Comprehensive Site Analysis & Climate Study Workshop Notes

Housekeeping & Session Structure

• Certificates available post-event; no recording provided for 1-day masterclasses.
• Keep cameras on to stay focused; interact via chat/raise-hand instead of interrupting.
• Bring snacks, water, notebooks, pens – note-taking is a core learning strategy.
• Two-part workshop: Part 1 introduction + tools, short break + group photo, Part 2 deeper dive & Q&A.

Instructor & Pedagogical Approach

• Instructor: Ar. Shweta Hingani – architect + urban planner (CEPT), practicing in Jaipur & Pune, ex-HCP, visiting faculty (planning studio), founder of “The Art Chart”.
• Experience spans architecture → regional planning; passion for demystifying site analysis & climate study.
• Workshop culture: two-way dialogue; participants shared year, project type, location for customized examples (e.g., TOD zone, hotel in Mumbai, residence in Bangalore).

Why Site Analysis Matters

• First questions after receiving a design brief: Where is the site? & What typology?
• These trigger a cascade: design requirements → user numbers → budget → structural choices → materials → environmental performance.
• Investing time in research prevents costly mid-project surprises and grounds design decisions in evidence.

Pre-Visit Desktop Research Checklist

• 📍 Site coordinates (lat/long), topography via Google Earth.
• Geology/soil: informs foundation & structural system (rocky hill ↔︎ coastal sand).
• Hydrology: rivers, flood plains, wetlands, flow direction; high & low flood lines.
• Habitat / flora-fauna: local species, wildlife conflicts (e.g., monkeys in Jaipur, insects in Bali), native landscape potential.
• Climate zone & macro/micro-climate snapshots.
• Views to & from site; scenic/undesirable vistas.
• Recreational/amenity potential (parks, waterfronts, forests).
• Urban form & visual aesthetics: street fabric, façade colors, historical context.
• Heritage buffers: ASI restrictions, protected monuments, setback rules.
• Transportation network: roads, NMT paths, metro/bus stops, accessibility.
• Zoning & Land-Use: consult Master Plan/DP; identify zone category, permissible uses, setbacks, ground coverage.
  • Floor-Space-Index formula: $FSI=\frac{\text{Total Built-up Area}}{\text{Total Plot Area}}$
• Additional statutory layers: CRZ, airport funnel height, forest, coastal high-tide line, seismic/TOD overlays.
• Compile questions for locals to validate desktop findings.

Preparing for the Physical Site Visit

• Gear: camera/phone, measuring tape/laser, printed site plan, compass app, weather app, voice recorder.
• Schedule visits in multiple time slots & weather conditions (early AM → dusk; dry vs rainy day).
• If group: assign roles (photographer, measurer, interviewer, sketcher).
• Arrive fed & hydrated to maintain observation quality.

On-Site Data Collection

• “Feel the vibe” first – note sensory impressions (sound, smell, comfort).
• Photos & videos: 360° pans, context elevations, street edges, sky visibility.
• Mark:
  • Exact corner coordinates & north.
  • Existing structures (brownfield) – dimensions, materials, condition.
  • Circulation: pedestrian/vehicular entry, informal shortcuts, parking behaviour.
  • Adjacent building heights, window orientations (overlooking/privacy).
  • Services: overhead & underground electricity, substations, water mains, drainage lines.
  • Levels/contours, water swales, visible runoff patterns.
  • Vegetation inventory: species, trunk Ø, canopy radius, shadow length.
  • Noise/odour hotspots; micro-climate pockets (cool under tree, hot asphalt, breezeways).
  • Future developments on vacant plots (ask locals / planning office).

Compiling & Presenting Data

• Create a checklist table to ensure no category missed.
• Use Potential vs Constraint matrix (simpler than full SWOT) linking each point to a design strategy.
• Graphics principles:
  • Simple, legible diagrams; bold north & scale.
  • Layered information: base Google Earth, colored site boundary, annotations.
  • Icons for noise, pollution, drainage, heritage, etc.
  • Relief/heat-map for contour slopes (color gradient).
• Example sheet elements (from Shweta’s thesis 144 acre agri-training center):
  • Context maps at Asia → State → District scales.
  • Google Earth snapshot vs reality photo (illustrating dry lake).
  • Sun-path (2D & 3D), wind rose, rainfall & temperature graphs.
  • Photos keyed with numbers to plan.

Software & Web Tools Arsenal

Climate Fundamentals

• Weather = instantaneous; Climate = long-term average.
• Invariable factors: latitude-longitude, altitude, distance to sea, terrain.
• Variable factors: temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind, pressure.

Solar Geometry Basics

• Altitude (α) = vertical angle of sun above horizon.
• Azimuth (γ) = horizontal angle from geographic north to sun’s projection.
• Sun-path diagram: concentric horizontal lines = azimuth; radial curves = monthly paths.
• Key dates:
  • Summer solstice (≈21 Jun) – longest day, highest altitude.
  • Winter solstice (≈21 Dec) – shortest day, lowest altitude.
  • Equinoxes (≈21 Mar & 23 Sep) – equal day/night.
• Shadow analysis: model on SketchUp/Rhino for the four canonical dates at 09:00, 12:00, 15:00.

Climate Zones of India & Passive Guidelines

1. Hot & Dry (Rajasthan, Gujarat)
   • Thick thermal mass, courtyards, jaali screens, water bodies, vegetation buffers; minimize west glazing.
2. Warm & Humid (Coastal belt, Goa/Kerala)
   • Stilted floors, pitched roofs, large shaded openings, high ventilation, narrow floorplates, varandahs.
3. Composite (Delhi, Bengaluru, central India)
   • Moderate compaction, adjustable shading, courtyards + terraces, deciduous trees.
4. Cold & Dry (Ladakh, high Himalayas)
   • South-facing glazing, trombe walls, small openings on windy sides, dark exteriors, compact form.
5. Cold & Humid (Cherrapunji, Kodai)
   • Sloped roofs, wind barriers, insulation, raised floors, stone/wood walls, attic heat storage.

Orientation-Based Space Planning Thumb-Rules

• South/West (hot): storage, toilets, services; use vertical fins/overhangs.
• East: kitchens, breakfast areas, school entries (pleasant morning sun).
• North: living/dining/studios (diffuse daylight, minimal heat gain).

Using Climate Consultant – Workflow Summary

1. Download site-specific $EPW$ (EnergyPlus Weather) file.
2. Open → select occupancy type (e.g., small residence).
3. Review monthly charts (dry-bulb, humidity, radiation).
4. Psychrometric chart auto-plots 8760 hourly data; toggling strategies shows % of comfort hours contributed.
5. “Design Guidelines” tab lists ranked passive measures + illustrative precedents + calculation panels.
6. Export charts for reports; integrate selected strategies into concept.

Ethics, Privacy & Real-World Relevance

• Tate Modern v Neo Bankside case: viewing platform compromised residents’ privacy → legal battle. Emphasises designer responsibility to anticipate overlooking & rights to light.
• Always balance creative expression with occupant comfort, community context, and regulatory compliance.

Master Checklist (Print for Site Visit)

• [ ] Brief studied, client goals noted, budget recorded.
• [ ] Desktop layers (topo, geology, hydrology, zoning, heritage, climate, transport) collected.
• [ ] Statutory regs: FSI, setbacks, CRZ, AAI funnel, seismic zone.
• [ ] Questions for locals prepared.
• [ ] Instruments packed (camera, compass, range-finder, plan print, notebook).
• [ ] Photos: 360°, elevations, context, services, vegetation.
• [ ] Measurements: plot, existing built-up, tree girths, level benchmarks.
• [ ] Sensory log: noise, odour, wind, hot/cool spots.
• [ ] Service lines & access points recorded.
• [ ] Viewshed & privacy conflicts mapped.
• [ ] Return visits at different times/weather scheduled.

Closing Thoughts

• Thoughtful site analysis = foundation of resilient, context-responsive architecture.
• Combine human observation with digital tools; translate data into clear graphics; let evidence dictate design moves.
• Keep learning: practice each software on current studio/project; share findings with peers for feedback.