BY  RAMONA  SOLOMON  

 Lecture  2  

 Site  Analysis  

The  Poten;als  &  Constraints      

   

   What  is  involved  in  a  site  analysis?    The   purpose   of   the   site   analysis   is   to   record   and  evaluate   informa;on   on   the   site   and   its   surroundings,  and  to  use  this  evalua;on  in  the  design  response.    Site   analysis   is   more   than   just   collec;ng   informa;on  about   the   site.   The   site   analysis   should   iden;fy   issues  that  will  influence  the  design  of  a  development  in  order  to   make   a   considered   response   to   both   site  opportuni;es  and  constraints,  to  provide  a  good  quality  living   environment,   and   respect,   acknowledge   and  improve  the  character  of  the  area.  

   The  site  analysis  –  ge3ng  it  right  

 The  site  analysis  should  provide  the  basis  for  the  design  response.   A   site   analysis   is   not   a   jus;fica;on   for   a  preconceived   design.   A   good   site   analysis   will   be   a  combina;on  of  facts  and  influences  for  development  of  an  appropriate  design  response.    

   Site  Survey  

 Start   with   a   site   survey,   documen;ng   the   physical  features  of   the  site  and  surroundings,  no;ng  par;cular  aspects   which   will   be   important   to   acknowledge   in  developing   your   design.   These   could   include   habitable  room  windows,   decks/balconies   or   private   open   space  areas   on   adjacent   sites,   through   to   issues   of  neighbourhood   character   can   influence   your   design  response.    

   Site  Context  Plan    

 The   site   context   plan   shows   the   type   of   design  constraints   and   opportuni;es   which   will   drive   an  effec;ve  design  response.    Photographs   and   sketches   can   be   used   to  communicate   the   ideas   and   observa;ons.   Each   site  warrants  its  own  inves;ga;ons.    

   

SITE  ANALYSIS  -­‐  THINGS  TO  CONSIDER    The  site  visit  is  one  of  the  first  things  in  the  design   process.   AQer   the   comple;on   of   a  site   visit,   a   detailed   site   analysis   has   to   be  done  so  as  to  really  grasp  the  features  of  the  site,  which  will  be  very  important  during  the  design.   Here   are   some   of   the   points   one  must   pay   aSen;on   during   the   site   visit   as  well  as  during  the  site  analysis  and  study.    

   

LocaGon      This   is   the  first   thing   that   one  needs   to   look   at.  Where   is   the   site   located?   How   is   the   site  approached?  What  is  the  name  of  the  street,  the  road   etc   on   which   the   site   is   located?   How   far  away  is  the  major  junc;on?  

   OrientaGon    

 The   orienta;on   of   the   site   plays   a   very   important  role   in   si;ng   of   the   building.   This,   when   combined  with   the  wind  direc;on  and   sun  path,  would  give  a  good   idea  as   to  how   the  design   should  be  oriented  so   as   to   op;mise   the   design.   The   orienta;on   along  with  the  sunpath  will  also  determine  the  placement  of  rooms  inside  buildings.    

   

Temperature  &  Sun  path      The   sun   path   direc;on   tells   one   which   will   be   the   side  from  which  the  maximum  heat  will  be  coming,  especially  in  the  aQernoons.  In  warmer  climates,  the  design  will  try  to  reduce  the  amount  of  incident  sunlight  so  as  to  reduce  the  heat  intake  to  a  minimum.  The  lesser  surface  area  of  the   building  which   is   exposed   to   the   sun,   lesser  will   be  the  conduc;ve  hea;ng.  In   colder   climates,   the   design   will   try   to   maximise   the  amount  of  sunlight  incident  on  the  building  so  as  to  have  maximum  warmth  as  possible.  

   

Wind  DirecGon      Most   of   the   loca;ons   will   have   a   general   major  direc;on   from   which   the   wind   comes.   However,   this  will  not  always  hold  true  and  will  vary  from  loca;on  to  loca;on.   If   we   are   to   design   a   climatologically  responsive  building,  it  will  be  important  to  consider  the  direc;on   of   the   wind   so   that   it   can   be   channelised  through   the   interiors.   This   will   play   a   major   role   in  placement  &  size  of  openings.      

   

Topography    This  refers  to  the  slope  and  level  of  the  land  –  whether  the  land  is  flat  and  plain,  or  whether  it  is  sloping?  From  a   design   point   of   view,   a   sloping   site   will   be   more  challenging.   If  a  site   is  sloping,  the  exact  slope  can  be  interpreted  from  a  detailed  Contour  map.  The  contour  loca;ons  and  spacing  of  contours  will  play  a  big  role  in  the  si;ng  of  the  building.    

   

Soil  Type  &  CondiGon    Soils   vary   from   place   to   place.   Their   proper;es   also  vary   according   to   the   type   of   soil.   Sandy   soil,   clayey  soil,   laterite   etc,   all   have   different   proper;es,   which  affect  the  design  of  the  building.  This  is  very  important  from   a   structural   point   of   view   while   designing  buildings.  The  safe   load  bearing  capacity  of   the  soil   is  to  be  found  out  aQer  which  the  structural  system  and  the  founda;ons  will  be  designed  accordingly.  

   

VegetaGon  &  Natural  Features      Any   good   design   will   integrate   vegeta;on   into   the  design,  highlight  &  accentuate  it  to  create  a  harmonious  whole.   It   will   consist   of   all   the   trees,   flora   and   fauna  present   on   the   site.   These   should   be  marked   onto   the  site  plan  so  that  it  will  assist  during  the  design  stage.    Along  with   trees   and   vegeta;on,  other  natural   features  like  rock  forma;ons,  swamps,  marshes  etc.  are  also  to  be  iden;fied.  

   

PrecipitaGon  &  Hydrology      The  amount  of  rainfall  that  the  site  receives  and  the  ;me  period   during   which   the   rainfall   occurs   are   to   be  inves;gated.  This  is  measured  as  average  annual  rainfall  throughout  the  year.    Hydrology   refers   to   things   related   to  water.   During   the  site  visit,  we  need  to  iden;fy  water  bodies  present  in  and  around  the  site  like  ponds,  lakes,  rivers  etc.  The  loca;on  and  size  of  these  water  bodies  should  be  studied  so  that  they  can  be  integrated  into  the  design  scheme.    

   

Surrounding  Landuses  &  Buildings      One   also   needs   to   pay   aSen;on   to   the   surrounding  landuses   and   building   around   the   site.   If   the   landuses  are  incompa;ble,  it  may  lead  to  crea;on  of  issues  in  the  design.  For  example,  if  there  is  a  school  right  next  to  the  site,   the   noise   disturbance   will   have   to   be   factored   in  while   designing.   Also,   the   height   and   setbacks   of  adjacent  buildings  are  important  in  affec;ng  the  flow  of  air  and  also  sunlight.  

   

Prominent  Vision  lines  /  Visual  linkages      This   becomes   a   very   important   element   in   the   design  process.  The  views  to  the  site  as  well  as  the  views  from  the  site  are  to  be  carefully  considered  while  designing.    

   Locally  Available  Resources      

 One   also   needs   to   find   out   what   the   locally   available  resources   are.   What   materials   are   available   in   and  around  the  site,  which  can  be  used  in  the  design.  This  is  especially   relevant   today  when   the   design   has   to   be   as  sustainable   as   possible,   by   reducing   the   transporta;on  energy  &  costs.    

   

Planning  a  site  visit      Site  visits  are  important  in  order  to  get  an  understanding  of  how  the  space  is  used  and  detect  any  maSers  that  are  not  present  in  the  documenta;on.    Ini;al  site  visits  are  generally  carried  out   in  an  occupied  space,  where   staff   operate   their   business   as   usual.   Site  visits   should  be  done   in  a  professional  manner   in  order  to   maximise   the   informa;on   gained   and   to   minimise  disrup;on  on  site.  

   

Survey  the  exisGng  space      Site  visits  are  important  in  order  to  get  an  understanding  of  how  the  space  is  used  and  detect  any  maSers  that  are  not  present  in  the  documenta;on.    Ini;al  site  visits  are  generally  carried  out   in  an  occupied  space,  where   staff   operate   their   business   as   usual.   Site  visits   should  be  done   in  a  professional  manner   in  order  to   maximise   the   informa;on   gained   and   to   minimise  disrup;on  on  site.  

   

The  Tools  of  the  Trade      1.    Pencil  and  Pens  Its  best  to  bring  several.    2.  Laser  Measuring  Unit  Two  clicks  of  a  buSon  give  an  accurate  read  on  the  largest  spans  of  the  space.    3.    A  tape  measure  Nothing  completely  replaces  a  good  old  fashioned  tape  measure.    4.  ExisGng  plan(s)  Its   best   to   have   some   idea   of   the   space   even   before   arriving.   Even   “known”  dimensions  need  to  be  verified  on  site.    5.  Camera  (or,  in  most  cases,  a  phone).      TAKE   MORE   PHOTOS   THAN   YOU   THINK   YOU   NEED.   Photo-­‐documen;ng   the  project  is  an  important  backup  for  the  recorded  measurements      

   Analyse  the  Brief  and  the  Drawings  

   Analyse   the   client   brief   together   with   the   site   analysis  before   you   move   on   to   designing   a   concept.   Then   the  designer   provides   a   ‘return   brief’,   which   outlines   the  design  concept  and  their  approach.    You  need  to  firstly  comprehend  the  scope  of  the  project  and   the   physical   characteris;cs   of   the   site   before  returning  the  brief.  

   

The  Design  Response    Use  your  site  analysis  as  a  prompt  in  developing  the  design  for  the  site.  The  ques;ons  and  answers  raised  in  the  site  analysis  will  also  provide   a   useful   check   at   the   end   of   the   design   process.   Your  design  response  should  explain  how  the  development  will  relate  to  other   dwellings   on   the   site,   and   to   the   exis;ng   neighbourhood  character.    Key  steps  in  developing  your  design  response:  •  Decide  what  features  of  the  site  you  are  able  to  take  advantage  of,  which  enhances  your  development.  

•  Develop  the  detailed  plans,  taking  into  account  the  implica;ons  from  your  site  analysis.  

•  Test   your   design   response   against   the   site   analysis.   Have   you  adequately  resolved  the  key  issues?  How?  

   

CASE  STUDY  

   Koudenburg   &   Elsinga   designed   this   contemporary   office   in   2013   for   JWT,   a  

veteran   adver;zing   agency  with   a   youthful   spirit,   located   in   the   bustling   hub   of    Leidse  Square   in    Amsterdam,   the  Netherlands.  The   interior   is  burs;ng  with  eye  candy   from   the   colorful   murals   and   sculptural   furnishings   to   the   quirky,  greenhouse-­‐like  conference  room.    This  seriously  old  adver;sing  network  agency  from  1864  has  a  surprisingly  young  hot   shop   mentality.   JWT   Amsterdam   is   situated   at   Leidse   Square,   one   of  Amsterdam’s  central  hubs  for  restaurants,  theatres,  bars  and  clubs.  JWT  is  housed  inside  the  famous  Hirsch  &  Cie  building,  a  former  luxury  department  store  in  the  heart  of  Amsterdam.    The  Hirsch  &  Cie  building  opened  its  doors  in  1882  and  s;ll  maintains  its  grandeur  to   this   day.   It’s   hard   to   imagine   a   greater   contrast   with   the   new   interior,   right  above  the  Apple  store.    

   

JWT   Amsterdam   aims   to   ‘Seriously   Surprise’,   and   it   does,   from   the  moment   you   enter.   Exci;ng   things   lie   in   wait   around   every   corner.  Whether   it’s   the   upside-­‐down   castle   at   recep;on,   the   greenhouse  mee;ng  space  with  huge  plants,  the  architectural  tree  sculptures,  or  the  drawings   from   ar;sts   such   as   the   Dutch   collec;ve   Kamp   Horst   or   the  Norwegian  Anders  Rockum.   It   just  doesn’t  stop.  As  a  visitor  to  the  space  you  want   to   go   and   explore.   Discovering   funky   Skype   units,   Amsterdam  Canal  house  cabinets  or  the  profile  of  Holland’s  greatest  writer,  made  out  of  his  Wiki-­‐page  text.  The  interior  perfectly  reflects  the  agency’s  moSo.  

   

On  being   commissioned,  design  director  Alrik  Koudenburg   teamed  up  with  design-­‐ar;st  RJW  Elsinga.  Together   the  duo  worked  on  crea;ng  a   stunning  space   of   nearly   2000sq   meters,   almost   all   custom-­‐designed.   The   interior  WOW   effect,   is   created   with   graphics,   including   logos   per   department,   a  variety  of  unique  furniture  and  specials  such  as  a  2.6m  high  cardboard  bunny  to  house  the  office’s  many  awards.  Comple;ng  it  are  classics  like  the  Eames,  Friso   Kramer,   lights   by   Louis   Poulsen,   Tom   Dixon   –   and   also   the   fabulous  Moroso  ‘SoQ  Wood  sofa’  and  Driade  ‘Nemo’  face  chairs.  

   

The   revamped   Amsterdam   agency   is   currently   experiencing   a   major   upsurge,  with  staff  expanding  from  65  to  85  &  beyond.  The  design  duo  explains  how  they  went  about  crea;ng  the  mul;-­‐func;onal  space:      “We  wanted  to  make  work  feel  like  play,  so  we  designed  a  really  diverse  range  of   work   environments.   Open   &   closed,   S   /   M   /   L   with   breakout   spaces   and  touchdown  work  selngs  where  1  /  2  /  4  /  8  or  even  up  to  12  people  can  work  their   magic.   We   didn’t   want   to   apply   a   singular   design-­‐concept   to   the   en;re  space,  as  the  surprise  effect  would  wear  off  too  soon.  Instead,  we  created  a  wild  mix  of  inspiring  experiences  which  –  in  addi;on  to  achieving  the  ‘smile’  we  were  aQer  –  complements  and  supports  the  agency’s  approach.  This  diversity  helps  to  create   a   homelike   environment,   which   in   this   case   comes   with   a   grand   café  complete  with  a  chef.  Bon  appé;t”.  

   

JWT   Amsterdam,   lead   by   Ralph   Wisbrun   and   crea;vely   by   Bas   Korsten  completely  reorganized  the  agency  before  their  big  move.  Believing  that  our  complex  world  calls  for  a  new  way  of  working,  they  tore  down  the  tradi;onal  agency  structure  and  built  a  new  one.  With  3  leaner,  meaner  and  more  agile  departments:  Think,  Do  and  Make.              

   

For   ‘Think’   Koudenburg   &   Elsinga   created   an   inspira;onal   garden,   where   one  can  wonder   around   and   let   thoughts   flow   freely.   The   space   includes   a   library  and  a  podium  overlooking  the  Leidse  Square.  ‘Think’  is  the  place  where  ideas  are  invented   and   plans  made,   based   on   strategy,   technology   and   connec;vity.  —  For  ‘Do’  a  city  setup  was  created,  which  func;ons  like  a  busy  beehive  where  JWT  staff   organize   the   idea,   gelng   it   done   with   a   team   of   concept   producers,  online-­‐  /  ac;va;on-­‐  /  and  print  producers.  —  ‘Make’  feels  like  a  happy  factory,  being   inside  a   crea;ve   toolbox,  where  digital   craQsmen  and  women  bring   the  ideas   to   life.   It  consists  of  a  studio   for   (online)  design,  visualizing,  film  making,  etcetera.  The  huge  CMYK  colored  robot  cabinets   (2.80m  high)  keep  everything  nice  and  ;dy.