCCESS OF
DEVELOPMENT
4. VOCABULARYPROJECTS.
OF SPACE

IN ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN, THE "VOCABULARY OF SPACE" REFERS TO THE SPECIFIC

TERMINOLOGY AND CONCEPTUAL ELEMENTS USED TO DESCRIBE AND ANALYZE THE
SITE CONTEXT:
PHYSICAL AND NATIONAL AND LOCAL
EXPERIENTIAL POLICY
QUALITIES OF SPACES. THESE TERMS HELP ARCHITECTS
AND DESIGNERS COMMUNICATE HOW SPACES ARE EXPERIENCED, PERCEIVED, AND
THE POLICIES,
ORGANIZED, NATIONAL
FROM AND LOCAL,
THE SMALLEST ARE ATO
DETAILS MUST
THE IN CONSIDERING
LARGEST SPATIALTHE CONTEXT OF A
CONFIGURATIONS.
SITE, ESPECIALLY WHEN FOCUSING IN ITS AESTHETICS AND PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES.
UNDERSTANDING THE VOCABULARY OF SPACE ENABLES A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING THESE
OF
POLICIES
HOW SHOULD BE IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTS FOLLOWED ANDEXPERIENCE.
HUMAN TAKEN AS A GUIDELINE OR BASIS IN BUILDING AND
SITE PLANNING. SOME SITE CONTEXTS ARE BASICALLY GROUNDED BY NATIONAL AND
LOCAL POLICIES.
SENSUOUS FORMS REFER TO SHAPES AND STRUCTURES THAT ENGAGE THE SENSES,
CREATING A VISCERAL AND EMOTIONAL CONNECTION WITH THE OBSERVER. THESE FORMS
OFTEN FEATURE FLOWING LINES, ORGANIC CURVES, AND DYNAMIC SHAPES THAT EVOKE
- NATIONAL
FEELINGS BUILDING CODE
OF MOVEMENT AND FLUIDITY. BY INCORPORATING SUCH ELEMENTS,
- PD 957AIM
ARCHITECTS SUBDIVISION
TO CRAFT AND CONDOMINIUM ACT
ENVIRONMENTS THAT RESONATE ON A SENSORY LEVEL,
- BP 220
ENHANCING SOCIALIZED
THE OVERALL LOW-COST
EXPERIENCEHOUSING
OF THE ACT
SPACE.
- LGU LAND USE AND ZONING HLURB DHSUD DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENT
AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
- NEDA-NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OTHER AGENCIES.