2. GOAL OF SITE ANALYSIS
To achieve a successful design, site analysis is a must &
should be done carefully
Site Analysis involves taking an inventory of site
elements and analyzing these factors relative to the
clients needs & aims
Gather relevant information about the properties of
the site, from topography to climate to wind pattern
and vegetation
Analyze these features and incorporate them into the
design
3. WHAT IS SITE ANALYSIS
Inventory of site elements
Information about the properties of the site, from
topography to climate to wind pattern and vegetation
Analyze the features and incorporate them into the
design
4. LOCATION
Where is the site located?
How is the site approached?
What is the name of the street, the road etc on which
the site is located?
How far away is the major junction?
How far is the nearest city or other points of interests
5. ORIENTATION
Sun orientation
Wind Direction
The placement of the building on the site and
arrangement of spaces and openings – should consider
sun path and wind direction
Large openings should not facing directly the East and
West as to avoid direct sunlight and concentration of
heat. The lesser surface area / or building facade
exposed to the sun, lesser will be the conductive
heating.
Placing openings parallel to the wind orientation
creates cool interior.
6. WIND ORIENTATION
To design a climatologically responsive building, it is
important to consider the direction of the wind so that
it can be channelized through the interiors
Consider the placement & size of openings for
optimum ventilation
The wind direction may vary from place to place inside
the site itself, thus check the direction from a few
different places especially if it is a large site
7. SOIL TYPE AND CONDITION
Sandy soil, clayey soil etc, all have different properties,
which affect the design of the building.
Soil type and conditions determine the building
structure, types of column, sizes and types of
foundation.
8. TOPOGRAPHY
Topography refers to the slope and level of the land –
whether the land is flat and plain, or whether it is sloping?
The exact slope can be interpreted from a detailed Contour
map.
The placement of the building should consider contour
locations and spacing of contours.
Buildings designed or placed along with the contours
reduce unnecessary cutting and filling of soil.
Also, during the site visit, it is important to check out the
stability of the slopes – whether the slopes are solid enough
to permit construction on it.
9. VEGETATION AND NATURAL
FEATURES
Good design integrates vegetation and natural features into the design
The vegetation - consist of trees, flora and fauna present on the site.
Vegetation and natural features should me marked onto the site plan so
that it will assist during the design stage:
I Location of trees
ii. Type of trees
iii. Size of the trees - diameter or spread of the branches
iv. Heights of the trees
Natural features
I Rock formations
ii. Swamps
iii. River, pond etc
10. PRECIPITATION AND HYDROLOGY
The amount of rainfall the time period during which the
rainfall occurs
The average annual rainfall, often measured in mm, gives
the idea about the precipitation throughout the year
Identify if the site is flooded during rainy season
identify ponds, lakes, rivers etc in or around the site. The
location and size of these water elements should be studied
so that they can be integrated into the design scheme.
The presence of water elements will reduce the overall
temperatures
11. HYDROLOGY
The water table refers to the level below the soil at
which water is present.
The water table may be very shallow for areas close to
water bodies (lake, pond, river).
A shallow water table will affect the stability of
foundations and additional precautions will have to be
taken.
12. FACILITIES
Important facilities to be considered while planning
the zoning in the site:
I. water supply
ii. drainage connection
iii. waste disposal
lv. electricity supply
13. SITE CONTEXT
the surrounding land use
Existing buildings around the site
The incompatible land use - may lead to creation of
issues in the design. For example, if there is a school
right next to the site, the noise disturbance will have to
be factored in while designing.
The height and setbacks of adjacent buildings are
important in affecting the flow of air and also sunlight.
14. PROMINENT VISION LINES/VISUAL
LINKAGE
Views:
I. The views to the site
ii. The views from the site
Views are important factors to be considered –
important spaces such as living room, dining
Should be facing nice views
If views are incompatible, creations of views should be
considered – such as gardens, ponds etc
15. LOCALLY AVAILABLE RESOURCES
Sustainable design – consider materials available in
and around the site that can be used in the design
Reducing the transportation energy & costs