Think Like an Architect: Know Your Homesite for a Great Design
Learn how to approach a building site the way professionals do — considering everything in sight
Houzz Contributor and California Architect, Dylan Chappell is well known for his sustainable and green approach to projects. Dylan is a South Coast native and serves on the Architectural Review Board for the County of Santa Barbara. (http://dylanchappell.com/)
Houzz Contributor and California Architect, Dylan Chappell is well known... More »
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Great home designs always have two things in common: They reflect the lifestyles of their inhabitants, and they relate to, or are extensions of, the environment in which they are built.
The first step to a great design is understanding the site of the home. Where is the best location for your house? Which site features do you want to highlight? How can you take advantage of views? And what should you try to avoid? In this ideabook I will try to help you understand the dos and don’ts of site design and explain some standard terms architect typically use.
The first step to a great design is understanding the site of the home. Where is the best location for your house? Which site features do you want to highlight? How can you take advantage of views? And what should you try to avoid? In this ideabook I will try to help you understand the dos and don’ts of site design and explain some standard terms architect typically use.
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| The very important first step to great design is to do what in architecture lingo is called a site analysis — an examination of how the existing structure or new build relates or will relate to its unique existing environmental conditions. These conditions include topography, access, solar and wind orientation, views, existing trees or streams, and neighboring properties. |
The site or building site is the geographical location of your property. Some sites might be as simple as a rectangle, while others can have many complex property lines, requiring a survey map for you to know where the property begins and ends.
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| Topography refers to the surface shape and features of your property. Is your site sloped, stepped or flat? Are there large boulders or rock croppings? Is there a pond? Many sites have a combination of topographical elements. Choosing where to locate your house in relation to these elements can make a big difference in the construction cost of your home. While locating your house on a rocky slope might create a dramatic setting and take full advantage of sweeping views, the foundation design will be extremely expensive. (Here’s a cost-saving tip: Avoid large retaining walls.) |
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| Access is how you get to your house from the nearest road. If your house is on an average city street, this is pretty straightforward, and there are not a lot of options. On larger rural properties however, the distance your house is from the nearest street can make a huge difference in the construction cost. |
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| One access consideration is the length of the driveway, which is often dictated by the fire department, which requires a minimum width, turnouts for fire trucks and a turnaround at the end. Utilities are another aspect. If your driveway is a half mile long, you most likely will have to pay to have electrical, plumbing, gas, cable and water lines run that distance as well. There is nothing like having a private refuge with nothing around but nature; just make sure you don’t overlook the less obvious but important consideration of access. |
| Views can create dramatic backdrops for a home — always take advantage of appropriate views. And know that the success of your project will depend not only on using beautiful vistas, but on blocking and avoiding unpleasant ones. Proper site design takes into consideration the neighboring property conditions and should provide privacy, safety and a sense of independence for your home. |
If you are fortunate enough to have a site with an existing stream or grouping of trees, be aware of them, as they are great design elements and add a sense of nature and dynamism to any landscape. Development around trees, creeks or streams is highly regulated in some jurisdictions.
If you are looking to purchase a property that has a large dry creek running through it, be aware that there could be setbacks required, greatly reducing the buildable area of your property.
If you are looking to purchase a property that has a large dry creek running through it, be aware that there could be setbacks required, greatly reducing the buildable area of your property.
| Understanding your homesite, and properly locating and orienting your building, is the first step to great design. Tell us: Have a question about site design, or have you had a good or bad site experience? Share it in the Comments below. |
Ideabook published on Feb. 27, 2013.
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I will add that it is important, along with the items you mentioned, to view the lot in wet weather for water runoff or pooling tendencies, at night for stray lights like football stadiums or ballpark lighting, and on weekends for area noise levels that may concern you, like ballfields you can't see or a racetrack you can hear that's miles away, or children racing around on 4wheelers. Also inquire with the local planning and zoning for any future plans that may impact your site in future years. We had the luxury of observing this acreage for a year of seasons and observation before choosing our build spot on it, and then our builder advised us to move the spot higher on the hill and we like it much better now. We start building next month.
The 10,000 sq. ft. site of my future home was challenged by an incline toward an adjoining gully, and being a corner lot dotted with fruit trees I wanted to preserve.
My architect was able to save the 25 year old mango, cherry, golden apple and avocado trees planted by my late grandfather by working the short driveway around them, then situating the rooms so the lower level living area could benefit from their shade and upper level bedrooms would feel like tree houses. In this way I think he really made the most of the site while meeting my needs.
An architect is NOT the best professional to address the issues of site design. Generally they are grossly under qualified in this area as, understandably, their training focuses on the creation of buildings, not the land on which, or environment in which, they are located. Having said that, many architects will tell you they are qualified and will minimize the value of involving a landscape architect in the project. They may even try to tell you that they are saving you money. This is an erroneous and potentially very costly mistake.
Not only will a landscape architect consider the grading, drainage, types of soils on which you are building, but will site the house to take advantage of the best views and even more importantly, in an era of energy conservation, orientation of the sun, shade and prevailing winds to capitalize on heat in the winter and coolness in the summer. Similarly they will identify trees and other plant material existing on site which should be preserved and develop planting plans re: plant materials to be added which will add to the aesthetics, environmental health of the site (and contribute to the health of the larger region) and, again, contribute to the energy efficiency of your new home.
Bottom line: make sure you include the right professionals in your project, avoid costly mistakes, and enjoy the results of a better project to boot!
Any suggestions from someone in Newfoundland?
Regarding the house built on a "dry creek bed", if you have that sort of property, be aware that in certain weather conditions that creek bed may not be "dry". It could be the favored avenue of spring runoff.
and from my college days... http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1804855.Basic_Elements_of_Landscape_Architectural_Design, Basic Elements of Landscape Architectural Design. Each are authored by Norman Booth, Professor Emeritus at Ohio State. http://www.linkedin.com/in/normanbooth
A home cannot exist without the environment, just as fish
Without water!
@nozyani - not enough information to tell. contact a local landscape architect for site design, but honestly, looks like a problem that should have been solved on paper before it became a construction issue...that's what design professionals are good at.
Thanks for all the great comments and questions. I echo Mark's guidance on establishing the right team early on in the design process. It's been my experience that assembling the right team from the start, has proven to be the single most successful decision you can make as a homeowner. We highly value the landscape architects we collaborate with as well as our team of contractors. This article was never intended to insinuate having your architect take the place of a landscape architect, but rather help homeowners or potential property owners be aware of a few issues that can effect the outcome of their projects.
Ken - 'Ohonestly'