AR5412 - Site Surveying and Planning

B.Arch 4th semester School of Architecture and Planning, 2024

context
Site

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Context of the site
• Contextual analysis is a predesign research activity which focuses
on the existing, imminent and potential conditions on and around
a project site.
• The major role of contextual analysis in design – informing about
the site prior to beginning our design concepts - early thinking can
incorporate meaningful responses to external conditions.
• Thoroughness in identifying, collecting and presenting the
information is vital.
• A vocabulary of site response concepts, a set of ways for handling
different site conditions requirements.
• There should be a sense of priority about the information.
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Internal responsibilities & external environment
Future conditions – impact on site
• Weave – designs into existing fabric of site
condition, constraints, opportunities.
• Deliberately alter – what to retain, reinforce,
accent, modify or eliminate - attempting to go
"with" the site or to "contrast" the site.
• Early thinking is pivotal.
 • Site as active network –
intertwined in complex
relationships.
• Aware of nature of the
networks through
contextual analysis.

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 Keeping aside the tangible elements such as the climate, geology,
existing vegetation and neighbouring views, there are several intangible
elements such as the culture of a place, political-economic conditions
etc. which needs to be considered before beginning a design.
Compositional characters of buildings, people and contexts
and how they affect them selves and each other.
Review the impacts that the development may have upon the Context Area.
• Is the nature of the development likely to result in a major impact upon the
context area?
• Is this a negative impact? If so, can it be avoided or reduced?
• Can landscaping integrate the development into the context?

Review the impacts that the context area may have upon the development.
• Are there any context features that constrain the development?
• Will you have to modify the design to meet mandatory or desirable setback
or height requirements?
• Could the context inspire a new, place-specific design solution?

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 • Hard data - Physical site factors and involve no
judgments about their existence or nature.
• Soft data - sensory and human aspects of the site
that are not quantitative, involve some value
judgments.

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Analysis – Hard data
• Location – geographic location // site survey // aerial photographs & maps // site
boundary // dimensions
• Legal – site identification // title ownership // caveats // easements and right of
way
• Authorities – zoning // overlays // flood levels // development controls //
protected flora and fauna
• Utilities and infrastructure – sewer // water // gas // electricity // fire //
communication
• Adjacent structures and conditions – land use // adjacent natural conditions //
adjacent artificial conditions // distance // heights // vernacular
• Access & movement – people // vehicles // animals // public transport
• Streetscapes, elevations and sections – street and site elevations // site sections //
panoramas
Analysis – Hard data
• Natural physical conditions & features – topography // vegetation // geology, soil // animal
species // natural qualities // natural features
• Artificial physical conditions – building & structures // roads // footpaths // ground surface
& materials // materials, textures, colors & patterns
• Climate – sun path // rain // temperature // wind
• Hazards and risks – exposed services // machinery // natural events // derelict building //
unfinished building works
• Site history & significance – previous uses // contamination // archeological significance
• Historical significance // demographic significance
• Neighborhood context – buildings, structures, spaces, landmarks // architectural styles,
character // materials
Analysis – soft data
• Views – views in // views out
• Privacy
• Security, protection and safety
• Sound & noise
• Smells

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Optimizing the true potential of a site is the best sustainable approach towards design.
Site
Planning
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Site planning
• The art of arranging structures on land and shaping the spaces between them – Kevin
Lynch.
• Site planning involves the location, placement and relationship of all site elements.
• Site – existing conditions of the land // Planning – where to build and where not to build.
A detailed proposal for design and construction.
• To understand the site and derive the form and function of the building based on the
factors analyzed. To fix issues on the site, if any.
Context / Site analysis
• Mega – very large or huge context of the site including the suburb and even the
larger city conditions and relationships. Eg: Regional planning
• Macro – the large scale including the full site and immediate surround on all
sides. Eg: City parks
• Micro – the very small within the site including the qualities and characteristics
of individual objects and elements. Eg: Residence
Site analysis
On site factors - Site quality and quantity. Off site factors - Site extend, site
Information about the character and quality of surrounding and network. Concern
the site and these analysis will effect the design both existing and potential change.
• Location • Legal factors • Climate
• Size • Utilities • Access
• Topography • Right of way • Neighborhood
• Vegetation • Circulation • Views
• Drainage • Microclimate
• Groundwater • Sensory
• Soil
• Man made features 27
Advantages of Context / Site analysis
• Better value
• Better environmental sustainability
• Better connectivity
• Better accessibility
• Better health and well being
• Better sense of place
• Better security
• Better cost effectiveness
Developement
Control rules

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Development control rules
• Development rules impact the fabric of a city. Regulation is necessary to ensure planned
development.
• Thus, DCR govern the urbanization of a city and ensure efficient growth and the general
welfare of the public.
• It depends on a “plan-led system” whereas development plans are made and the public
is consulted.
• These regulations aim to provide basic needs to the public such as health, safety,
convenience, economy and amenity.
• The process consists of guiding the development and land use.

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Development control rules - objectives
• To stop the unfavorable demand and misuse of land.
• To assist private interest along with public interest in all phases of development.
• Development control is legal in nature and the planning authority has the power to punish
the defaulters.
• To control and limit overcrowding on land.
• To control the private development as per the required rules in connection to public safety,
health, and convenience.
Involves the construction of new buildings, the extension of the existing ones, reducing the misuse of land and the change of use
of the building or land to another use. Developing new houses/industrial buildings/shops are important for supporting economic
progress. At the same time, it is also necessary to protect or improve the quality of towns, villages, countryside, etc.

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Types of Development Control Rules
1. Town and country planning – general proposal for the development and other use of land in its area.
Policies at national and regional level which affects the environmental and physical planning.
Framework for local plans.
2. Zoning regulations – allow local and national authorities to regulate and control and property markets to
ensure complementary uses. Stimulate or slow down development in specific areas.
3. Slum clearance – urban renewal strategy used to transform low income settlements into another type
of development or housing.
4. Building bye-laws – legal tools to regulate coverage, height, building, architectural design and
construction aspects of building – orderly development of an area.
5. Periphery control - protect peripheral land that comes under the jurisdiction of a State from all sorts of
encroachments and illegal use.
6. Land acquisition – power of the union or a state government in India to acquire private land for the
purpose of industrialization, development of infrastructural facilities or urbanization of the private land
(compensate the affected land owners for their rehabilitation and resettlement.)
Building bye-laws
Floor Space Index FSI
• It is the ratio of the covered area of a building or the built-up area to the area of the
plot on which the building is meant to be built.
• Floor Space Index is the total area (including all floors) that can be built upon a plot,
leaving the remaining as open space.
• Floor Space Compensation Ratio (FSR), Floor Area Ratio (FAR), site ratio or plot ratio.
FSI rules are usually based on the National Building Code.
• The FSI limit is set by the government and is the maximum permissible floor area on
which a developer can build a structure. It also determines the built-up area and the
portion all the floors cover-up in a building.
• The additional floor area developed by the builder beyond the FSI limit is Fungible
Floor Space Index.
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Floor Space Index FSI

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Floor Space Index FSI

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Open space reservation - OSR

• The Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act has made having green space on a big
plot a requirement in order to solve the problem and maintain environmental safety.
• It is mostly utilized for recreational and social reasons. Parks, play areas, and other
amenities are created on these designated locations.
• According to CMDA’s development and control rules, 10 % of an area should be
reserved as communal and recreational open space before the actual approval of any
layout.

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Master
Plan
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Master plan
• A master plan or a development plan or a town plan is defined as a plan for the future
layout of a city over a plan period of 20 to 30 years showing both the existing and
proposed streets or roads, open spaces, public buildings etc.
• A master plan is a blueprint for the future.
• A master plan is a dynamic long-term planning document that provides a conceptual
layout to guide future growth and development.
• It is an instrument to work out land and infrastructure requirements for various urban
and rural uses, and allocate land for various uses to result in harmonious and sustainable
distribution of activities so that towns / cities are provided with a form and structure
within which they can perform all their economic and social functions efficiently and
effectively.
Master plan objectives
• Spend the public funds economically and achieve welfare of the city.
• Includes analysis, recommendations, and proposals based on the public input, surveys,
planning initiatives, existing development, physical characteristics, and social and economic
conditions for a site’s population, economy, housing, transportation, community facilities,
and land use.
• Connection between buildings, social settings, and their surrounding environments.
• It will identify economic and other factors such as utility infrastructure
development, planning, acquisition and sustainability. It helps in restricting the haphazard
and unplanned growth.
• It is based on Places various functions which a town has to perform in physical
relationship of each other so as to avoid the chances of mutual conflict. Guide to planning
body for making recommendations for public 42
improvement.
Master plan necessity
• Control the development of various industries in systematic way.
• Discourage the growth of a town in a unplanned and unscientific way.
• Give perspective picture of a fully developed town.
• Limit to a certain extent the unprecedent flow of rural population to the urban areas.
• To offset theAkshaya
problems&which
Victor
have come up due to overcrowding such as shortage of
houses, traffic congestion, inadequate open spaces and insufficient public amenities etc.

• Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act 1972. The Directorate of Town and Country Planning has prepared 123 master
plans covering 162 urban local bodies (ULB’s) in the state. Presently DTCP is in the process of preparing GIS based Master
Plan for 135 towns. In Tamil Nadu existing planning area is 7% of the total state area (1, 30,060 sq.km) which is being
increased to 22%.
Master plan characteristics
The master plan is a guide to decision-making for the planning board, the governing board
and mayor or manager.

• It’s physical.
• Akshaya & Victor
It’s long-range.
• It’s comprehensive.
• It’s a guide to decision making.
• It’s a statement of public policy.
Master plan - data to be collected

Meteorological data Mineral resources. Economic conditions.

Geological data regarding soil Places of historical, cultural and

Akshaya
conditions & Victor scientific importance.
Transporation facilities.

Land values and land use Population present and future Trade, industry and
pattern growth. communications.

Power houses, sewage disposal

Water supply and drainage Expansion, development of
plant, storm water drainage, gas
arrangements. environments.
works.
Master plan – drawings to prepare

Boundaries of land of different types Location of public buildings and town centers

Akshayaof&
Boundaries Victor
green belt Road system

Contours Position of natural water courses

Landscape features, Open space including parks

and playgrounds Position of public utility services
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 Recreation
Economic development
Population
Density
Goals & policies Transportation
Master plan features
Public facilities & services Land use
Natural & cultural
Amenities
Sanitation
Water supply 48
Areas of special character
• Continuous building areas CBA
• Economically weaker section areas EWS
• Coastal regulation zone CRZ
• Conservation zones in heritage towns
• Transit oriented development areas
• Natural hazard prone areas.
Preparation of plans
Directorate of Town and Country Planning department prepares and implements the
statutory plans for the planning areas under Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act
1971.

• Regional plan
• Master plan/ new development plan - MP
• Detailed development plan - DDP

• Historical, cultural, archeological and tourist importance and traffic improvement plans
Land use
for cities

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Land use
• Land use is a form of planning which mentions the utilization of land (land cover) and its
resources for different purposes like urban development, including circulation, public welfare,
security, environmental protection, beauty, conservation of resources, efficiency, and equity.
• Land utilization depends on several factors, such as its geographical location, density of
population, socio-economic factors, among others.
• It also facilitate the assessment of environmental impacts on, and potential or alternative
benefits of, land.
• Zoning regulation by municipality or other level of government controls how much growth will
take place and plan in such a way as to make it financially, geologically and physiologically
purposeful.

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Land use types
Residential zone Commercial zone Industrial zone
Temporary accommodation, Activities permissible in Factories, industries (without
restricted commercial buildings residential zone without restrictions)storage facilities,
(floor area not exceeding restricting floor area (except airports. Except the ones
500sq.m), healthcare facilities industries), office buildings, termed as red.
and institutional building, shopping malls, hotels,
financial institutions, govt/semi warehouses, educational
govt offices, transport depots, institutions, fuel filling stations,
public utility buildings, automobile stations,
industries termed as green and communication centers,
cottage industries. industries termed as orange.

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Land use types
Special and hazardous Institutional zone Agricultural zone
zone Educational, research, public Residential use zone with
Red category industrial zone. health and medical institutions, considerations, farms, storage
government and semi facilities, burning and burial
government, social and cultural grounds, crematoria and
institution, professional and cemeteries. Principles are
business offices, parks, play strictly enforced to protect it.
fields, swimming pools,
zoological and botanical
gardens, museums and
memorials, theme parks and
amusement parks, OAT,
exhibitions, circus, clubs and
sports stadium.
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Land use types
Open space and Urbanisable and Non
recreational zone urban zone
Public and semi public All commercial, industrial and
recreational uses and open institutional zone. Agricultural
spaces, parks, playgrounds, uses, burial grounds,
zoological and botanical crematoria and cemeteries, salt
gardens, museums and pans, brick manufacturing,
memorials, theme parks, OAT, stone crushing and quarrying.
exhibitions, circus, burial
grounds. Hotels and restaurants
not exceeding 300 sq.m, beach
cottages not exceeding 100
sq.m.
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DDP -
Guindy park

Akshaya & Victor