Dr.

Fatima Al-Nammari 1

SITE ANALYSIS
Sources: Architectural Programming, AIA
checklist, on line sources, student thesis
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Site Analysis
• The analysis has an objective:
– What are the characteristics of the site?
– What are the problems?
– What are the potentials?
– Are there special features?
– anything that can affect your project?
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Identifying results
Collecting the Analysing the Presenting the
and
data data findings
recommendations

Analysis including
One or two maps
zones, arrows, Annotated maps,
collection of maps, and sections
sketches, diagrams, sections, drawings,
diagrams, aerial showing site with all
relationships, physical models,
photos, sections, recommendations,
physical models, digital models, and
pictures, etc constraints and
digital models, text, pictures
strengths
SWOT analysis, etc
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Components of Site Analysis

Cultural components
SocialMan-made
Physical
and
Natural
Legal
economic
components
components
components
components
components
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Sources of data
For climate
• http://www.sunearthtools.com/dp/tools/pos_sun.php
• http://www.climate-charts.com/Countries/Jordan.html
• Royal Scientific Society
• Royal Geographic Center : http://www.rjgc.gov.jo/default.aspx?lang=ar

For maps:
• Greater Amman Municipality
• Ministries: Of Public works, of Tourism, Municipal Affairs
• Local governorates and municipalities
• Dept. of Antiquities
• Royal Geographic Center
• Other?
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Macro Scale
Location analysis: position, circulation, similar functions, and any
cultural/physical/environmental implications.
At a minimum:
a) The country, its location, position, regions, and region of the
city where the site is
b) Location of the city in the region, including relationship to
major roads, other cities, landmarks, etc.
c) Location of the site neighborhood in the city.
d) Location of the site in the neighborhood.
e) Distances and travel times between the site and locations of
other related functions in the city.
f) History of site development
Aerial photographs are a good tool, in addition to maps
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Future Extension For Airport Corridor GAM

Metropolitan growth plan
• Plan for “complete communities that provide
with a full range of urban amenities -parks,
schools, clinics, cultural centers as well as
good accessibility to employment, shopping
and recreational facilities
• Encourage compact urban growth in order to
make the best use of existing services,
promote increased transit use, improve
pedestrian accessibility and improve
affordability both to GAM and its residents
• Direct growth to both exciting built up areas in
order to make the best use of existing
services as well as to designed new green
fields areas located close to the urban core
• Promote mixed use in general and a healthy
mix of residential and employment uses in
particular in order to foster a diverse economy
and to limit commuter times
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Amman/ airport highway

Promote clear distinctions between urban, suburban, and rural communities in order to protect valuable
environment and agricultural lands and to support traditional lifestyles and tribal culture
Promote public transit and develop a transportation choices for going shopping, going to work, taking time
off to relax
Or play and getting back home again
Create a connected natural heritage system that protects and connects important environmental features,
forest, widis, highlands, deserts, and water aquifers at the same time that it accommodates a network of
public walking trails thought the city
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Future statistics
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Growth projection
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Existing/metropolitan population
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Conceptual metropolitan development plan

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Meso Scale
Analyse the neighborhood for all components, especially:
• existing and projected property zoning, and building uses in the neighborhood.
• Height, age, and condition of the neighborhood buildings.
• Present and future uses of exterior spaces in the neighborhood.
• Any strong vehicular or pedestrian traffic generating functions in the neighborhood.
• Existing and projected vehicular movement patterns. Major and minor streets, routes of
service vehicles such as trash, bus routes and stops.
• Solid-void space relationships.
• Solar access, wind patterns, and natural habitat
• Architectural patterns such as roof forms, fenestration, materials, color, landscaping, formal
porosity, relationship to street, car storage strategies, building height, sculptural vigor, etc.
• Neighborhood classifications that might place special restrictions or responsibilities on our
design work such as "historic district".
• Nearby buildings of particular value or significance.
• Fragile images or situations that should be preserved.
• Sun and shade patterns at different times of the year.
• Major contour and drainage patterns.
• Legal requirements and zones
• Similar functions
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Meso Scale
• Map of the neighborhood indicating existing and projected property
zoning.
• Existing and projected building uses in the neighborhood.
• Age or condition of the neighborhood buildings
• Local architectural language, cultural heritage, historic districts
• Environmental conditions and any natural heritage
• Social composition
• Land value
• Present and future uses of exterior spaces in the neighborhood
• Any strong vehicular or pedestrian traffic generating functions in the
neighborhood
• Existing and projected vehicular movement patterns. Major and minor
streets, routes of service vehicles such as trash, bus routes and
stops.
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Micro Scale
General
• Dimensions of the boundaries of our site.
• Dimensions of the street rights of way around our site.
• Location and dimensions of easements.
• Present site zoning classification.
• Front, back and side yard setbacks required by zoning classification.
• Square meter of buildable area inside setbacks (should also subtract easements).
• Building height restrictions required by zoning classification.
• Zoning formula for determining required parking based on the type of building to
occupy the site.
• The number of parking spaces required (if we know the building area).
• Any conflicts between what the present zoning classification allows and the functions
we are planning for the site.
• Zoning classifications that the site would need to be changed to in order to
accommodate all the planned functions.
• Any projected changes that would alter the dimensional characteristics of the site
such as street widening or purchase of additional property
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Micro Scale
Legal
• Legal description of the property.
• Covenants and restrictions (site area usage allowed, height restrictions, screening of mechanical
equipment or service yards, restrictions on rooftop elements, architectural character, design requirements
in historic districts, etc.).
• Name of the property owner.
• Name of the governmental levels or agencies which have jurisdiction over the property.
• Any projected or potential changes in any of the above categories

Natural
• Topographic contours, slope, aspect
• Major topographic features such as high points, low points, ridges and valleys, slopes and flat areas.
• Drainage patterns on the site including directions of surface drainage (perpendicular to contours), major
and minor arteries of water collection (ditches, arroyos, riverbeds, creeks, etc.), major drainage patterns
onto the site from adjacent property and from the site onto adjacent property and any neighborhood
water-related patterns such as viaduct systems or storm sewers.
• Existing natural features on the site and their value in terms of preservation and reinforcement versus
alteration or removal. This would also include opinions regarding permanency in terms of difficulty or
expense to remove features. On site features might include trees (type and size), ground cover, rock
outcroppings, ground surface texture, holes or ditches, mounds, on site water (pools, ponds, lakes, rivers)
and stable or unstable areas of the site (site scars versus virgin areas).
• Type of soil at different levels below surface and bearing capacity of the soil. Soil type distribution over
site area.
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Micro Scale
Man-Made Features
• Size, shape, height and location of any on site buildings. If these are to remain, the
exterior character and interior layout should also be documented. If the buildings are to
be part of our project, we must do a detailed building analysis of each facility.
• Location and type of walls, retaining walls, or fences.
• Location, size and character of exterior play fields, courts, patios, plazas, drives, walks
or service areas.
• Where it may be important to our design we should record the paving patterns of man-
made surfaces.
• Location and size of curb cuts, power poles, fire hydrants or bus stop shelters.
• Off site man-made features may include any of the on site items listed above and/or
may involve a detailed analysis of the existing architectural character surrounding our
site. This is particularly important where the architectural character will be a factor in
the design of our facility (historic district, etc.). Some factors to consider in analyzing
surrounding architectural character include scale, proportion, roof forms, window and
door patterns, setbacks, materials, colors, textures, open space versus built space,
visual axes, landscaping materials and patterns, paving textures and patterns, porosity
(extent of openness) and assertiveness (ins and outs) of wall forms, connections,
details and accessories, exterior lighting, outdoor furniture and car storage methods.
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Micro Scale
Circulation
• On site sidewalks, paths and other pedestrian movement patterns including users, purposes, schedule
of use and volume of use.
• Off site pedestrian movement patterns using the same characteristics mentioned for on site movement.
• If a pedestrian movement pattern is considered valuable and to be preserved or reinforced, our analysis
should also include an evaluation of how the existing pattern could be improved.
• On site or adjacent vehicular movement patterns including type of traffic, origins and destinations,
schedule, volume of traffic and peak loads. Also included should be intermittent traffic such as parades,
festivals, concerts, fire truck routes, service truck fleets, etc.
• Off site or neighborhood vehicular movement issues such as traffic generators (buildings or uses that
are significant destinations or origins of vehicular traffic) as well as the other traffic characteristics
outlined under on site traffic.
• Adjacent or nearby parking areas that may be used for off site car storage in our project.
• Off site traffic patterns should also include the relation of our site to the public transportation routes, stops at or near our
site, probable directions of approach to our site by the users of the new building and directions of dispersal of traffic from
our building.
• Traffic analysis should document future projections to the extent they can be made.
• Locations of probable or optimum access to our site for each type of pedestrian and vehicular traffic that
will use the new building or move through the site.
• Travel time to walk across our site, to drive across the site or by the site where these times may be
important to our design (time it takes to walk between classes at a school). It may also be useful to
record the time it takes to drive to or from related locations in the city (from our site to downtown, the
university, the shopping center, etc.).
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Micro Scale
Utilities
• Location, capacity and conveyance form (type of pipe, etc.) of power,
gas, sewer telephone and water utilities. This should involve the
depth of each utility underground and, in the case of power, whether it
is above or below grade. Location of power poles.
• Where utility lines stop short of our site boundaries, their distances
from our site should be given.
• Where there are multiple opportunities to connect to utilities that are
adjacent to our site, we should record those locations or edges on our
site that seem to offer the best connection opportunities. This may be
due to the capacities of the utility lines, contour conditions on our site
in relation to sewer, the need to minimize on site utility runs, being
able to collect utility runs, bringing utilities in at the "back" of the site
or dealing with site barriers or difficult soil conditions.
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Micro Scale
Sensory
• Views from the site including positions on the site where the views are not blocked, what the views are of,
whether the views are positive or negative, the angles within which the views can be found, whether the
views change over time and the likelihood of view continuance for the long term.
• Views to points of interest on the site from within the site boundaries. Includes what the views are of,
whether the views are positive or negative, positions on the site where the views are best arid where they
are blocked, the angles within which the views can be found and whether the object of the views changes
over time.
• Views to the site from areas outside the site boundaries, including streets, walks, other buildings and
vistas. Includes when the site is first seen, angles within which it is seen, most dramatic views of the
property, best views of the site and areas that are viewable, particular points of interest that may be
objects of views from outside our site and potential for these views to continue or be blocked by
development outside our site over the long term.
• Views through our site from positions outside the property. Involves the objects of the views and the
various positions where the views occur, whether the views are positive or negative, the angles within
which the views can be found, and the likelihood of the view targets as well as the view paths remaining
open over the long term.
• Locations, generators, schedules, and intensities of any significant noise on or around the site. This
analysis should include likelihood of continuance over the tong term.
• Locations, generators, schedules and intensities of any significant odors, smoke or other airborne pollution
on or around our site. This analysis should include likelihood of continuance over time.
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Micro Scale
Human and Cultural
• Documentation of neighborhood cultural, psychological, behavioral and
sociological aspects. Potential information includes population density,
age, family size, ethnic patterns, employment patterns, income,
recreational preferences and informal activities or events such as
festivals, parades or fairs.
• Street facades and urban fabric
• Negative neighborhood patterns such as vandalism and other criminal
activities.
• Neighborhood attitudes about the project that is about to be designed
and built on our site.
• Neighborhood attitudes about what is positive and what is negative in
the neighborhood.
• Relative permanence of the neighborhood population.
• Neighborhood trends in terms of all the factors mentioned above
• Any correct use of the site or its immediate surroundings
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Micro Scale
Climate
• Temperature variation over the months of the year including the maximum highs and
lows and the maximum and average day-night temperature swing for the days of each
month.
• Humidity variation over the months of the year including maximums, minimums, and
averages for each month and for a typical day of each month.
• Rainfall variation over the months of the year in millimeters. Should include the maximum
rainfall that can be expected in any one day.
• Snowfall variation over the months of the year in millimeters. Should include the
maximum snowfall that can be expected in any one day (if any).
• Prevailing wind directions for the months of the year including velocity in meters per
minute or Kilometers per hour and variations that can be expected over the course of the
day and night. Should also include the maximum wind velocity that can be expected.
• Sun path at the summer and winter solstice (high point and low point) including altitude
and azimuth at particular times of the day for summer and winter (sunrise and sunset,
position at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m.).
• Energy related data such as degree days or BTU's of sunlight falling on our site.
• Potential natural catastrophes such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tornados. May
include documentation of earthquake zone that our site lies within and history of natural
catastrophes in the area
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Micro Scale

Function-related
• What will the suggested function need? Can the site
provide that?
• Are there any specific requirements that will pose a
problem?
• What are the elements of site analysis that will be
important for the design?
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Results
• What are the main items that MUST be taken into account
in design?
• What are the items that may help the design?
• What are the items that may impact the design positively
or negatively?
• What changes the function may require?
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SITE SELECTION
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Best Site Analysis

Why a Client May Need These Services
• To evaluate development constraints and opportunities for
a site
• To assess one or more sites as a basis for purchase
• To assess the infrastructure characteristics of a site
Representative Process Tasks
• Program investigation
• Site inventory and analysis
• Site evaluation
• Report development
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Best Site Analysis

• The objective of site analysis during the site selection

process is:

• to identify the best site based on the physical, cultural,

and regulatory characteristics of the site and its
surroundings, as well as the site’s adaptability to and
compatibility with the proposed program
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Steps (AIA method)

• Program investigation. The building program is investigated with
respect to the selected or optional building footprints; area required for
parking, circulation, open space, and other program elements; and any
special constraints or requirements such as security, easements,
preserving natural habitat, wetlands, and the like.
• Site inventory and analysis. The physical, cultural, and regulatory
characteristics of the site are initially explored. The site evaluation
checklist identifies factors that may be considered. Some of these factors
can be assessed by collecting and analyzing information; this requires a
multidisciplinary team;
• Site evaluation. At this point, thorough assessments are conducted when
necessary to develop the site analysis plan. These may include physical
testing of aspects of the site, its improvements, and adjoining properties.
• Report development. The site analysis report normally includes property
maps, geotechnical maps and findings, site analysis recommendations,
and a clear statement of the impact of the findings and recommendations
on the proposed building program.
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Best site selection

• Phase I:
• SWOT for all possible sites
• Exclude sites that have the poorest assessment
• Phase II (3-4 sites to select from):
• Based on project goals and objectives, it needs and functionality, define
factors of assessment
• Identify the Measure of Effectives for each factor
• Give each factor a weight
• Give grades
• Exclude the two sites of worst grades
• Phase III (if needed)
• Re-assign weight to factors
• Grade
• Choose site with best grade
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GENERAL CRITERIA
FOR CHOOSING SITE

DROPPING
LOCATION # 1
LOCATION # 2
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SENSITIVE ANALYSIS
FOR CHOOSING SITE

LOCATION # 3
LOCATION # 4

LOCATION # 4
CHOSEN
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More information
:‫• ساليدات جيدة باللغة العربية‬
• https://dl.dropbox.com/u/9056718/@Share/Site%20Analys
is%201+2.pdf
• Reference:
• Site Analysis Diagramming Information for Architectural
Design. Edward White (2004).
• AIA. Site Analysis. Floyd Zimmerman. www.aia
.org/practicing/akr/AIAB089275