SITE INVENTORY

● Context-sensitive site planning requires an understanding of the

relevant site and contextual attributes.
● one set of attribute data may be useful for siting one particular
activity or land use. whereas a different set of attributes may be
useful or reciting on the uses in some areas a single-site attribute will
determine the suitability or feasibility of a site for a particular use.
● deciding which attributes to map and analyze and which attributes
to ignore requires at least four factors which are as follows
- The proposed site uses what is determined in the project
program’s existing on-site and off-site conditions,
- requirements for permitting, and approvals
- costs of data collection
- analysis.
● collectively these four factors dictate the scope of the
site inventory and analysis.
- every site is embedded within a landscape the site inventory is an
essential step in understanding the character of the site and a
physical biological and cultural linkages between the site and the
surrounding landscape.
- Land development restoration and management required a broad
knowledge of and appreciation for the environmental cultural
systems both basic and applied research has contributed to our
understanding of physical and cultural phenomena.
- decision to develop a parcel of plan Require an understanding of
the site as well as this surrounding landscape because site planning
and design involved decisions about future uses of land another
understanding of human behavior, attitudes and preferences is also
necessary.
- yet the site inventory is a focus process of collecting and mapping
essential attribute data.
- it's not a fishing expedition or an open-ended investigation of fall by
physical or cultural phenomena that occur on or near the site. If this
data gathering activity is not well focused, this site inventory can
consume vast amounts of time, money and professional expertise.
- the goals of the inventory must be predefined therefore the goals of
the inventory must be predefined to narrow the scope of the data
collection effort.
- the project program although subject to revision helps to focus this
inventory.
- The site inventory may be completed in stages by a team of
specialists.
 ● The first stage of any inventory involves site reconnaissance this
relatively quick site assessment identifies potentially significant site
assets and liabilities after the initial reconnaissance.
- one of the first tasks is to develop a base map.
- the base map serves as a template for attribute mapping
and analysis as well as for subsequent land planning and
design if a topographic survey of the side is available the base
map could include project boundaries and other key site
information.
- many site attributes such as vegetation or slope are evenly
distributed over the landscape of course attributes such as
temperature and precipitation can vary dramatically
throughout the year this temporal variation may substantially
influence the uses of the site from season to season.
consequently, it may be appropriate that a site inventory map
may document the spatial distribution of a particular attribute
more than one time of the year site attributes that vary
seasonally include wildlife distributions wind direction and
speed, and seasonal high water table.

physical attributes.
- parcel size or area is an inherent constraint on the sites
development potential. if all other factors are equal larger sites can
accommodate more extensive and more diverse development than
smaller sites for example local zoning restrictions may limit site
development by restricting building height.
- a building site coverage and housing density. housing density is
commonly expressed as the number of dwelling units allowed per
unit area therefore the yield of housing units increases as the site
area increases on smaller sites.
- external factors are more likely to directly impact the potential uses
of the site therefore larger sites may allow greater flexibility in
accessing the site and in accommodating program elements on the
site.
- additional site areas also allow for the integration of open space.
including natural areas and buffer zones to separate incompatible
land uses and to screen and desirable views of sight.
- The shape of the site can have an impact on reducing development
potential and design flexibility. this is especially true on smaller sides
and on narrow linear sites that have a higher edge to interior ration
than properties that are more compact in shape.
- the greater proportion of edge increases the sides exposure to the
surrounding landscape, for example if the site is adjacent to busy
highway or other nuisance land use a linear or small site will
substantially limit the site planners ability to buffer the undesirable
noises and visual impacts. however, if the site is adjacent to a natural
ammenity a parcel with a relatively high edge to imperial ratio will
benefit from this proximity particularly if the amenity is likely to
persist well into the near future.
- in combination the size and shape of a site can significantly affect
its suitability for potential development for example municipal or city
zoning regulations may impose building setbacks from front side
and back property boundaries.
- These or other development restrictions can occupy a relatively large
percentage of a linear sites total area and potentially render the site
in feasible for development from a financial perspective in addition
to onsite constraints the immediate surroundings of potential sites
are also important considerations to the site inventory.
- context is particularly important when evaluating small or linear
sites for uses that are potentially incompatible with the surrounding
land uses.
- contour lines something that you should be familiar with first a
planner must understand the characteristics of contours to develop
the site plan. contours facilitate his or her visualization of the land in
the third dimension, they show existing elevations of topography and
comprise a contour map which will reveal site characteristics. the
primary purpose for changing existing contour is direct crown of
water away from structures or activity areas and to adapt man-made
structures to existing topography this process is called grading.
contours are lines of equal elevation above the same preference
plane.
- The datum plane is the reference generally referred to and is
located at mean sea level a contour interval is the vertical distance
between contours and the choice of a suitable interval results from
the purpose for which a topographic map is to be used common
intervals are 1,2 or 5 m .
- knowledge of the characteristics of contours is essential for the
interpretation and there are as follows

- first uniform slope is indicated by evenly spaced contours

- Second, slope increases with closeness of contours when the lines
are close at the top of a slope and wider apart at the bottom they
indicate a concave slope the reverse situation indicates a convex

slope
- Third, is that contour lines point upstream valleys
- Fourth, contour lines point down ridges
- Fifth with the exception of an overhanging shelf or cave ,contours
never cross they emerge only at vertical walls or cliffs.

- sixth along the highest points of ridges or the lowest points of valleys
are always found in pairs for each contour is a continuous line that
closes on itself either on or off the drawing and never splits or stops
- seventh is high points on summits or low points within a depression
are indicated by spot elevations

- Eight is that run-off water flows downhill perpendicular to contour

lines
- Nineth is that existing controls are shown as dashed lines with every
6th line in a 1 m contour interval drawn heavier contours are
numbered either in the mass of the contourl line or on the uphillside.

● New contour lines for proposed grades are shown as solid lines.
● Topography is an important factor in most land planning decisions
consequently having a topographic survey of the site is often
essential
● The national mapping and resource information authority or
NAMRIA makes topographic maps at several scales these maps
provide information on the biophysical and cultural context of a
community or region cytopocrathic surveys. in contrast are much
larger in scale and are usually completed by a licensed land surveyor
in accordance with specifications taylor to the program and the site.
● three key attribute maps can be derived from a topographic survey
these maps graphically depict elevation,slope and aspect three
fundamental landform components .
● Elevation
- Spatial variation on elevation produces slopes that have both
a gradient and an orientation or aspect.
● each of these three attributes can have a substantial influence on
site planning and design decisions for sample site elevation affect
both drainage patterns and visibility variation of elevation on a site
 and the surrounding landscape determines the size and spatial
configuration of local bution.
● visible areas be encompassed portions of the site or the entire site
and they may extend into the surrounding landscape.
● elevation data are
- typically portrayed in contour lines on topographic maps.
However, an effective way to visualize topography relief is to
create a chloropleth map of elevation to limit the visual
complexity of the map and make it easy to understand the
map should have relatively few (five to nine) classes of elevation.
- the range of existing elevations on and adjacent to a site
determines the range of each elevation class for example if the
highest elevation on the site is hundred 32 m above a local
benchmark and the lowest elevation is 83 m the map must show
a range of elevation of at least 49 m .
- to limit the map visual complexity 49 can be divided by 5
classes for a result of 9.8 m
- . to create elevation classes of equal increments to create
elevation classes of equal increments 9.8 meters can be
rounded up to 10 meters.
- each layer is then shaded or colored typically with a spectrum
ranging from cool colors for low elevations to warm colors for
high elevations. this is to enhance the maps effectiveness.
● SLOPE
- a site suitability for roads, walkways and buildings and other
structures is part of a function of the existing slopes on site.
- Slope gradients can be computed with most GIS and CAD
software and easily map.
- different colors are typically used to identify different slope
classes.
- The range of each map slope depends on the intended uses of
the site and the specific site and the contextual condition
including soil characteristics, vegetative cover, and applicable
regulatory requirements for example to prevent significant
environmental and aesthetic impacts from new developments,
municipalities, or other regulatory agencies may prohibit
construction on very steep slopes such as 25% example and
require special design and construction methods on moderate
to steep slopes such as an 8-15% or 15-25%.
- conversely, sites that are essentially flat like less than 1% slope
may be poorly drained each of these different slope conditions
 warrants mapping because this location must be considered in
the planning of the site.
- this can be useful when the site planner intends to harness
the power of solar energy on his or her design or if he or she
wants to maximize daylight.
● ASPECT
- a slopes orientation or aspect is simply the direction that these
slope phases. therefor,e aspect is typically identified by
compass direction to adjust north or northeast variation in
slope and aspect influence the amount of solar radiation
received by the site on daily and seasonal basis.
- this can be useful when the site planner intends to harness the
power of solar energy in his or her design or if he or she wants
to maximize daylight as with other physical attributes.
- the importance of a slope aspect depends partly on the
proposed uses of the site. for sample at higher latitudes
south-facing slopes are better suited for siting buildings that
will incorporate active and or passive solar heating conversely
a north facing slopes may be better suited for trail
development.
- in areas with relatively mild summers to limit extreme heat from
direct solar radiation. slope aspect like slope gradiant can be
map manually or with commercially available GIS software
typically aspect is classified using 8 categories north,
northeast, east, southeast south, southwest, west and
northwest these are portrayed graphically by either shading or
color.
- aspect influences microclimate by affecting the level of solar
radiation that strikes the site therefore more shaded the slopes
are rendered with cooler colors or heavier hatching then the
other slopes with greater solar exposure.
● GEOLOGY
- land form classification describes significant pictographic
features of terrestrial, riparian and aquatic environments.
- landform classification is useful in sight or regional inventories
and analysis .particularly for characterizing difficult to
quantify attributes like scenic beauty sense of place and
landscape character, landforms in conjunction with meditation
define viewsheds or visibility on a site and can create visual
interest landforms also influence microclimate stormwater
runoff and infiltration and the distribution of plant and animal
species.
 -surficial geology is concerned with the structure composition
and stability of the materials beneath and in some locations at
the earth's surface.
- in some landscapes bedrock is buried in many meter below the
ground surface bedrock.
- geology has a persistent effect on landforms due to the
different rates of weathering that occurs on these soil parent
materials.
- soil formation, soil erosion and soil deposition are natural
processes that involved rock fragmentation and weathering.
- Weathering occurs unevenly because of variation in the
bedrocks, chemical composition and structure an important
attribute of surficial geology is depth to bedrock is or building
foundations or r other side structures that death bed rock
should be investigated.
- if excavation is plan for building foundation or for other site
structures the depth to bedrock should be investigated.
- If excavation is planned for asite wind shadow bedrocks or
boulders blasting or other special methods of removal may be
necessary.
- the cost of excavating a cubic meter of rock is many times
greater than because of excavating the same volume of soil
consequently these difficult subsurface conditions can
significantly increase because of construction.
- a geologic map shows the age and distribution of rock layers
and other geologic materials.
- these attributes influence a sides ability for excavation and
grading, wastewater disposal, groundwater supply, pond
construction and other common land development objectives
geologic maps also show locations that are susceptible to
earthquakes, landslides and other hazards.
● HYDROLOGY
- water circulates in the environment through precipitation over
landflow ,infiltration, storage and And evapotranspiration.
- Groundwater removes capillary action through the perous
spaces between unconsolidated sun, gravel and rock and
between fractures and faults in the underlying bedrock.
- Groundwater moves by capillary action through the porous
spaces between unconsolidated sun, gravel and rock, and
between the fractures and faults in the underlying bedrock, the
upper surface of the saturated area thewater table generally
mirrors the surface terrain in landscapes where groundwater is
 the source of local or municipal wells groundwater pumping
can have substantial impacts on the depth of water table.
- topographic relief creates drainage patterns which in turn
influence vegetation associations and distribution.
- the spatial correlation between vegetation associations and
site drainage patterns is particularly strong in arid and
semi-arid landscapes for water is the primary limiting factor on
plant growth and distribution. although the groundwater
vegetation linkage is more subtle in less arid environments be
continuous or seasonal saturation of soils creates suitable
conditions for wetland vegetation in coastal environments
brackish or saline surface and groundwater result in the
development of salt marshes and other distinct wetland
communities.
- without metigation or urban development can have significant
impacts on the local and regional hydrology including the
following, increase volume and rates of crown of disrupges?
produced time needed for runoff to reach surface waters,
increased frequency, and severity of flooding, produced steam
flow during prolonged periods of dry weather and land
development.
- usually involves the construction of buildings and paved
surfaces that are impervious or nearly impervious any site
disturbing activities can increase the risks of flooding ,erosion
and other ecological impacts to sites downstream for this
reason.
- for stormwater management is an increasingly related
component of the land development process land-use changes
may also negatively impact water supply.
- land use changes may also negatively impact water quality
example contamination may result from erosion and
sedimentation ,chemicals or microorganisms surface water
pollution associated with stormwater runoff can negatively
impact ecosystems and reduce the aesthetic and recreational
value of rivers lakes and other water bodies.
- Groundwater pollution from septic tank effluent can also limit
an areas suitability for wells by local groundwater it is the
source of a community's potable water, efforts must be made to
ensure that onsite wastewater treatment systems and
stormwater runoff do not contaminate local wealth. hydrologic
maps also locate me primary paths of groundwater flow and
the locations of groundwater discharge to the surface
 andrologist or the geologicall engineers assess permeability
thickness and discontinuities characterizing three-dimensional
subsurface geologic structure involves the analysis of
stratigraphy, heathology and structural and geomorphic
discontinuities maps of groundwater and local geological
conditions are particularly important in land use planning for
rural and urban fringe areas detailed data and can help in
determining an air as potential sources of potable
groundwater.
- Surface drainage also should be map as well as potential flood
hazard. areas aquifer recharge areas are also particularly
important locations to identify and protect from development

● SOILS
- Physical biological and often cultural factors influence soil
genesis and morphology, climate ,parent material and
landform position are key physical factors.
- Biological factors include growth, depth and decomposition of
vegetation microorganisms and other biota living above
ground or within the solid self.
- soil properties are also affected by previous land use
depending on the site location and the intended program soil
attributes that an inventory may consider include the following,
acidity or alkalinity, permeability, erosion Potential, Depth to
seasonally high water table and depth to bedrock .
- subsurface conditions affect not only the complexity of
excavation and construction but also the design of new
structures a new building or structure must be designed and
constructed to ensure that the integrity of the structure is not
compromised.
- soils vary widely in texture, fertility, permeability and other
attributes that influence plant growth and development a soil
medium .favorable for plant health reduces the impacts of
pests and diseases, erosion frequently occurs when vegetation
cover is either remove or substancially damage during site
clearing and construction, topsoil losses from prior
agricultural activities or other erosive forces increase because
of re-establishing vegetation on a site after construction where
onsite wastewater treatment systems will be installed soils must
be evaluated for their permeability and capacity to remove
chemical and pathogen contaminants from wastewater
effluent.
 - bacteria and other microbes in the soil perform this natural
treatment function very rapidly.
- draining soils typically those with high sand and gravial
content may be poorly suited for onsite wastewater treatment
similarly impervious soil such as hard tan are also constraints
that limit onsite wastewater treatment if hazardous waste are
present on the site because remediation may be significant
sites with a history of previous industrial or commercial
activities may be contaminated with a variety of hazardous
substances and investigation of a sites subsurface conditions
is warranted. the general suitability of different soil types for
the proposed site uses can be portrayed with chloropeth maps.
● CLIMATE
- atmospheric conditions that may influence site planning and
design decisions include precipitation, air temperature,solar
incidence, wind direction and wind speed these attributes vary
annually ,seasonally and daily seasonal and monthly climate
data are available from national weather services ,
- in the philippines if pagasa local weather records can provide
additional information about the daily weather conditions that
can be expected each season.
- collectively these data include the following temperature,
humidity, wind, rainfall, solar radiation and potential Ntaural
hazards .
- microclimate is modified by vegetation in several ways for
example shade/shape trees intercept the solar radiation that
would otherwise strike pavement rooftops and other inorganic
surfaces tese surfaces especially if they are in dark in color
absorb and subsequently re-radiate more heat energy than
vegetation leaves of plants also tend to cool air temperature
through evapotranspiration.
- in addition to moderating air temperature and humidity plants
can improve air quality by removing certain chemical
pollutants and as a result of photosynthesis add oxygen to the
atmosphere depending on the height of the tree or any other
vertical element shadows of varying lengths will be cast during
the course of the date shadow length also varies due to
seasonal variations in the earth's relationship to the sun.
- slope and aspect also influenced surface temperatures to their
effect on the amount of solar radiation striking teh sites
surface microclimate has a particularly important effect on two
aspects of the built environment .
 - energy consumption for the heating and cooling of buildings
and the comfort of people in outdoor setting however both
energy consumption and microclimate are influenced by this
spatial organization and orientation of buildings structures
and outdoor spaces.
- energy consumption for heating and cooling buildings can be
reduced both active and passive.
- Solar design greater energy efficiency can be achieved by
moderating the solar radiation striking and emptying a
building and by moderating winds and breezes near the
building in environments where winds are strong and
persistent significant modifications of building forms may be
necessary ambient air temperatures in outdoor areas depend
in part on whether the space is exposed to full sunshine
surface materials and vegetation within the space also affect
air temperatures paving materials like brick and stone absorb
solar radiation, reradiates energy as heat and thereby raise the
air temperature immediately above pave services direct
sunlight warms people when it hits their clothing or skin the
heat index is an estimate of apparent temperature.
- the temperature that one feels because of the interaction
between air temperature and relative humidity direct sunlight
and can raiseheat index values a process or mapping site
microclimate identifies the sites exposure to both solar
radiation and wind.
- A solar radiation map which could be a digital layer in a Gis
can be created by overlaying and combining these three
attribute layers slope gradient slope aspect and vegetation
there are many possible combinations of slope aspect and 3
cover so the resulting map can be very complex .
● NATURAL HAZARDS
- include atmospheric hydrologic, geologic theology and wildfire
events that because of their location severity and frequency
have the potential to adversely impact human there structures
or their activities. this natural phenomena present significant
risks to human life and property typically little can be done to
control these potentially destructive forces the most practical
solution therefore is to avoid development of areas that are
most at risk.
In conclusion aside inventory of physical attributes is driven by both the
project program and the characteristics of the site itself physical
attributes on a side can have a broad impact on how the site is developed
a potential data sources include aerial photographs, subsurface boring
and a wide variety of reference maps although not always possible due to
budgetary constraints visiting a at different times of the year can use as
much more comprehensive understanding of local site conditions
especially drainage patterns when patterns and microclimate .

BIOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES
● ecological communities an ecological community is an aggregation
of interacting species living together in the same place. complex
interactions among climate ,soils, topography, natural disturbances
and the organisms themselves influence decomposition and spatial
distribution of ecological communities.
● HABITAT FRAGMENTATION
- human activities such as our agriculture forestry & urban
development have dramatically alter the structure and
ecological function of many if not most of the landscapes in
europe and heavily civilized parts of other continents
continuing land-use changes may destroy some habitat but
also fragment and functionally disconnect others.
- fragmentation of ecological corridors and other habitats is a
global and environmental concern, natural corridors and
landscape facilitate the movement of organisms between
habitat therefore existing corridors are particularly important
elements in most landscapes and require protection to help
maintain biodiversity and ecosystem connectivity identifying
gaps in these coridors are also important because these can
be targets for restoration.
- large contiguous natural areas especially riparian areas
should be given the highest priority for protection from
development at simply living natural areas untouched may not
be enough to ensure their continued biodiversity example
small isolated patches of forest may lose indigenous animal
species because of the various created by adjacent
development many animal species need more than one habitat
type for different life cycle stages such as reproduction and
migration for examples today if activities of seeking food and
water also may be hindered by the habitat surroundings.
● EXOTICT SPCIES
- for thousands of years plant and animal species have been
adapting to habitats altered by human activities there are
many practical reasons to protect native animal and plant
 habitats for example riparian areas and wetlands also serve
important hydrologic functions in addition to the intrinsic
ecological benefits of biodiversity natural areas are open
spaces that may also serve important cultural functions such
as providing aesthetic amenity and outdoor study areas for
natural science education.
- on sites with significant natural areas consideration should be
given to mapping the distributions of invasive exotic species.
- This information can be used in developing a targeted plan for
eradicate invasive exotic species and restoring degraded
native communities depending on the land use program and
decides context restoration of wetlands quaries or woodlands
may be feasible.
- maps of sites soils hydrology and vegetation can help in
identifying the most suitable locations for these eradication
and restoration activities.
● WETLANDS
- perform a myriad of important functions that directly benefit
humans for example coastal wetlands are nursery grounds for
shellfish and other commercial sportfish other species such as
migratory birds spend stages of their life cycle in this habitats
wetlands serve as storage areas for stormwater runoff and are
the interface for water movement above and belowground this
movement may occur in either direction that is from above to
below or from below to above, fill assessments are usually
needed to identify and map all significant site wetlands.
● TREES
- on a site are assets that can use multiple ecological economic
and social benefits these provide shade and can reduce
heating and cooling costs of nearby buildings by providing
significant natural amenities trees can also increase the value
of the real estate by as much as 15% there are four factors to
consider in evaluating the economic value of trees size,
species, condition or health, and tree location please serve
multiple design functions that directly benefit people for
example they provide shade screen and desirable views and
serve as windbreaks trees also have significant aesthetic value
they may provide a focal point or visual amenity or provide
special enclosure for an outdoor room consequently a trees
standing alone is worth more from an economic perspective
than one that is growing in a group.
 -existing trees on a site require protection common yet easily
avoided construction damage kill trees outright for lead to
their slow demice.
- Typical construction impacts include soil compaction of the
root zone scraping depart from trunks and branches and
grading that is cutting or killing within the root zone many
species of trees have a fine mesh mass of feeder roots within
the top 12 inches of soil therefore construction disturbances
should not occur within the drift line of a trees canopy at the
very least.
- increasingly common are municipal and local tree preservation
ordinances that require protection of trees throughout
development process three inventories or three tagging
commonly record information on the size, species and location
of this site significanttrees,
- tree size is measured by the diameter of the trunk at breast
height service completed by license surveyors will typically
include the locations of three is larger than a specified size
,global positioning system or gps provide another way to map
communities and individual specimen trees with a handheld
gps receiver a botanist or other individuals who can identify
the local flora walks the site and digitally records the
boundaries of each major plant communities taking a color
aerial photographs into the fields can help orient the analyst
and make the digital mapping process more efficient.
● WILDLIFE
- Conserving wildlife habitats within are built environments has
many benefits for sample many bird species are prolific
consumers of insects particularly insects that are pests
humans birds also have significant is setting value bringing
satisfaction to avid birdwatchers and casual observer
increasing numbers of bird species are endangered or
threatened for extinction the most effective method for
protecting any bird species whether they are an endangered or
threatened species is to protect their natural habitats sitelevel
data distributions are typically acquired through field studies
by a qualified biologist

In conclusion the general public gains greater awareness between the

linkages of environemntal quality and human health and welfare.
Heightened concern for environmental quality has led to increasing
demands for accountability and therefore documentation of the potential
impacts of land development proposals protecting existing native
vegetation and wildlife is not only good for the environment but it also
contributes to the sites unique sense of place mapping a sites key
biological attributes is an important part of a site inventory identifying
these resources helps us protect the ecological integrity of the site during
and after the plans implementation which attributes to map and evaluate
depends as with physical and cultural attributes on the future uses of the
site .

cultural attributes
● LAND USE AND TENURE
- Prior land use on the site may influence development suitability
in a variety of ways for sample knowledge that a site is used for
industrial or commercial uses could indicate that chemicals
and other toxic wastes remain on the site either above or below
ground .
- Current nearby land uses may have either positive or negative
impact on the proposed uses of the site in assessing a site's
land use context attributes that might be documented include
the following land use types and land-use intensity.
- In terms of land ownership information on land ownership or
tenure is commonly available in publicly accessible databases
these records may include a certified survey map of the parcel
boundaries, a history of land ownership and any these/ bid
restrictions or covenants associated with the property digital
parcel data are becoming increasingly common.
- Digital maps and associated metadata comprising cadastre
many digital databases are available commercially or in some
cases through government departments or agencies other
digital data such as vertical and oblique color infrared aerial
photographs are increasingly available for downloading
through online sources in particular the vertical aerial
photographs provide a relatively detailed resource for
interpreting and land use and land cover for large planning
areas.
● LAND USE REGULATION
- site inventory must be considered a legal context for site
planning and design decision, yet legal context varies widely
at the local regional and especially the national scale and as,
 legal mandates have already been discussed in the previous
module as a general process or rule make sure that you do
your due diligence in assessing national laws and local
comprehensive plans and local ordinances relevant your
project site.
● PROPERTY VALUE
- banks and other lending institutions routinely require
appraisals before financing real estate purchases.
- property appraisers consider the attributes of the site itself
and improvements made to the site such as buildings and
other structures also consider the effects of sight context such
as the value of nearby properties adjacent street traffic and
cynic of site views of the built or natural environments in
general appraisal theory approaches the concept of value by
synthesizing three different models of economic behavior of
these three models are called approaches to value and are
referred to as the cost approach the sales comparison
approach and the income approach each of these three
appraisal methods estimate property values based on the
highest and best use of the site real estate projects with high
financial returns but significant environmental impacts will be
valued more favorably, this are the appraisals that ignore
these externalities context also plays a crucial role in property
values, for example,
- environmental amenities are not evenly distributed over the
landscape Insights vary widely in proximity and access to those
amenities moreover the presence or absence of these
amenities can influence a site suitability for different uses
cynic use of lakes rivers or other environmental features may
contribute significantly to a sites desirability for residential
uses and for some commercial uses such as restaurants or
patron seeki ambience for the beautiful natural setting and
environmental amenities and cultural or built amenities such
as parks and golf courses enhance property values be a
positive influence of amenities on property value is reflected in
the prize disparity among housing lots in resort communities
or example beachfront parcels sell at a premium compared to
nearby or otherwise comparable lots that are not immediately
adjacent to the amenity.
- if the beachfront sites were used for industrial purpose the
scenic front views scenic would play little or no role in the
value of the products manufactured there on sequently the
 concept of highest and best use suggest that the qualities of a
site and its surroundings should determine at least in part the
purposes for which the land is used.
- property ownership entails both rights and responsibilities
bundle of development rights accompanying a property
depends upon the parcels location and physical biological and
cultural attributes.
- attributes land use regulations promote basic functions of
protecting public health safety and welfare when land use
regulations go beyond dysfunctions it greatly reduces the
monetary value of the property.
- property values may be restricted in ways other than
government land use regulation such as easements.
- several types of easements exist they all reduce a parcels
development potential for example an easement may ensure
access to a property that is accesible only by crossing another
property easements allowing emergency vehicle access or
utility maintenance are also quite common.
- conservation easemenst typically held by nonprofit
organizations are often created to preserve open space and
scenic wasementss can also limit the scope and character of
plant development.
● PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE
- the built environment is a Complex array of private and public
buildings open spaces and infrastructure the public
infrastructure includes streets, other transportation systems
and versatility networks or example sanitary sewage and
potable water the location and type of facility networks present
or adjacent to the site are important information in this site
planning process.
- the locations of existing transportation and utility systems are
common design determinants that often influence key site
planning decisions for example location of entrances and
displacement of buildings that may be driven directly by the
location of the existing public infrastructure.
● CIRCULATION
- understanding existing circulation pattern is an important part
of the site inventory process. Many mistakes have been made
in both planning and architectural design because established
pedestrian and vehicle circulation patterns are either ignored
or poorly understood. Site planners usually have leeway in
determining how and where pedestrians enter a site so existing
 circulation patterns must be taken into account. Failure to
anticipate a desire lines for existing or proposed entrances to
the site to buildings or to other activity areas can create
dangerous pedestrian vehicle conflicts.
- The location of adjacent street ,driveways drop of zones
service areas and parking lots is contextual information that
often influences this spatial organization of the site plan
existing average daily traffic volumes on adjacent streets and
highways can be estimated and maped.
- different circulation systems such as pedestrians ,bicycles,
vehicles and volumes can be portrayed graphically by varying
the color and width of the arrows. existing conflicts between
vehicles and pedestrians should be identified as well.
● UTILITIES
- infrastruture thought of as streets bridges and sanitary sewer
systems but the utility system site often include other networks
for the distribution of energy and potable water,
telecommunication and the removal of stormwateR.
- New utility systems often account for a significant share of this
site development cost.
- IN this site inventory it is important to understand where the
public utility systems are located. This information is needed to
determine the locations where the new development will
connect the systems. utility systems deliver energy, water and
information to the site and will move waste and excess
stormwater therefore a site utilities map commonly includes
these systems potable water, electricity, natural gas,
telecommunication, stormwater sewerage, sanitary sewerage.
- An inventory of existing site utility should include the locations
of utility poles overhead power lines or fire hydrants and utility
boxes as well as the diameters of underground pipelines.
● BUILDING AND NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER
- Kevin lynch in his book the image of the city proposed a
typology to explain how people form cognitive maps or mental
images of the built environment.
- The five functional elements are as follows
- edges for example shorelines, roads for hedgerows.
- Paths such as such as streets and walkways.
- Districts such as neighborhood.
- Nodes for example entrances, plazas and street intersections.
- Landmarks for example Sample unique buildings, structures
and natural features. this typology is useful for assessing the
 character and function of the built environment the sites
context must be understood if any new development is to make
a positive contribution to the character of the area this context
includes the use, design and placement of nearby buildings
common residential building types include the following single
family and multi-family houses multifamily residential towers,
mixed-use residential and commercial development example in
documenting a typology of building types within a commercial
district following building attributes may be analyzed height,
width, setback portion of openings horizontal rhythms, roof
form, materials, color, sidewalk ,coverings and site.
- This building attributes are typically documented with
photographs annotated street elevations and sections and
maps neighborhood character is also influenced by street and
walkway arrangements the mix of land uses and the size
placement and design of outdoor open spaces.
- parks and public open space are integral community elements
that should be considered in the inventory process especially if
part of an integrated public open space system these open
spaces may provide not only visual amenities and outdoor
recreational opportunities but also vital space for stormwater
management.
- these open spaces may also perform essential ecological
functions that could be enhanced or at the very list protected
by careful site planning and design other community resources
that contribute to a neighborhood character include schools,
libraries and community centers.
- A site context map shows the locations of these important
civic institution.
● HISTORIC RESOURCES
- Resource assessment document multi-location quality and
historic significance of buildings and other human made
elements as well as prior land uses historic resources include
bridges, buildings ,walls signs and many other significant
structures or elements built in previous eras programs and
policies aimed at protecting and restoring historic resources
also exist in the national and local level.
- The historic significance of a structure or neighborhood is
based on several criteria including age, quality ,rarity and
representativeness cultural resources include historic sites
such as ports ,battlefields, parks and archaeological sites.
 archaeological finds such as indigenous artifacts can have a
significant impact on project planning and implementation .
● SENSORY PERCEPTION
- Ability to see smell taste touch and hear give us access to
extensive information about our surroundings human
perception of land-based amenities and thirst amenities
primarily involves three senses hearing sight and smell for
most people perceptions of a site are formed primarily through
the sense of sight a visual resource assessment is concerned
when both visibility and visual quality.
- However sound quality and air quality are also very relevant in
land planning and design the significance of each attribute
depends on the site and its context but also on the program or
intended uses of the site

In conclusion understanding a sitescultural context may require the

collection and mapping of diverse data. land use controls play important
role in limiting the range and intensity of permitted uses these and other
legal constraints typically have spatial dimensions that can be mapped
historic resources may be present either on or adjacent to a site and may
become significant design determinants disability and visual quality also
play an increasingly important role in influencing land use preferences
and real estate values and this to must be addressed in this site inventory.
finally cultural context includes physical infrastructure of streets, utilities
and building depending on the site planning program any of these
attributes can have a significant influence on how the land is ultimately
design and developed.

SITE SELECTION
- There are two methods of site selection
● First method of establishing a site alternative
- Sites are considered within a general location and a choice is made
of the one that best meets the preliminary objectives.
- This is a good approach to design.
● Second method
- The site location is chosen by a client before the establishment of a
program or even before use for the site has been determined.
- An appropriate site or factors of the cost may lead to a force site
solution. A solution that often creates problems that need not
 otherwise exist. A force solution may raise the estimated
construction cost of a project thereby compromising other program
requirements and it may well destroy the natural site features that
could have been the primary reason for choosing a location.

Site selection
- on large projects such as school planning, shopping centers, parks, or
plant community development. Site selection may require a detailed
analysis of potential sites the analysis of the site and its environs includes
all-natural, cultural, and aesthetic factors that affect them these features
influence the final selection and provide clues to site personality that will
be helpful in establishing guidelines for later development.
- any information that is inventoried should be illustrated graphically in this
illustration important factors.
- factors may be abstracted or isolated or emphasize to build a firm
foundation from which to interrelate all known elements with basic
objectives in mind the site planner may use each of the items in the
following list of natural, cultural, and aesthetic factors where they are
applicable per site selection or for the development of a given site.
- The flexibility of details, these items are investigated and ordered in which
they are studied depends on the complexity of the project and whether the
items are used for site selection or analysis.

Site inventory
- as we discussed earlier in the site process, site inventory is done after the
site is chosen.
- These inventories sealed critical information that supports detailed site
planning and architectural design. Nevertheless, during the site selection
process, several sites and contextual attributes are commonly considered
though usually in far less detail.

So what are these attributes:

NATURAL FACTORS
● GEOLOGY
 - here we seek to answer which geologic processes have affected the
site, its formation, and the type of rock below the surface of the soil
and with these, we also need to ask at what depth the rock is located.
- The type and death of rock present many questions of inadequacy
as a base for the foundation of some buildings but test boring is
taken at several locations on the site will provide answers.
- these boring should be located and plotted into the topographical
map site planner may consult with the geologist to facilitate the
interpretation of the boring or to consider any problems that may
occur on turning the geologic base and its relevance to the project.
● TOPOGRAPHY
- is an important factor in most planning decisions.
- Topography in maps provides information on the biophysical and
cultural context of a community or region.
- Site topographic surveys are much larger in scale and are usually
completed by a licensed land surveyor in accordance with
specifications tailored to the program of the site.
- THREE KEY ATTRIBUTES maps can be derived from a topographic
survey these maps topographically depict elevation, slope, and
aspect, three fundamental landform components.
- Slope analysis aims in recognizing areas on the site that lend
themselves to building location roads, parking, or play areas. It may
also show if construction is feasible. A parking lot for example should
have a grade of under 5% if there is no land available that meets this
requirement re-grading will be necessary.
- The cost of grading may determine if the development of the site is
feasible.
● HYDROGRAPHY
- the drainage on a site may greatly influence a design.
- All water bodies, rivers, streams, and drainage channels must be
traced diagrammatically in order to be examined and used
advantageously.
- Hydrography features have bearing activities in the land they are of
primary importance in developing a system for site drainage that
makes use of existing watershed drainage patterns. streams and lot
 lines for example should be placed adjacent to each other in a
subdivision so that the site planner does not divide the lot
unnecessarily.
- Soils, what is the land capability classification of the soil in the site?
or what is its most suitable use while protecting against erosion? Will
it support vegetation? Or are there limitations that reduce the
choice of plants? Is the soil alkaline, neutral or acidic? The best soil
profile by agronomists will give the answers.
● VEGETATION
- by recognizing vegetation on a site before its development, one may
make use of Large existing trees rather than neglecting them and
later being forced to purchase small ones which will take many years
to attain maturity.
- Note the name, size, and location of large is existing trees 3-4inches
or more in caliber this is called tree tagging observe their form,
branch structure, foliage, color, and texture.
- If a site is heavily wooded a carefully planned trimming of the trees
may open potential viewpoint.
- Review the ecology of the surrounding area to find which trees or
shrubs are native and which varieties may be added for wind
protection, shade, buffer zones, screens or backdrop.
● WILDLIFE
- is an important consideration especially when choosing sites for
parks or recreation areas.
● CLIMATIC FACTORS
- Elevation difference, the character of topography, vegetative cover,
and water bodies influence the climates Which in turn affects the
site.
- climatic data available from PAG-ASA includes temperature,
precipitation, wind humidity, and amount of sunshine.
CULTURAL FACTORS
- starting on existing land use. The pattern of existing land use must be
designated in relation to the site, community facility both public and
semi-public, residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational are
inventoried to denote all overall trends in development which may have a
 bearing in uses of land adjacent to and including the site under the study
of sight nuisances whether visual auditory or olfactory and safety hazards
must be investigated if one or more of these problems is uncontrollable an
alternative site may have to be chosen.
- among visually disruptive elements are power lines, water, towers certain
industrial complexes, highways, billboards, and junkyards.
● LINKAGES
- All existing ties or linkages if any should be specified.
- Linkages may involve the movement of people, goods,
communication, or amenities.
- Community facilities such as nearby shopping centers employment
hubs, residential areas, churches, schools parks, and playgrounds
should be inventoried in relation to the site.
- Determine whether adequate linkages exist and if not decide how
they can be established or improve by future development.
● TRAFFIC AND TRANSIT
- what is the relationship of traffic patterns to each other and to the
site? are there adequate roads in the vicinity of the site if urban ?
does public transport service the area? depending on the complexity
of the problem automobile, bus, rail, and air circulation should be
reviewed to show if and how these facilities will integrate with future
sight development.
● DENSITY AND ZONING
- Cities have zoning regulations concerning standards of density
because of economic, social, and functional implications.
- Density may influence privacy freedom of movement or social
contact among people zoning regulations, easements, codes, and
mineral rights must be checked before a site is developed. In order, to
work within these regulations or to determine if changes would be
desirable when possible.
- Information concerning zoning and much of other information on
codes regulations and names of property owners is available at the
local government unit.
● ALL UTILITIES
 - should be located on the site and shown graphically for
consideration in site development.
- All utility lines should be in open areas under the streets for easy
maintenance.
- water is the most critical utility for growth at the community level and
may have to be piped from outside areas. Other utilities such as
electricity gas or telephone usually present fewer problems.
● EXISTING BUILDINGS
- if the project is to be expanded buildings on the site, must be shown
graphically and their uses and facilities studied.
- Size, floor area, and existing conditions must be inventoried.
- Existing buildings will strongly influence the physical layout of the
new site and will help to establish degrading and drainage patterns
on the site. They also may determine the choice of future
architectural expression in building type, color, and materials in
order to ensure coherence and unity in design.
● HISTORY
- a campus plan or other large projects may have a meaningful
background that influences further expansion. It is then pertinent to
ask will historic factors be of consequence to the project.
- The history of these projects should be investigated and shown
graphically so that relevant influences may be considered in the
design phase perhaps specific buildings to be preserved within
re-development of a site as should other historic buildings or
landmarks in other projects and those are cultural factors.
AESTHETIC FACTORS
- sites on which feature development is planted must be analyzed to
determine significant aesthetic factors natural features and spatial
patterns are all important in relating design elements.
● NATURAL FEATURES
- maybe and endowed with outstanding natural features of the earth,
rock water, or plant material, landforms, rock, outcrops, ledges,
boulders, lakes, streams, bugs, or wooded areas have cynic value and
may be incorporated along with architecture in site development.
 - One of these features for aesthetic value alone may be sufficient
reason for designating an individual site for construction
● SPATIAL PATTERNS
- this refers to views, views on a site may be pleasing or objectionable
they may bear heavily pair on the orientation of a building and
therefore should be carefully studied an outstanding view must be
handled properly to be preserved.

EVALUATING SITE SUITABILITY

- selecting the most suitable site available or a development or
redevelopment project has potential benefits that include the following.
- improve the function of the proposed land, uses greater convenience for
the site users and enhance aesthetics, fewer negative environmental
impacts, reduced construction, operation, and maintenance costs.

7 SITE SELECTION PROCESS

1. Clarify project objectives and requirements.
- This might also fall under the programming which is in the
pre-designed phase as mentioned before, the client initiates the
project and the site selection process.

2. Determining the site selection criteria

- Site suitability is a function of site conditions of distal factors and
projected cost.
- These factors are those that we discussed in the first part of this
lecture. Carefully chosen selection criteria can efficiently screen this
set of potential sites.
3. Identify the potential sites on some projects
- the client may provide a list of potential sites for evaluation. In other
cases, the potential sites must be identified.
- Sources of site data that are useful in identifying potential sites
include the following multiple listing services for a property that is
for sale or rent maps of vacant infill and re-developable land
prepared by the local municipality.
 - During comprehensive plan updates and neighborhood studies and
street and highway max, identification of potential sites is a form of
spatial analysis that lends itself to applications of geographic
information systems.
- local governance especially is increasingly supportive of
development and redevelopment that adds jobs and contributes to
local property and sales tax revenues. in addition to providing maps
of available infill and redevelopment sites. The local government may
also provide data that are useful for site selection including site
area, available utilities, and applicable development regulation.
4. Evaluate each site’s suitability
- Once the potential site has been identified additional data are
needed to assess its site’s suitability for the proposed project.
- some common data sources include the following aerial
photographs, parcel boundary, and tax accessory data, highway
maps, utility maps, topography maps, soil maps, ground-level
photographs showing views on and off-site.
- A boundary survey showing the boundaries is commonly required for
the sale of the property. These are often readily available for sites
under consideration because of the costs and the time involved in
acquiring a topographic survey. This more detailed information is
usually not available until after the site has been selected.
- Evaluating site suitability for proposed land use or ecological
restoration activity typically involves the analysis of both
quantitative and qualitative data.
5. Rank an alternative site
- site suitability ratings are summarized in a matrix as either
numerical or graphical values for each selection criteria.
- The site evaluation matrix is simply a table that lists the potential
sites and evaluations of each site selection criteria.
6. Select the best site and document the results of a site evaluation report
- is often prepared to summarize the site selection process and the
result once the best site is selected to secure the site and there is
often an option to acquire the land.
7. Testing project feasibility
 - A feasibility study provides critical information including how much
of this site can be developed.
- For example, physical and regulatory constraints limit developable
areas to some extent on most sites.
- What regulatory permits and approvals are needed to develop the
site and estimates of the time and political obstacles or incentives
that can be expected. If the site has not yet been purchase the client
may then decide to purchase it.

In some situations, the client may be advised to acquire adjacent parcels of land
to assemble a larger site with greater potential and project feasibility. However, if
the constraints for the proposed project are formidable of the client may be
advised to forego acquiring the site.

In conclusion, site selection typically involves the collection and analysis of a wide
array of sight and contextual data a site’s location can have a fundamental
influence on the complexity and cost of a project planning and implementation.
Physical, Cultural, and Aesthetic attributes all influence to varying degrees the
ability of a site to successfully accommodate a particular project program.
Determining which site and contextual attributes to evaluate depends largely on
the intended uses of the land.

conceptual design
CONTEXT SENSITIVE DESIGN
- Sustainable Context responsive site planning has three fundamental
presets.
● Design with nature
● Design with culture
● Design places for people
- These general presets give rise to a more explicit set of
principles for physical planning at the site scale.
- responsiveness to site and contextual conditions demands
consideration of a diverse set of physical attributes and regulatory
constraints.
- This location specific conditions include the following. sun and wind
exposure, lot size and shape, location in relation to transportation
systems, significant vegetation, topography and other natural features
prominent vistas and use of natural or cultural landmarks and building
scale and character.
- Conceptual designing in site planning follows and flows directly from the
site inventory and analysis.
- Analysis of the site and it’s context typically reveal biophysical and
cultural features that limit the number of feasible design and
configurations sites that have few if any significant physical and
biophysical or cultural features are often the most challenging to design.
- The absent of of significant site features or constraints allows for a
much wider range of feasible/visible options for organizing activities and
structures on the site.
- The lack of site character also makes it more challenging to create a
unique sense of place conversely site with significant natural and cultural
features have the greatest potential to inspire context sensitive plans that
fits the site. For example a site with a large picturesque specimen trees
Limits options for site use to locations that will not result in damage to the
tree another example is a stream on the side that restricts building options
to higher elevations that are not prone to flooding and if develop not likely
to degrade the streams aquatic and riparian habitats.
- in both of these scenarios designing with nature results in
context-sensitive site plans that incorporate rather than destroy
significant natural amenities
DESIGN DETERMINANTS
- Significant site and contextual conditions are design determinants
that shape or inform the development of sustainable site plan.
- design determinants include onsite and offsite factors intorough site
and contextual analysis will identify important design and form
determinants for any given project
 - design determinants provide basis or rationale for organizing and
articulating the program on the site.
PROGRAM AND PREFERENCES
- project objectives or program plays an obvious role in determining
how a site is design.
- Typically clients preferences determine type and extent of plan
activities on the site this activities range from private sector real
estate development to public sector nature conservation and
restoration depending on the type of project the client may even
have preferences regarding design style theme or character
- in some projects the future users of the site may play a significant
role in influencing the design of the site. this is particularly common
with public sector projects such as parks , libraries and schools.
ON- SITE FORM DETERMINANTS
- Design Determinants include intrinsic site features that are retained
undisturbed in the site plan.
- A steep wooden slope or other natural or cultural features leds
character to the site and contributes to the sides unique sense of
place. these elements can be viewed as developing constraints that if
disturbed would have negative environmental or community impact
yet this site features also create opportunities to incorporate natural
or cultural amenities into the site plan.
- this amenities and add significant value to real estate important
onsight form determinants include the following physical conditions
for sample natural features such as drainage ways significant
habitats and steep slopes, cultural features, microclimatic factors
such as wind and solar access, site size, and shapes, regulations and
standards for sample building codes, zoning codes, land
development codes and design guidelines.
- Site boundaries or interface with offsite properties or public
infrastructure is a particularly important in site planning
 consideration in the periphery or edge of the site is particularly
meaningful when the site is small or linear in shape
- the movement of water and wildlife typically transcend this
boundaries of most land development projects
- ecological linkages between the side and the surrounding
landscape can be maintained or strengthened through undeveloped
open spaces or conservation area this open spaces not only have
significant ecological value but also can provide recreational and
educational opportunities in addition to visual ammenity values.
OFF-SITE FORM DETERMINANTS
- Off site features often influence the location and organization of a
program elements on the site for example the number and location
of entrances to the site are determined in part by the physical
conditions just beyond the sites boundaries.
- Adjacent street or transit stops suggest preferred locations for
providing access to the site and land development regulations also
routinely affect the design of site entrances
- local development regulations commonly limit the number of
entarnces or curve cuts to a site and impose a minimum distance
requirement between site entrances and nearby street intersections
potential conflicts may exist between onsite and offsite uses or
features and this must be reconciled at the conceptual design phase
- off- site conditions can include nuisances such as a busy highway
that impacts the site with noise, odors and undesirable views when
conflicts do exist in the arrangement of program activities or uses
must try to mitigate those conflicts uses that are less sensitive to
negative impacts and can be cited closer than other more sensitive
uses.
- screening may also be needed and dysfunction can be shown
dramatically/dioramatically on the concept plan.
 - The selection of screening materials which may include wall, fences,
firms/burns and vegetation occurs later in the design Development
process.
- other design determine include features such as a prominent iconic
building a state or provincial capitol building a church or cathedral
or even a well-designed school or library could be a local landmarks
that influences the design of nearby buildings and site.
- other off-site form determinants includes the following
neighborhood, community and regional character for example
building styles or materials that may be echoed in new buildings or
site design
- nearby buildings for example site at the intersection of two major
streets or on a visible hilltop demands special design treatment.
- An offsite landmark may influence the Placement of circulation
pathways on access with the landmark or the sighting of a building
to give it a prominent view of the landmark.
DESIGN THEORY
- is a set of guiding principles and strategies for making design
decision.
- in site planning design theory and compasses the decision-making
process for some conduct beside analysis before embarking on the
conceptual design
- design theory also and compasses assorted rules of thumb for
organizing program components on any given site and for
articulating those components through more detailed design.
- design principles are based on a continually evolving body of
knowledge informed by history the arts and the sciences. successful
application of design theory in site planning requires creativity which
fortunately can be nurtured through education and experience.
CREATIVITY AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
- Creative problem solving involves the pursuit of the 5 things
● Facts
 ● problems
● ideas
● solutions
● acceptance
- each of these is evident in the site planning and design process for
ecampleprogramming and inventory phases involving fact finding in
the site analysis these facts to assess the sites suitability for a
specific program or set of objectives the assesments identifies
problems or constraints and ideas or opportunities conceptual
design and subsequent design development generate solutions that
seek to avoid or in some cases overcome the sites constraints and
capitalize on the sides opportunities solutions are communicated
evaluated and if approved by the client and other key stakeholders
implemented therefore site planning involves judgments of relevance
and of spatial relationships.
- site planning also involves acts of creating including, arranging and
articulating project components and assessing the implications of
those decisions.
- site planning excellence can make significant contributions to the
development of sustainable built environments however there are
significant consequences for poor site planning these impacts range
from exposing people to life and property risks to making people
and endure inconvenience and visually an attractive surroundings
.protecting public health safety and welfare is the primary reason for
licensing professional landscape architects, architects and
engineers the ability to appropriate design solutions can be
nurtured through education and training.
- one of the best ways to becoming and increase one’s capacity to
design well is to build once design vocabulary
- a comprehensive knowledge of good design principles and various
forms of expressions can be acquired by analyzing relevant
precedence
 - Design presidence may be real or imagined places including natural
and built environments precedents studies ranging from formal post
occupancy evaluation to brief informal meandering through a
foreign city. examined the ways that decided places for specific
purposes and in response to site and contextual conditions
examples of weight design as well as design failures yield valuable
lessons that strengthen the designers tool kit and capacity to arrive
at creative and appropriate design solutions.
- many good designers given season practitioners are students of
design we are inquisitive absorbers of the built environment
continually assessing what works and what does not work and
mentally filing that information away for future reference.
CONCEPTUAL DESIGN PROCESS
- a conceptual design process is the time to explore, evaluate and
compare therefore adaptation and revision are an inerent part of
fitting the program into the site. exploring of concepts or special
configurations does not require a substantial time investment this
can pay substantial dividends by improving the quality of the final
site plan which ultimately impact the character livability and
sustainability of the built environment to skip a conceptual design
phase is to omit a crucial design step in the site planning process
there are two important reasons to design conceptually before
advancing to more detailed site design.
- first conceptual design can be done more quickly than detailed
design.
- Second conceptual design is effective even at small scales of
representation
- The proverbial back of the envelope diagram is visible at the
conceptual level because conceptual design is concerned with the
big picture
- In site planning this means organizing or spatially arranging on the
site thee projects major components. Once the program on the sites
 context are well understood multiple concept plans can be and
should be developed before proceeding to more detailed designs
- The conceptual design phade can be an accelerating time in this
site planning process it is at this stage when the designer seeks and
organizing structure for the program that respects the sites natural
and cultural features and provides the spatial framework for
subsequent site and architectural design.
- site design typically occurs in incremental steps beginning with the
general organizational decisions concerning what goes where on the
site.
- the resulting organizing framework or pattern bring front a
coherent functional way
- Clearly organizing built environment promotes orientation or
wayfinding and helps to provide a strong sense of place. in addition
to accommodating the project program that plans must also
conform to the communities goals as development standards the
design process then proceed to the more specific or detailed
articulation decisions this may not be the only way to approach a
design but it is an effective ,efficient and repeatable approach -
conceptual design activities vary somewhat depending on this site
program the process is a synthesis of approaches including the
process advocated by john mchart and his classic work design with
nature
- this land planning approach is particularly appropriate for relatively
large sites with significant natural or cultural resources
- the first step is to delineate with primary and secondary
conservation areas- development projects on land sites are more
likely to devotee substantial proportion of te site to open space
- this is especially true if the site includes significant environmental
features such as woodem areas, a steep slopes or steam for wetland
literature suggests three basic objectives in designing this open
spaces conservation areas should include the properties most
 sensitive resource areas, fragmentation of conservation areas into
smaller non-contiguous parcels should be minimized conservation
areas on a properties should be linked ideally to community and
regional open space system.
- conversely site planning projects on smaller urban sites may have
little or no conservation open space to development projects tend to
be more site intensive nevertheless these sites may be designed to
include open space for outdoor recreation from water management
or other important site functions
- second step in the remaining site areas daily need to locations that
are suitable for development these areas are where the project
program elements such as buildings and associated infrastructure
as well as additional develop open space will be located
- step 3 within the areas suitable for development delineate the
development “pods,” bubbles or fats considering accessibility
attention must be paid to the sizes and shapes of developable pods
or envelopes the activities or uses that will be accommodated within
the buildings will dictate to some extent the minimum and maximum
dimensions of these pods each pod should accommodate not only
the anticipated building footprint but also the spaces is required for
pedestrian access and amenities vehicle parking & building services
and associated hard and soft landscape areas
- Step 4 locate the primary and secondary circulation systems
considering the size and shape of the remaining developable areas.
circulation systems as well as open space systems are key site
elements that can help organize the other program elements the
concept plan explains the intended functional relationships among
the site and project components the plan may be supplemented with
a concept statement that is a brief written articulation of the design
intent of the proposed concept plan, character sketches or image
boards with photographs may also convey the design concept
before proceeding with the detailed design.
OPEN SPACES
NATURE’S INFRSTRACTURE
- Open spaces health ecosystems maintain their structure and
function for example natural landscape corridors accommodate
several important ecological functions which as follows
● Habitat or a plant species and refuge for a plant plant species
displaced by flooding or lateral channel migration.
● conduit for individual and applan animals
● filter removes dissolved substance inputs from overward and
stormwater runoff.
● source of food and cover
● sink just during flooding absorbs flood waters and traps
sediments.
DEVELOPED OPEN SPACE
- Develop open spaces may be paid or unpaid green areas that are
designed for pedestrians and typically used for commercial civic or
recreational purposes at the conceptual design phase detailed open
space design is premature however the tentative locations of formal
and informal open spaces can be established at the stage of the
design process.
- well-designed open space often has a strong sense of enclosure
which is commonly the result of carefully placed buildings, walls or
other vertical elements.
CIRCULSTIONS SYSTEM
- Are the infrastructure that provides access to and from the site as
well as mobility on the site integrated transportation solutions create
more options for mobility by vehicles pedestrians, bicyclists and
users of public transit.
- organizing a side circulation systems requires an understanding of
the sites context specifically the existing circulation system serving
site
- Entry and arrival sequences to destinations on the site must begin
at one or more points of access to the site the periphery
- entrances to the site or to buildings and major pedestrian walkway
intersections are places where plazas or seating areas may be
developed. these nodes warrants special design treatment including
special paving lighting, planting and furniture
- other design objectives related to circulation include establishing
gate ways and creating strong sense of arrival for example entrance
driveway to a new building might be located on axis with the
proposed building or some other visually interesting feature .
- a visual anchor for the axis an imaginary line could be a large
specimen tree, hill ,prominent landform or some other visually
interesting feature and the following are different walkway pattern in
your pattern which are commonly used for creational corridors it
may parallel natural features such as streams rivers or oceanfront it
could also be curvilinear ,grid pattern walkways parallel street
network in urban areas advantages include ease of orientation and
flexibility in route selection. loop pattern walk way collect and
organize a series of open spaces or across a buildings or other
activity nodes.
- a radial pattern walkways converged to form intersections that can
be designed as plaza squares or other important to pedestrian
nodes and spiral pattern where the walkway is appropriate for an
ceremonial prosession that descent or ascent toward special
destinations. this is common in sculpture gardens memorial and
other contemplative outdoor spaces
- Utility systems are also important components of a site
infrastructure. This systems are physically individual buildings with
offsite utility systems and city.
- this systems physically connect individual buildings with offsite utility
systems and facilities typically major utility lines are located within
streets, right of ways or within other circulation system corridors
 - many of these systems require extensive underground network of
pipes and associated structures. after implementation most site
development projects require continuing inputs of resources such as
potable water and electricity this inputs may be delivered to the site
through the utility infrastructure.
- other utility linkages include gas electric telephone and television
cable development projects also in development projects also
include continuing outputs such as sanitary waste which is either
treated onsite or collected at an offsite treatment facility.
- This utility systems are not commonly shown in the concept plan
unless this site is particularly small and the concept plan is relatively
large in scale
BUILDING ENVELOPES OR PODS
- The site analysis may identify locations that are suitable for
development or specifically building construction
- This locations may be one or more distinct zones or pods or
envelopes or bubbles development bad for a single building may be
large enough to accommodate the building along with sufficient
space for parking, service areas and landscape pedestrian areas
associated with the building
- open space that works are the green infrastructure that protects the
structure and remaining parts of the sites. This open spaces may
also serve as amenities for building that are clustered on the
remaining parts of the site.
- Clustering reduces a development impervious cover and lowers
construction costs for streets and other infrastructure
- Clustering can also minimize site disturbance and if the building is
are carefully cited preserve natural drainage networks and other
natural or cultural features
- The construction and operation of buildings consumes substantial
amount of energy ,water and materials.
 - building citing can have a significant effect on the buildings design
and operation energy used for cooling , heating and lighting is not
only influenced by the buildings design but also by its location and
orientation on the site
- seasonal wind direction and velocity and solar exposure are climatic
factors that should be considered when citing building pads
- notable examples of architectural design received a recognition
because of the because the buildings are superbly design in
response to the conditions of the sites. exceptional works of
architecture achieve compatibility with the site and context in simple
yet often elegant ways
- frank lloyd wright's fallingwater is a building that fits that fits its site
well and the buildings form actually mimics the cascading forms of
the sites stream
CONCEPT PLAN GRAPHICS
- concept plant is a relatively simple diagram that shows how a
project’s major program elements related to each other functionally
and potentially visually concept plans provide contextual
information about the sides by biophysical and cultural features or
design determinants that will integrate into development or
redevelopment project.
- concept plans are spatially explicit simply means that the project
components are shown approximately where they are to be located
on the site.
- information regarding the dimensions of streets buildings and other
site elements as well as the types of materials needed to build the
structures are not typically conveyed on the concept plan. These
more detailed design decisions occur during the subsequent design
development and construction documentation phases.
- The basic principle of basic diagramming is to exclude non-critical
or extraneous information for example a city subway map is useful
because of what the map leaves out as well as what the map includes
 .. the location of buildings a waste or a myriad of other geographic
information are not included in a subway map for a simple reason, it
would diminish the map clarity and therefore effectiveness as a
guide to subway rider
- Concept plans conveys the information graphically with text and
typically three basic geometric objects. polygons lines and points
notes or annotations are also useful in conveying information about
the intended Functional and visual relationships among the
proposed site uses effective graphic communication enables the
efficient review of concept plans by colleagues as well as by public
planning staff, elected officials, and other stakeholders.
ZONE
- on a concept plan major uses of the site are typically portrayed
diagramatically as zones or bubbles as the concept is refined this
activity or land used zones may be further subdivided to show
building locations and minor circulation patterns as the planning
process moves further into the design development phase this zones
or development pads or bubbles are then subdivided into smaller
areas and eventually each area is design in detail
- in addition to showing the locations of proposed development zones
concept plans show the open spaces that will not be developed
PATH AND EDGES
- Proposed activity in a site relate both functionally and visually.
- for example decide between locations on the side or between
locations on and off the site can be depicted graphically with arrows
or a notated labels conversely screening of undesirable views may be
warranted and this also can be portrayed graphically
- linear elements of a concept plan represent the following actual
relationships, circulation systems, stormwater drainage patterns
utility lines, views and edges, color texture and line weight may help
to distinguish this different/diperate Types of site information
NODES AND LANDMARKS
 - A concept plan may also identify nodes and landmarks these may be
locations of either proposed buildings or other site features or
significant existing buildings that will remain on or off sit.
- loads may be highlighted graphically a typically include the
following entrances to site or buildings intersections of pedestrian
and vehicular circulation systems, scenic high points or scenic
overlooks, landmarks may include the following specimen trees
,bridges, unique buildings, hilltops or other topographic features.
SECTIONS AND OTHER GRAPHICS
- on some projects specially urban projects the vertical organization
of a projects uses is expressed at the conceptual design phase
conceptual sections or aerial perspective may be used to explain the
type and arrangement of the uses between buildings within buildings
and in nearby areas outside of the building.
- concept plants may also be supplemented with image boards an
organized set of photographs or sketches that convey the
design/desired character of the proposed development or
redevelopment
- typically these are photographs of comparable projects or
presidents
- a project character results in part from building massing, scale and
placement it also stems from choices of forms and materials and
how they are combined.
CONCEPT EVALUATION AND REFINEMENTS
- As communities and regions increasing in population, undeveloped
site become increasingly important economically and Hydrologically
concern for environmental quality and community sustainability is
leading to greater scrutiny by local governments and citizens and of
the potential development impacts the design review process at local
levels of government examines the potential negative impacts of
proposed development projects on public health and safety and
welfare.
SAFETY AND WELFARE
- some of the questions posed by planningdepartment staff who
review site plans include the following
● It is the proposed to use of the site consistent with the existing
zoning classification of the parcel
● have any risks of natural hazards from flooding erosion
slumping of steep slopes or sandy soils subsidence or other
natural event have been adequately considered
● are they proposed locations of structures and uses relative to
wetlands,, groundwater recharge areas and floodplains
adequate
● would any endangered plant or animal habitat be affected
● have any significant views and or unique natural features been
adequately considered
● does the proposed plan minimize negative impacts specially
noise, dust, other, life/light by variations on the adjoining land
uses these are among the many questions that site planners
among the many questions should ask themselves during the
conceptual design phase prior to the external regulatory
reviews
- the strengths and weaknesses of alternative concepts should be
systematically evaluated using these or similar questions.
- descriptive statistics that compare existing site conditions whith a
proposed site conditions can be helpful in evaluating the merits of a
conceptual site plan
- a systematic comparison of alternative concepts can also expedite
the process of developing a final site plan that combines the best
features of each concept alternative
in summary,concpetual design Is an iterative process involving the spatial
organization of the project basic components more detailed design comes
afterward many possible alternatives exist for arranging programs
activities or uses and recite the complexity of this task can be reduced by
careful analysis of the existing site and contextual conditions design
determinants revealed through the site analysis often suggest the spatial
framework for fitting the program into the site a systematic and analytical
approach to conceptual design is capable of producing defensible site
planning decisions and ultimately higher quality built environments.