100 Site Analysis Essentials
100 Site Analysis Essentials
100 Site Analysis Essentials
ISBN 9781915722058
While every effort has been made to check the accuracy and quality
of the information given in this publication, neither the Author nor the
Publisher accept any responsibility for the subsequent use of this
information, for any errors or omissions that it may contain, or for any
misunderstandings arising from it.
www.ribapublishing.com
DOI: 10.4324/9781003485988
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ix
Introduction xi
Chapter 1:
Focus of the study 1
Case study 1
Chapter 2:
Context 9
Tips 1–42
Case study 2
Chapter 3:
Routes 100
Tips 43–52
Case study 3
CONTENTS
Chapter 4:
Environment 124
Tips 53–78
Case study 4
Chapter 5:
Groupings and usage 182
Tips 79–86
Case study 5
Chapter 6:
Interface 202
Tips 87–100
Case study 6
Case study 7
Afterword 238
Appendix 240
Worked example A
Worked example B
Bibliography 254
Index 256
CONTENTS
CONTEXT TIP Key issues to consider
Physical infrastructure 26 Explore types of places and spaces around the site.
27 Investigate why the city looks the way it does.
28 Identify monuments and nodes.
29 Review the scale of the street.
30 Review the physical infrastructure.
31 Identify neighbourhoods and districts in and around your site.
32 Identify the scale of the district.
33 Consider how historical backstory impacts on the urban grain.
34 Consider the district as part of the overall city.
35 How might the public realm influence your proposal?
36 Think vertically as well as horizontally; consider different programmes
at different levels.
37 Explore underlying city plans and structures.
Invisible city 38 Track movement to provide data on how people interact with the city.
39 Consider the impact of any underground services.
40 Consider traffic data and restrictions.
41 Download or build your own 3D model of the site.
42 Are there any literary references relating to your site?
ROUTES
ENVIRONMENT
61
62 Conduct an environmental assessment of natural habitats.
63 Check flood risk data, especially in low-lying locations.
64 Explore the backstory of any formal landscapes.
Site usage 79 Map out the various functional uses around your site.
How has the function of your site changed over time?
GROUPINGS
80
Around the site 81 Be aware of activities or functions associated with your site or brief.
82 Consider the proximity of key facilities.
83 Investigate the previous uses of the site.
84 Establish current usage categories locally.
INTERFACE
Site boundary 87 Establish the extent and nature of the site boundary.
88 Assess the permeability of the site boundaries.
89 Undertake an accurate site survey to assess the site’s potential.
90 Consider thresholds where boundaries are poorly defined .
91 Research any legal restrictions impacting the site.
Views into the site Make a sketch looking into the site.
INTERFACE
92
93 How will your proposal impact the townscape?
94 Survey the adjacent properties.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
INTRODUCTION xi
Contextual design does not necessarily mean that everything
‘fits in’ or is deferential to what has gone before. It may be that a
contrast or reaction to what is already there becomes necessary
and appropriate.
Context
This is concerned with the wider area around the site in
question. Consider the density of the neighbourhood, the size
of the city blocks and the historical development of the site.
This should take in a wide geographical range where possible.
Identifying key landmarks, cultural references and other
significant buildings in the area (such as schools, hospitals,
transport hubs, etc.) should also be done at this stage.
Beyond the physical context, this part of the analysis should
also consider the wider sociological and economic conditions
of the site. This data should be represented graphically to help
build a comprehensive picture of the site and any opportunities
for development.
Environment
Responding to the climatic conditions of a site can enhance
most design proposals and have a significant impact on
the ongoing energy costs and interior comfort of a building.
A well-sited and properly orientated design can capture
sunlight whilst minimising solar gain, and create spaces that
are pleasurable to be in. Temperature, humidity and seasonal
change should also be considered. Wind, particularly around
tall structures and in coastal settings, needs special analysis.
Noise pollution can be problematic, but it can be mitigated with
a sensitive design proposal. Beyond climate conditions, consider
topography and natural features, such as animal habitats, trees,
rivers and sea levels.
Consider how the site ‘feels’ and the responses it may
provoke in the visitor. Perhaps the site holds a particular history,
myth or association that resonates with the population. Places
can become infamous or gain associations linked to a particular
event or memory. A plot that was once a religious site will have
a different feel and meaning to a place next to a famous sports
stadium, for example.
Not everything important can be measured and a
phenomenological approach can help to reconcile contradictory
or less tangible site attributes. Consider moving beyond what
you can see and begin to notice the noises, smells, textures
and feelings you can detect around the site. Do they have any
implications for your design choices?
INTRODUCTION xiii
Groupings and usage
What takes place in the vicinity of and within the site? Is it
devoted to a particular activity, for example, is it a residential site
or mixed-use office, a restaurant or apartments? Try to find out
how the wider district or neighbourhood is currently used and
how your site fits in with a wider planning agenda.
Interface
This is all about the immediate context and how the site abuts
its neighbours. As well as the physical boundaries around the
perimeter of the site, you need to consider the views in and
out. Consider how the site is accessed and how much of the
site will be built on. What affect will your proposal have on the
surrounding buildings and their occupants?
Level of detail
After considering the brief it is important to decide how far to
progress with the site analysis. For example, a brief for a new
museum with national significance will require an understanding
of how the proposed site relates to other similar facilities around
the country and how accessible the site is by car and public
transport. Being able to respond to large visitor groups will also
be important. If the proposal is for a new village hall within a
conservation area, then understanding the needs of the local
community, the impact of the proposal on the local townscape
and how the hall might relate to other community facilities
nearby will be valuable.
You need to consider what is special or unique about the site.
If it’s in an exposed coastal location, then details of extreme
weather will be important, whereas a new visitor centre set in the
grounds of a heritage site will require an in-depth understanding
of the history, landscape and architecture of the site. The point is
to recognise and respond to the unique and specific attributes,
rather than attempting to cover everything in your site analysis.
Key takeaway
In summary, it is important to identify what is significant about
the site and how this complements the design brief.
Do not try to incorporate everything into your analysis.
Be prepared to revisit the site to test your observations and
findings. This may require you to return several times, even after
you have begun to develop the design proposals.
Draw and map your analysis so that you can communicate
your findings and ideas in a way that explains to others what
is important about the site. You also need to explain how your
site analysis informs your design proposal and ensure this is
communicated in an effective way using appropriate media.
The ‘Quick Start Chart’ breaks down site analysis into five
parts: context, routes, environment, groupings and usage and
interface. These are the key things to consider when analysing
a site and the subheadings help you to explore what might be
relevant to your specific project. The tips that follow give some
examples from actual sites and how they might influence design
proposals. It is unlikely that all of these subheadings will be
These are certainly great starting points, but also consider the
site beyond the physical characteristics – make sure you weave
in culture, history, politics and social conditions.
All the maps and other images in this book were hand drawn,
requiring the authors to interpret information to communicate
key messages. A variety of styles and techniques have been
used. We encourage you to do the same. Experiment with
different ways of drawing, use colours, diagrams and urban
sketching to document and enhance your thinking. Photographs
are wonderful, but a sketch can convey far more often with
a lot less. Find your own style to communicate and get your
message across.
CONTEXT
Economic
Economics will often drive the viability and appropriateness of a
design within a particular area. Although the client may be able
to fund a project, the extent to which the proposal is appropriate
CONTExT 11
Political
Considering the political context at both a local and national
level provides an insight into the area and may have a big impact
on what can be achieved. Local authority planning restrictions
and national guidelines often dictate what level of development
is possible and what is not. When dealing with projects in a
professional context, these can be critical considerations.
Physical infrastructure
Considering the spaces between the buildings allows the scale
of the street to be assessed, and it is important to think vertically
as well as horizontally. When exploring the qualities of the ‘public’
or outside spaces, consider how successful they are used
along with any space left over after planning (SLOAP). When
investigating the physical infrastructure, consider the ‘solids’ and
‘voids’, the built-up and the spaces, the public and private. Finally,
how does the site fit within the existing street patterns? Is there
a rhythm or over-riding city layout, and how will this shape
your intervention?
Invisible city
The boundaries between the virtual and the real world are
increasingly blurred as online information becomes more
accessible and the virtual world more immersive. Street views,
models of entire cities and virtual reality are all changing how we
interact with, and think about, the built environment. We can use
these tools to test and share our ideas with a global audience.
Our built environment is becoming ‘smart’ – it can respond
to changing conditions and events in real time. Cyber cities,
virtual environments and Google maps can all relay retail and
commercial data informing how we design and can test the
impact of our ideas on the existing cityscape.
CONTEXT
HISTORICAL
Tip links with 2, 3, 20, 21, 22, 27, 78, 83 and 90.
ad 100
CONTExT 15
TIP 2
CONTEXT
HISTORICAL
CONTEXT
HISTORICAL
CONTEXT
HISTORICAL
CONTEXT
HISTORICAL
CONTEXT
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
Tip links with 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 24, 33 and 79.
CONTEXT
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
CONTEXT
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
CONTEXT
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
CONTExT 31
TIP 10
CONTEXT
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
CONTExT 33
TIP 11
CONTEXT
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
CONTEXT
ECONOMIC
CONTExT 37
TIP 13
CONTEXT
ECONOMIC
CONTExT 39
TIP 14
CONTEXT
ECONOMIC
CONTEXT
DENSITY AND DEVELOPMENT
CONTExT 43
TIP 16
CONTEXT
DENSITY AND DEVELOPMENT
CONTExT 45
TIP 17
CONTEXT
DENSITY AND DEVELOPMENT
CONTExT 47
TIP 18
CONTEXT
DENSITY AND DEVELOPMENT
CONTEXT
DENSITY AND DEVELOPMENT
CONTEXT
MATERIALITY AND STYLE
CONTEXT
MATERIALITY AND STYLE
CONTEXT
MATERIALITY AND STYLE
CONTEXT
POLITICAL
CONTExT 59
TIP 24
CONTEXT
POLITICAL
Wythenshawe
City Centre
Large sites and development opportunities
Range of medium sites
Areas in Manchester identified for large sites and
development opportunities.
CONTExT 61
TIP 25
CONTEXT
POLITICAL
CONTEXT
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Tip links with 1, 3, 27, 28, 29, 35, 37, 46 and 73.
CONTEXT
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
2020
CONTExT 67
TIP 28
CONTEXT
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
CONTEXT 69
TIP 29
CONTEXT
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
CONTEXT
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
CONTEXT
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
CONTExT 75
TIP 32
CONTEXT
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Tip links with 11, 14, 24, 34, 43, 44 and 84.
Chester
CONTExT 77
TIP 33
CONTEXT
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
CONTEXT
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Perry Barr
Edrington
Handsworth
Ashton
Rotten Park Washwood
Market Hall
Edbaston Yardley
Harbourn
Acock’ Green
Selly Oak Mosely
Sparkhill
Northfeild
Kings Northon
CONTExT 81
TIP 35
CONTEXT
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
CONTEXT
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
CONTEXT
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
CONTExT 87
TIP 38
CONTEXT
INVISIBLE CITY
CONTEXT
INVISIBLE CITY
CONTEXT
INVISIBLE CITY
CONTEXT
INVISIBLE CITY
CONTEXT
INVISIBLE CITY
Broad Street
Clarendon Building
Bodleian Library/
Old Schools Quadrangle
Radcli-e Camera
University Church of
St Mary the Virgin
CONTExT 99
CHAPTER 3
ROUTES
Vehicular
Vehicular routes include those for cars, buses, trucks and
bicycles. Depending on the proposed function, knowing how
accessible the site is to major roads and motorways can be
important. At a more local level, understanding restrictions on
vehicle access will allow you to plan accordingly.
Cycle routes are becoming increasingly important and in
some parts of Europe it is possible for an inexperienced cyclist
or child to access the centre of a city in complete safety,
DOI: 10.4324/9781003485988-3
segregated from the main vehicular traffic routes. Understanding
existing and proposed routes allows you to consider how
accessible your site is.
Pedestrian
Exploring a city on foot provides a different perspective and
pace. Looking at the routes around or through the site allows
you to consider the human scale. Where are people coming from
and how might your proposal benefit from what is happening
around the site? Pedestrian access to the site can be a
determining factor in your design strategy and feasibility. In some
cases, there may be a public right of way across the site or an
opportunity to create a new link.
Transport
How well the site is served by public transport and what form
this takes can be important. Depending on the function of the
proposal, the use of public transport may be important to allow
stakeholders to use the facility. Bus stops and metro or train
stations can make the site more accessible and therefore more
sustainable. For certain projects, the proximity of airports or
other major transport hubs can be critical. Different areas will
have different transport services and sometimes it is important
to pick up on the availability and frequency of these services.
Timeframe
When assessing how the existing routes work, it is important to
consider how busy they are at different times of the day, month
or year. Certain roads are very busy at rush hour and some
pedestrian routes linking, say, a university campus to the city
centre, may become very quiet during the holidays.
Movement
Exploring the intensity of use allows you to establish the
significance of certain routes, and this may be important in some
commercial situations where the footfall can be a major factor in
establishing viability.
ROUTES 101
TIP 43
ROUTES
VEHICULAR
ROUTES 103
TIP 44
ROUTES
VEHICULAR
ROUTES 105
TIP 45
ROUTES
PEDESTRIAN
Trastevere
Skyline
Pantheon
Colosseum
ROUTES 107
TIP 46
ROUTES
PEDESTRIAN
ROUTES
PEDESTRIAN
ROUTES
TRANSPORT
ROUTES 113
TIP 49
ROUTES
TRANSPORT
Tip links with 34, 40, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 51 and 52.
ROUTES 115
TIP 50
ROUTES
TRANSPORT
ROUTES
TIMEFRAME
Tip links with 8, 12, 40, 44, 45, 52, 71 and 82.
ROUTES
TIMEFRAME
After
ROUTES 123
CHAPTER 4
ENVIRONMENT
Climate
Climate data and the ‘yellow banana diagram’, indicating the
sun’s movement across the site, is often used. Wind rose charts
are also popular, showing the direction and frequency of the
wind distribution for an area. However, the data gathered is only
useful if it provides information that is relevant to the specific
site location and will make a difference to the design proposal.
DOI: 10.4324/9781003485988-4
It is now relatively easy to set up a ‘Sketch Up’ model and show
how shadows are cast across a site at different times of the day
or year. Alternatively, a physical site model can be tested using a
heliodon – or simply replicating altitude and azimuth with a torch.
Wind direction is affected by local features, so that winds tend
to flow along valleys or estuaries rather than across them. Being
aware of extreme weather in exposed locations is important as it
will affect the design proposals.
Data on rainfall, temperature range and humidity are readily
accessible, but the way these events occur at extreme times
needs to be considered, since one of the issues associated with
climate change is an increase in extremes.
Topographical
Having information about the size of the site, the levels and
any important features is an essential starting point for any
design proposal. The accuracy of the information should tally
with the level of design detail being considered. Even relatively
flat sites can have falls across them, and these can make a big
difference to access and floor levels. Also take note of gradients,
ramps or steps. Ground conditions, substructure services and
contamination are all important considerations with a live project
but may be less so with theoretical college projects. When
dealing with existing buildings, an accurate and detailed survey is
essential, especially when proposals become more detailed.
Natural features
Whether the site is located in the city or a more rural location,
the existing landscape and natural features may influence your
design proposals. Existing trees can have an impact on what
might be possible in terms of siting your project and wildlife
habitats can also be a major constraint. For a live project,
surveys of newts, bats and other mammals can be necessary.
A site near a river may be affected by flooding and issues
associated with water run-off and erosion can be important
considerations. The biodiversity of a site can sometimes be a
major factor to be considered.
ENvIRONMENT 125
Man-made features
The environment may be affected by man-made features and
the townscape might include unusual ground surface materials,
bollards, railings and other street furniture. The modern era has
introduced less attractive equipment into towns and features
such as power lines, telephone masts, satellite disks and solar
panels, which can be intrusive features.
The quality of artificial light can influence the character of a
space at night and be a barrier to ‘dark skies’ in rural areas. The
same is true of sound pollution and an awareness of nearby
transport routes or manufacturing facilities may be significant
depending on the proposal. Air quality is also important, as well
as an awareness of unpleasant odours as a result of natural or
man-made processes.
Timeframe
When considering the climate, as well as sound, light and
air pollution, it is necessary to note how things vary over
the seasons or over a typical day. For example, the noise
associated with clubs and music venues may only be evident
later in the evening and poor air quality may coincide with
particular climatic conditions or rush hours. Considering the
environmental conditions over a 24-hour period can be useful
and an awareness of the climate at different times of the year
is essential.
Street hierarchies
The quality of the urban environment is often determined by the
streets and the height of the buildings. This is perhaps most
pronounced in a medieval city, with narrow alleyways and high
buildings, but more modern cities like New York can also provide
an extraordinary experience. The extent to which these patterns
dictate the future proposals will depend upon the function,
and also the current regulations on space standards and
interface distances.
phenomenology
Architecture is a spatial medium but it also has tangible
qualities – surfaces and textures – that the architect can use,
sculpt and curate. These qualities also change appearance in
different lighting conditions, at different times of the day and in
different seasons. These qualities in and around the site can be
observed, recorded and might inform your response as part of
the design proposal.
Buildings also have acoustic qualities. The reverberation,
echoes and the relationship between volume and surface
materials can have a profound impact on how the space is used
and experienced.
As designers we can both respond to these qualities and
seek to create them. We can also think beyond the five senses
and attempt to invoke memories, recall associations and
stir emotions.
This approach to design requires the inclusion of stakeholders
who are involved with the project but perceive things in a
different way. Inclusivity and accessibility must be at the core of
what we produce.
Whist statistics, maps and graphs can provide objective data,
visiting the site and reflecting upon how it makes you feel can be
important. Consider how ‘safe’ you feel on the site or when moving
through the surrounding areas. You might develop a creative
response to the site through a photographic montage, or perhaps
there is a particular photograph or artwork that encapsulates
the site in some way. Site analysis does not have to remain a
fact-based extraction of data; even your own maps and sketches
of the site can be fundamental in developing design ideas.
ENvIRONMENT 127
TIP 53
ENVIRONMENT
CLIMATE
ENVIRONMENT
CLIMATE
ENVIRONMENT
CLIMATE
ENvIRONMENT 133
TIP 56
ENVIRONMENT
CLIMATE
High tide
Low tide
ENvIRONMENT 135
TIP 57
ENVIRONMENT
TOPOGRAPHICAL
25.00m
19.50m
14.00m
8.50m
ENvIRONMENT 137
TIP 58
ENVIRONMENT
TOPOGRAPHICAL
ENVIRONMENT
TOPOGRAPHICAL
1990
ENvIRONMENT 141
TIP 60
ENVIRONMENT
NATURAL FEATURES
ENVIRONMENT
NATURAL FEATURES
ENVIRONMENT
NATURAL FEATURES
CONDUCT AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF
NATURAL HABITATS.
ENVIRONMENT
NATURAL FEATURES
ENvIRONMENT 149
TIP 64
ENVIRONMENT
NATURAL FEATURES
ENVIRONMENT
MAN-MADE FEATURES
Tip links with 1, 20, 26, 28, 47, 64, 66, 92 and 95.
ENVIRONMENT
MAN-MADE FEATURES
ENVIRONMENT
MAN-MADE FEATURES
ENVIRONMENT
MAN-MADE FEATURES
ENVIRONMENT
MAN-MADE FEATURES
ENvIRONMENT 161
TIP 70
ENVIRONMENT
TIMEFRAME
ENVIRONMENT
TIMEFRAME
ENVIRONMENT
STREET HIERARCHIES
ENVIRONMENT
STREET HIERARCHIES
ENVIRONMENT
SUSTAINABILITY
ENVIRONMENT
SUSTAINABILITY
ENVIRONMENT
PHENOMENOLOGY
ENVIRONMENT
PHENOMENOLOGY
ENVIRONMENT
PHENOMENOLOGY
Flint Burton
WALES
WALES
Shotwick
Route across estuary at low tide
ENvIRONMENT 179
CASE STUDY 4
AELTC COMMUNITY
TENNIS CENTRE
LANGSTAFF DAY ARCHITECTS
What you can see
The tennis club in Raynes Park had a problematic site. It frequently
flooded and the sports pitches could not be used. Other factors
and constraints had to be considered, such as orientating the
tennis courts in the same direction as the Wimbledon courts for
effective practice; providing suitable drop-off and parking areas;
maximising views from the club house over the courts without
overshadowing; providing community-use pitches that could be
isolated from the tennis courts; providing discrete maintenance
facilities and also respecting the residential neighbourhood.
detention basin
playing surfaces
flooding
no drainage
permeable
car park
surface
views from recycled
clubhouse water for
hard landscaping irrigation
clubhouse overlooking maintenance
for parking neighbours
under court
drainage
EXISTING PROPOSED
ENvIRONMENT 181
CHAPTER 5
GROUPINGS AND
USAGE
Site usage
What is the current use of the site and what is its designation
in terms of local authority planning? Establish how the site is
being used now. If there is a change of function, say from retail
to residential, there will be implications in terms of planning
approval, which must inform your design proposal.
DOI: 10.4324/9781003485988-5
around the site
The functions of the areas around the site will have an influence
on how the site might be developed. What is the predominant
use of the surrounding buildings or land? Where are the key
buildings or facilities located? How close is the local school or
hospital? Exploring what parks or other recreational amenities
are available may also be important, as well as the proximity
of countryside and other open spaces. The story of land use
is often a complex one and may involve accessing census or
other data to establish what is going on. Land ownership is also
important, and it may be that a single individual or company
controls what goes on over a large geographical area.
Considering the ‘public’ and ‘private’ areas provides a
perspective on access and perception. There are often
thresholds or boundaries that exist (not always physical) that
signal public access or private domains.
GROUPINGS
SITE USAGE
MAP OUT THE VARIOUS FUNCTIONAL USES
AROUND YOUR SITE.
What you can see
A plan of Liverpool city centre showing certain buildings
highlighted according to their use. Certain parts of a city may
become associated with a particular activity or specialist
provision. Here the map shows the location of public houses,
nightclubs and cinemas within a small area highlighting the
night-time activity of the district.
GROUPINGS
SITE USAGE
GROUPINGS
AROUND THE SITE
Halifax
5. 6.
Wakefield
Hospitals
1. Bradford
2. Leeds General
3. St James’s
4. St Luke’s
5. Calderdale Royal
6. Pinderfields
Motorways
GROUPINGS
AROUND THE SITE
Tip links with 24, 44, 48, 49, 54, 79 and 85.
GROUPINGS
AROUND THE SITE
2020
GROUPINGS
AROUND THE SITE
GROUPINGS
RELATIONSHIP TO THE WIDER AREA
GROUPINGS
RELATIONSHIP TO THE WIDER AREA
INTERFACE
Site boundary
The location of the site boundary and what it consists of is the
starting point for any proposal. When dealing with live projects
this is not always straightforward. The boundary may be poorly
defined as part of a wide hedge or a fence may have been
removed, or else the boundary may not be marked physically at
all and is in the middle of a field. Establishing what the boundary
DOI: 10.4324/9781003485988-6
is, what materials it is constructed from and its permeability are
all important and may have an impact on the design proposals.
Ownership of the site and adjacent areas can be significant.
In certain circumstances a land-locked site may be difficult to
develop, or it may be that an adjacent owner controls a ‘ransom
strip’, which potentially provides access. Sometimes a boundary
will be created by a route or road, and considering how the site
relates to the movement along the street will have an impact
on the design. Finally, the permeability of the boundary is an
important consideration, and it may be that views out from the
site are impossible, or access to the site is restricted.
INTERFACE 203
potential and having this information to hand is essential if the
proposals are to exploit the opportunities.
Neighbours
Privacy and interface to the adjoining sites can be a major
constraint to the design proposals. In live projects this is
also tied into land ownership and legislation about interface
distances, especially if the project is concerned with housing.
Rights of light can also be an important consideration and, in
cities like London, a complex issue to assess. Corners need
special attention, as they offer a lot of design opportunity and
must respond to both streets and the wider junction.
Access
The nature of the boundary and the routes around the site
will determine the availability of access. Identifying potential
access points will allow you to consider what is possible in
terms of the developing design. Issues such as adjacent land
ownership, rights of access for you and your neighbours and
any restrictions will all be factors. In live projects these things
can sometimes make a project non-viable because there may be
issues outside the control of the site owner or developer.
INTERFACE
SITE BOUNDARY
INTERFACE
SITE BOUNDARY
INTERFACE
SITE BOUNDARY
INTERFACE
SITE BOUNDARY
INTERFACE
SITE BOUNDARY
INTERFACE
VIEWS INTO THE SITE
INTERFACE
VIEWS INTO THE SITE
INTERFACE
VIEWS INTO THE SITE
INTERFACE
VIEWS OUT FROM THE SITE
INTERFACE
VIEWS OUT FROM THE SITE
INTERFACE
NEIGHBOURS
INTERFACE
NEIGHBOURS
INTERFACE
ACCESS
INTERFACE
ACCESS
INTERFACE 235
CASE STUDY 7
URBAN RENEWAL OF
KLOOSTERBUUREN
HANS VAN DER HEIJDEN
What you can see
This case study examines an urban renewal housing project
in Moerijk, north of The Hague in the Netherlands (shown in
yellow). Now used primarily for housing refugees, the scheme
retained an existing church (outlined in red), which once formed
part of a larger monastery on the site. The square adjacent
to the church provides a focus and also links with the existing
pedestrian routes (dotted in red).
What does this mean?
The urban block (outlined in blue) is one of several residential
blocks on the outskirts of Delft. The main vehicular routes create
a grid pattern around the town within which smaller blocks sit.
Each of these smaller blocks has a more intimate urban grain
reflecting its uses and movement, as well as exhibiting its own
special character.
What the architect says
Aerial photographs are useful to show the urban grain without
abstracting information. With this project it was important not
to restrict our analysis just to our own block. The site analysis
accompanied the briefing process and the client was kept
fully engaged and encouraged to take a longer-term view
of the site. Even though the church’s future use had not yet
been determined, retaining it meant that the site edges were
articulated and helped the client market this unique feature of the
site. The existing green avenues were a real asset and created
an important link between the architecture and the landscape.
AFTERWORD 239
AppENDIx
WORKED EXAMPLE A
Routes – pedestrian
The site is on the southern edge of the University of Liverpool
with movement of students across campus and to a pub located
just to the south of the site.
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Environment – climate and trees
This is mostly an urban environment, although there is some
greenery in a nearby square. The site is not overshadowed
and is quite sunny, particularly when the sun is higher in the
summer months.
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Opportunities – testing the constraints
A design strategy starts to show potential for interesting things
happening to the south-west corner and the need for a buffer
zone to the north.
Brief analysis
Begin to explore the brief and to test out the implications of the
site constraints. How might the accommodation be arranged and
best positioned to exploit the features of the site such as the
climate, light and views?
Testing
Test the design ideas and consider how they relate to your site
analysis. How are the views, routes, shadows, entrances, scale
and massing starting to align? Investigate these ideas further
in 3D with card models, photographs and montages to see the
implications of various design options.
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Preliminary proposals
Proposals can then begin to take shape and the impact of your
proposal tested. Note how the existing streetscape is included;
always include the neighbouring buildings (even in sketch form)
on your proposals. A perspective sketch need only take a few
minutes to produce but it can very quickly reveal your design and
how it responds to the site.
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Groupings and nodes
The site is outlined in red with existing features shown and
future road improvements given in purple.
Design strategy
Use the analysis to develop a strategy for the proposed
development, showing landscape and picking up on connections
to the high street and further developments to the east.
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Development proposals
A more formal drawing shows the proposed interventions (dark
grey), landscape and routes. This example demonstrates how
you might develop a massing layout and overall design strategy.
The next stage would be to consider the historical, social and
material properties of the site.
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IMAGE CREDITS
All images Peter Farrall and Iain Jackson. Case Studies and
Worked Examples redrawn by Farrall and Jackson from
architects’ original drawings with permission.