5 Aspects of a Site Analysis That May Influence the Design of Your Home

6 September 2016
 Categories: Construction & Contractors, Blog


Home design teams usually conduct a site analysis before the actual design work begins. This article discusses some of the important things that the design of your home may be based upon once a site analysis has been conducted.

Topography

Your architect may pay attention to the topography of the site when conducting a site analysis. For instance, he or she may be interested in finding out if the land has contours as it slopes. Such information can help the architect reduce project costs by planning the home in such a way that it takes advantage of the contours present at the site. This can save you from incurring the cost of leveling the site so that construction can begin.

Hydrology and Precipitation

A site analysis also involves studying how much rainfall is received at the site. The design team will also want to know how any water at the site is drained away. For instance, does it remain stagnant until it evaporates? Does it have natural channels through which it drains away? This information can help the designers to make a provision for draining water in case there are no clear drainage patterns at the site. This can save your future home from being damaged by ground water in case it rains heavily.

Key Vision Lines

Designers also try to identify the key views from your site, such as a nearby water body or mountain. They are likely to be interested in the lines of sight from which your home may be seen, such as the presence of tall buildings in the vicinity. This information can help the designers to come up with a design that responds to the issues discovered. For instance, they may create a balcony on the side that has a clear line of sight to a nearby river.

Sun Path and Temperature

No site analysis can be complete without examining the path of the sun and the temperature of the area. This information is critical because it may determine the orientation of your home. For instance, the home may be designed to face the source of the sun in case you live in a cold area. However, bedrooms may be oriented away from the path of the sun to minimise nighttime temperatures if the area is hot.

Wind Direction

Most sites have a direction from which the wind blows. Designers try to design a building in such a way that the wind can be channeled through the home in order to ventilate it adequately. Wind direction may also influence the size of the different windows and doors that are installed in your home.

As you can see, a site analysis is a crucial part of the home design process. You should therefore do everything in your power to avail all the information that the site analysis team asks you for during this phase of their work.


Share