SITE ANALYSIS & PLANNING

Confusion

Site analysis

?
Site inventory
Research
Data collection

Definition

Site analysis

A site analysis is a program driven

assessment of a sites physical,
biological, and cultural attributes.
The site analysis identifies the
opportunities and constraints for a
specific land use program.
Site analysis is a diagnostic process,
and not just a matter of descriptive
mapping.
The amount of land suitable for
development is determined during the
site analysis.
Some parts of the site may be
unsuitable for development because of
inherent physiographic constraints like :Shallow bedrock
Steep slopes
Highly erodible soils etc.

Understanding

Site analysis

Other parts of the site may be suitable

for development but relatively
inaccessible
Lack of access may be due to
intervening site conditions such as water
and wetlands or to the property
boundaries
alternative

Location ofthat
the preclude
various uses
within the
access
routes
site
, e.g.
parking , service areas ,
recreation zones
And the integration of what is preserved
with what is proposed
Distinctions may be made between
those factors which are within the site
(on site ) and those which are outside the
site (off site) but still affect development
of site.

Understanding

Category
Physical

Sub-Category
Soils

Topography

Attribute
Bearing capacity
Porosity
Stability
Erodibility
Fertility
Acidity
Elevation:

spatial variation in elevation

produces slopes that have both a gradient and an
orientation.

Slope :The slopes of undeveloped sites

reflects the local areas geology ,climate and soils.

Aspect :A slopes orientation ,or aspect,is

the direction the slope faces.

Hydrology
Water circulates in the earths
environment through precipitation
,overland flow ,infiltration , storage
and evapotranspiration
Topographic relief creates drainage
patterns which in turn influence
vegetation associations and
distributions
Development of the site effects the
local drainage pattern of the area
within which the site is located.
Development is usually accompanied
by an increased in the non porous
surface and storm water run off is
therefore increased ..

Surface drainage
Water chemistry (eg ,
salinity , nitrate )
depth to the seasonal
water
Aquifer recharge areas
Seeps and springs

Understanding

Category
Physical

Biological

Sub-Category
Geology

Attribute
Landforms
Seismic hazards
Depth to bedrock

Climate

Solar access
Winds (prevailing ,
winter)

Vegetation

Plant communities
Specimen trees
Exotic invasive
species

Wildlife

Endangered or
threatened species
habitats

Understanding

Category
Cultural

Sub-Category

Attribute

land use

Prior land use

Land use on adjoining
properties

legal

Political boundaries
Land ownership
Land use regulations
Easements
restrictions

Utilities

Sanitary sewer
Storm sewer
Electric
Gas
Water
telecommunications

Understanding

Category

Sub-Category

Cultural

Circulation

Attribute
Street function
(e.g.,material
collector)
Traffic volume

Historic

Buildings and
landmarks
Archeological site

Sensory

Visibility
Visual quality
Noise
odours

Understanding
A. Site location
a. Identify surrounding land uses and their
conditions.
b. Are they residential, commercial, recreational,
educational, and so
Forth?
c. How well are the adjoining properties maintained?
B. Topography
a. Identify degree of slope steepness at different areas
throughout the site
(slope inventory).
b. Identify potential areas of erosion or poor drainage.
c. Identify grade change between inside (finished floor
elevation) and outside
grade around the foundation of the house, especially at the
d.
Determine the ease of walking on various areas of the
doorways.
site (this will also
identify relative steepness).
e. Identify the elevation changes between the top and
bottom of existing
steps, walls, fences, and so forth.
C. Drainage
1. Identify direction(s) of surface water drainage.
a. Does water drain away from the house on all sides?
b. Where does the water flow from the downspouts?
2. Determine wet spots or areas of standing water.
a. Where are they located and for what lengths of time?
3. Identify drainage onto and away from the site.
a. Does any off-site surface water drain onto the site? How
much, when,
b.
Where
does the water flow to when it leaves the site?
and
where?

Understanding
A horizon is the topsoil that

D. Soil
1. Identify soil characteristics (acid, alkaline, sandy,
clay, gravel, fertile, and so on).
2. Identify depth of topsoil.
3. Identify depth of soil to bedrock.
E. Vegetation
1. Locate and identify existing plant materials.
2. Where appropriate, identify:
a. plant species.
b. size (caliper [diameter of a tree trunk 4 feet above the
ground], spread,
c.
form.
total
height, and height to bottom of canopy).
d. color (flower and foliage).
e. texture.
f. distinguishing features and characteristics.
3. Determine the overall condition, importance, potential
use, and clients
opinion of existing plant materials.
F. Microclimate
1. Identify location of sun at sunrise and sunset at different
times of the year
(January,
March,
June, and
September,
for
example).
2. Identify
the vertical
angle
of the sun
above
the horizon at
different times
of
the day andareas
seasons
of site
the year.
3. Determine
of the
that are mostly sunny or
mostly shady during
different
times
of the
day and
of the year.
4. Determine
areas
exposed
toseasons
and protected
from
the intense summer afternoon sun.
5. Identify areas exposed to warming winter sun.

has humus, roots, organisms in

it

A horizon
B horizon

B horizon is the subsoil that

has fine particles, leached
materials , and roots
C horizon is the Parent

C horizon Material where there is

D horizon weathered bedrock and some
leached materials
D horizon is the Bedrock
underlying solid rock

Understanding
6. Identify prevailing wind direction throughout the
year.
7. Determine site areas exposed to or protected from
cooling summer breezes.
8. Determine site areas exposed to or protected from cold
winter
winds.
9. Identify
depth of frost in winter months.
H. Existing structures
1. Locate and identify condition and materials of existing
walks, terraces,
steps, walls, fences, and so on.
I. Utilities
1. Locate utility lines (water, gas, electric, telephone, cable,
storm sewer,
septic
tank, leach
field, etc.).
a. Are there
any easements
associated with the utility lines?
b. Are there any telephone and electrical junction boxes?
c. Are there any utility shut-off valves?
J. Views
1. Take note of what is seen from all sides of the site looking
off-site.
a.
the views
vary
during
seasons?
2. Do
Observe
views
from
insidedifferent
the house
looking to the
outside.
3. Experience views from off the site looking onto the site
(views from the
street as well as from different sides of the site).
a.
are
the best
and worst
views winter
of the site?
4.Where
Identify
areas
exposed
to warming
sun.
K. Spaces and senses
1. Determine pleasant or disturbing sounds (singing birds,
traffic noise,
children
playing,
rustling
2. Identify
fragrances
andleaves,
odors. and so on).

Samples

Samples

CONCLSION

What is landscape
architecture