Theory of Site Planning - Part 1 (UP Mindanao Lecture)
Theory of Site Planning - Part 1 (UP Mindanao Lecture)
Theory of Site Planning - Part 1 (UP Mindanao Lecture)
The
ART AND SCIENCE OF
SITE PLANNING
and
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
6th
Definition
SITE PLANNING
The art and science of arranging the uses of portions of land is site planning.
Site planners designate these uses in detail by selecting and analyzing sites,
forming land use plans, organizing vehicular and pedestrian circulation,
developing visual forms and material concepts, readjusting existing landforms
by design grading, providing proper drainage, and finally developing the
construction details necessary to carry out the project.
SITE DESIGN
Entails the whole range of concerns relating to the development, or
redevelopment, of a piece of ground for some planned purposes.
Common purpose is the construction of a building on the ground of a
site; thus, building/site relations and interactions to direct physical
connections and sharing of the site space are experienced or
perceived.
Site Conditions
1.
Existing Site Conditions
2.
Design Problem considerations
3.
Physical Site conditions
4.
Site Survey. Maps on boundaries, access road location and transportation networks,
utilities easement, and major site features.
5.
Helpful Maps. Geologic Map, Zoning Map, Aerial Surveys, General Map
6.
Site Development Plans
7.
Site Plans
8.
Grading Plans
9.
Construction Plans
10. Helpful Data Sources: Surface Drainage, Existing Streets, Existing Utilities, Adjacent
Properties
11. General Information on:
-Ownership Legality/Access availability and usage
-Zoning Ordinance
-Weather and General Climatic Records
-Regional Demographic Studies
-General Community or Regional Development Plans
-Legal Constraints
-Ownership
-Usage Restrictions
-Building Codes/Local and National Building laws & Ordinances
BUILDING/SITE RELATIONS
Siting the building establishes the specific geometric, spatial relationship
between a building and its site. Consisting of :
HORIZONTAL POSITIONING.
Establishes the plan location of the building on the site considering the
following factors:
1.
Setbacks
2.
Protection of easements
3.
Site space for driveways, walks, underground utilities
4.
Protection of views or privacy
5.
Construction allowances
6.
Topography
7.
The shape of the building (building ground level perimeter
profile) is usually strongly related to the site form, especially for
tight sites where the building covers a major portion of the site
surface. The building shape is both restricted by the site form
and strongly limits the potential for developing other site areas.
BUILDING/SITE RELATIONS
VERTICAL POSITIONING
1.
Relation to any existing buildings or other features
2.
Relation to existing site features: grades, ground water
levels, soil conditions.
3.
Relation to existing underground utilities.
4.
Vertical locations of both the edges and buildings will
also
establish some conditions for other site elementsmost notably
sidewalks, driveways, terraces, breezeways
or other elements
involving traffic of people or vehicles.
Site drainage, as it affects both the site and the building, will be strongly
defined. It is best to direct surface drainage away from the building edges,
especially when there are basement spaces. Controlled drainage on a tight
site or one with problem site edges may present a different situation, and
building edges may actually be used as a site drainage collection points that
feed into a sewer system.
BUILDING/SITE RELATIONS
ACCESS.
The access path typically begins with the concern for access on to the site, which is
usually constrained by adjacent properties or streets for 2 forms of traffic
pedestrian and vehicular. Access also considers the provision of accessibility for
persons with limited abilities
"
LAND ANALYSIS
Topography
Property boundaries
Existing buildings
Utility poles
Roads
Manufactured features
Contour lines on a map are a graphic way to show the elevations of the land in a plan
view and are used to determine the suitability of the land for various uses.
Contour intervals is the vertical distance between contour lines
LAND ANALYSIS
"
SLOPE ANALYSIS CATEGORIES:
Slope 0%-4%" Usable for all types of intense activities and are easy
to build on.
Slope 4%-10%" Suitable for informal movement and outdoor activity
and can also be but without much difficulty.
Slopes over 10%-25% " Difficult to climb or use for outdoor activity
and more difficult and expensive to build on.
Slopes over 25%"
Depending on the conditions of the soil, are
subject to erosion and become more expensive to build on.
"
Respecting the natural contours and slope of the land is
important from an ecological, aesthetic and ecological standpoint.
Ideally, the amount of earth cut away in grading operations should
equal the amount required to fill in other portions of the site.
NATURAL FEATURES
1.
View analysis may be required to determine the most
desirable ways to orient buildings, outdoor areas, and
approaches
to the buildings. Undesirable views can be
minimized or
blocked with landscaping or other
manufactured features.
2.
Significant natural features such as rock outcroppings, cliffs,
caves, and bogs should be identified to determine whether
they must be avoided or can be used as positive design features in
the site design.
3.
Subsurface conditions of groundwater and rock must be
known also. Sites with high water tables (about 1.80-2.40 meters
below grade) can cause problems with excavations,
foundations,
utility placement, and landscaping. The water
table is the level
underground in which the soil is saturated
with water.
Generally, the water follows the slope of the
grade above, but it
may vary slightly. Boring logs will reveal whether groundwater is
present and how deep it is.
4.
Sites with a preponderance of rocks near the surface can be
very expensive and difficult to develop. Blasting is usually
required, which can increase the site development costs significantly
(or may not be allowed by the city code restrictions)
DRAINAGE
Every site has some type of natural drainage pattern that must be taken into
account during design. In some cases the drainage may be relatively minor,
consisting only of the runoff from the site itself and a small amount from adjacent
sites. This type of drainage can be easily diverted around roads, parking lots, and
buildings with curbs, culverts, and minor changes in the contours of the land. In
other cases major drainage paths such as gullies, dry gulches, or rivers may
traverse the site. These will have a significant influence on potential site
development because they must, in most cases, be maintained. Buildings need
to be built away from them or must bridge them so that water flow is not
restricted and potential damages are avoided. If modifications to the contours are
required, the changes must be done in such a way that the contours of the
adjacent properties are not disturbed.
The development of the site may be so extensive that excessive runoff is created
due to roof areas, roads, and parking lots. All of these increase the runoff
coefficient, the fraction of total precipitation that is not absorbed into the ground.
If the runoff is greater than the capacity of the natural or artificial drainage of the
site, holding pools must be constructed to temporarily collect the site runoff and
release it at a controlled rate.
SOIL
Soil is the pulverized upper layer of the earth,
formed by the erosion of rocks and plant remains
modified by living plants and organisms. Generally,
the visible layer is topsoil, a mixture or mineral and
organic material. The thickness of topsoil may
range from just a few inches to a foot or more.
Below this is a layer mostly mineral material, which
is above a layer of the fractured and weathered
parent material of the soil above. Below all these
layers is solid bedrock. Soil is classified according
to grain size and as either organic or inorganic
"
Peat and other organic materials are excellent for landscaping
but unsuitable for building foundations or road bases.
Usually, these soils must be removed from the site and
replaced with sands and gravels for foundations and roads.
2. Public Transit
The availability and location of public transit lines can influence site
design. A site analysis should include a determination of the types of public
access available (whether bus, subway, rail line or taxi stop) and the location
relative to the site. Building entrances and major site features should be
located conveniently to the public transit. In large cities, site development may
have to include provisions for public access to subway and rail lines.
3.
Service Access
Service to a site includes provisions for truck loading, moving vans, and
daily delivery services. Ideally service access should be separated from
automobile and pedestrian access to a site and a building. Space for large-truck
turning
4.
Utility Availability
5.
Local Government Services