Site study template:

Geographical and physical data collection:

1. Context:
a. Physical layout
b. Surrounding built and unbuilt form and the landuse
c. Directions of traffic, main transit nodes and types, direction of pedestrian traffic, peak
times for activities
d. Service Utilities locations to site.
e. Relevant distances from major transport connections based on typology, as also
connections from which footfalls are anticipated.
f. Road widths and gradient – traffic types and times – peak traffic times.
g. Pavements widths where applicable. Who uses the pavement and for what purposes?
h. Same side and opposite side street elevations (by continuous stretches of photography)
i. Identification of specific landuse or user group pockets in vicinity who will be users of
the site
j. Directions of movement of intended users. Who are the natural users of the program,
Where do they come from and by what means of transport? – Connected to user study.

2. In site:
a. Surrounding roads and entry points
b. In site features – slope, flora and fauna, physical forms, water sources, utilities etc
c. Temperature study in different times of the day and night at different locations of site.
Sun path sun ray direction explorations at different times of the day. Morning,
afternoon, night.
d. Wind pattern study similarly. Directions at specific day times – e,g. morning, afternoon,
night
e. Areas of shade and high sun within site – based on times of day (which parts of the site
get hit by evening sun, morning sun etc.)
f. Soil conditions at different parts of site. Efforts should be taken to creatively understand
soil layers approximately, by studying any holes in the ground or level differences, or
water bodies etc.
g. Shadows and shades – for sun and wind created by features in adjacent properties –
neighbours buildings or vegetation etc. Similarly adjacent open areas need to be studied
to understand whether they contribute to heat/ wind or rain effect within site.
h. Noise directions – identify main noise level areas – like adjacent main roads etc to
understand its impact within site.
i. Areas of pollution within the site and its precinct which impact/ can impact the site.
Context and Social Data

1. Inside site:
a. Existing Usages if any.
b. Existing Users if any
c. Activities within the site, which influence the surroundings.
2. Outside Site:
a. Context demographics – who are the people around this site?
i. How long have the settlements existed? If recent where have they come from?
ii. What are their socio economic backgrounds, education levels, income patterns?
iii. What are their occupations and how long have they been practicing any
traditional occupations if there are.
iv. How do the young behave within the context? Are they eager to leave? Do they
want to stay? Are their aspirations delivered in situ?
v. What kind of commuting vehicles do people have?
vi. Women’s hostels, women’s public movement on streets.
vii. Is the area inclusive and friendly to different demographics and users like the
elderly, children, differently abled or are the users mainly of one age group/
demographics?
viii. Do people feel safe on the streets outside the site?
b. History and Culture
i. Historical legacy of the area – social and economic
ii. Built history of the site
iii. Connections to old legacies and literature
iv. Geographical and geological history – changes in topography within recorded
times, etc.