A Site analysis is a the initial phase of the architectural design processes dedicated to the study of the context of a specific site.
Here you will find pretty much everything you need to think of when you are carrying out a site analysis for your design project.
Here you will find pretty much everything you need to think of when you are carrying out a site analysis for your design project.
What to take with you
You will need to take the following items with you when you go to look at the site.
- Camera – essential. Make sure you take pictures of everything. Also, make sure you get some shots of the site from a distance so you can use these in your final images. It is so frustrating when you go to the trouble of visiting a site and come back wishing you had taken more pictures.
- Note book. Really important to be able to jot down any observations.
What to look out for
I would suggest you go with a list of items to look out for, and check off your list so that you don’t miss anything. My list would go something like this:
Site and Surroundings
Site and Surroundings
- Site location details (road names, address, major landmarks etc)
- Current context – existing buildings, car parking, roads.
- Access to the site – car parking, bus routes, train stations, cycle routes, pedestrian walkways.
- Accessibility – current provisions of disabled access to the site and how will this need to be considered.
- Circulation – how do visitors/pedestrians/traffic to or near the site flow around or within it.
- Vegetation – landscaping, greenery, shrubs and trees, open spaces.
- Views – where are the best views to and from the site. Which is the most likely feature aspect?
- Building context – what style, period, state of repair are the surrounding buildings? It is a historical/heritage/conservation area? Will your design need to reflect the existing style?
- Is the site close to listed buildings?
- Surfaces and materials around the site.
- Site levels. How will this affect your design process?
- Weather – how does the weather affect the site? Is it well shaded, exposed?
- Noise, odour and pollution – is the site in a particularly noisy area? Or near industrial buildings that produce levels of pollution. Is it near a facility that creates smoke?
Things to look into when you get back to your computer
- History of the site – anything you can use to inform your design. If the site sits in a conservation area or close to listed buildings you may need to go into more detail regarding cultural significance, historic significance, etc.
- Climate conditions of the site/area. Sun path and angles.
- Aerial photographs and maps (google and bing have really useful and quite different aerial images)
Examples:
site_analysis.jpg | |
File Size: | 1034 kb |
File Type: | jpg |