Site Analysis: A Contextual Approach to Sustainable Land Planning and Site DesignSite analysis is the key to a welldesigned project. In fact, the careful and complete analysis of a site and its surrounding context can lead to better development proposals, smoother design implementation, and, ultimately, higher quality built environments.
[...]... Additional assistance from the publisher was provided by Jennifer Mazurkie, James Harper, Kim Aleski, Lauren Poplawski, Amy Zarkos, and copyeditor Elizabeth Marotta xii part I Process and Tools Site planning occurs within an environmental and cultural context As human populations have grown, society’s impacts on the earth’s ecosystems have increased Sustainable approaches to site planning attempt to. .. mapping and graphic communication in site planning and design Part II, Site Selection and Programming, also has two chapters Chapter 3 (Site Selection) examines the goals and methods of site suitability analysis leading to the comparison and selection of sites Chapter 4 (Programming) focuses on programming methods such as user surveys, focus groups, and market analyses Part III, Site Inventory and Analysis,... areas and create sustainable and livable places Poor site planning may create a variety of unintended consequences A poorly designed site may, for example, create a vehicle-dominated development that ignores pedestrian needs Poor design may also create vehicle circulation conflicts, increase human exposure to natural hazards, or degrade environmental quality The site planning and design process is far... (Platt 17 Figure 1-6 Relationship between attribute mapping and land use suitability analysis 18 Site Analysis TABLE 1-5 Hazards, constraints, or nuisances that may influence site selection and development Categories Hazards Constraints Nuisances Physical Flooding Storm surge Hurricane Earthquake Landslide Volcano Avalanche Shallow bedrock Shallow water table Erosion susceptibility Hardpan soils Expansive... essential for sustainable land planning and design (Table 1-5) Providing an understanding of the site within its biophysical and socio-cultural context, the site analysis can be useful to allied professions engaged in the land development and impact mitigation process (see Figure 1-7) More detailed information on this process is available in Chapter 8 Law Planning (Due diligence) (Site plan review) Site Analysis... systems, materials, and methods related to site design and construction.’’ The ARE also tests for the ability to delineate areas suitable for the construction of buildings and other site improvements responding to regulatory restrictions and programmatic requirements and define a site profile and maximum buildable envelope based on zoning regulations and environmental constraints Both the ARE and the Landscape... Landscape Architect Registration Exam (LARE) recognize the complexity of site planning, and test for competence in relevant areas The LARE’s ‘ site design ’ section, for example, states: Landscape architects are expected to develop site or land use plans that take into consideration the off -site and on -site influences to development Landscape architects must consider various codes, consultant studies, and. .. unsuitable sites—or poorly designed development on otherwise suitable sites—can have many negative impacts Development impacts vary widely and affect a broad array of natural and cultural resources (Sanford and Farley, 2004) On -site impacts may diminish visual quality and reduce habitat for native vegetation and wildlife Off -site impacts may include traffic congestion, flooding, or pollution of local surface... studios and site inventory/analysis courses in landscape architecture and students in site planning courses in architecture and urban planning These include both graduate and undergraduate courses taught in universities throughout North America and, to a more limited extent, in Europe, Central and South America, Africa, and Asia This book is also intended for practitioners studying for professional licensing... environment ORGANIZATION OF THE BOOK This book is divided into four parts Part I, Process and Tools, contains Chapter 1 (Shaping the Built Environment) and Chapter 2 (Visualization of Spatial Information) The first chapter summarizes the site planning and design process and places site planning and design in the broader context of sustainable planning and development The second chapter addresses the basic principles