CHRISTOPHER ANDREWS ARCHITECT & TOWN PLANNER

 

AN INTEGRATED SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL DESIGN PROCESS  PART V:  

HOW THE SITE ANALYSIS & INITIAL BUILDING VISION INFORM THE PROJECT SITING 

 

 

 

Site Concept Diagrams

Preliminary Perspective Sketch

 

Rough Site Model

 

With the site analysis and the overall building vision in hand we begin to study the potential siting of the buildings. We are especially alert to how the new construction affects the existing landscape structure. With the Hoff's residence we wanted to place the main body of the building project close to the Old Oak, so that it would begin to benefit from its presence, and create a sheltered space around it, but not so close that is would be competing with the special energy of this venerable tree.

We saw that placing a large building mass near the tree started to divide the site into two areas. The area around the tree was quite nice, but this left an area between the building and the road that had to be repaired and enhanced. The landscape designers suggested that a swimming pond would provide a strong center to the front area of the site.

In terms of the solar orientation we had to reconcile several factors. The main view was to the north, parallel with the long boundaries of the site. However, true south is at an angle to the street and property line grid. The proposed solution both acknowledges the street grid and orients positively to the sun.

We build very rough site models, at 1/8"=1'-0". All of the components are movable. We use the model in conjunction with actual staking out on the site to determine the preliminary location of buildings.

We have found in situations with expansive building programs and sites that it often makes sense to break the mass of the structure up into a main house and more modest outbuildings. In this way, we maintain a comfortable human scale, adopt a more open relationship to the landscape, and facilitate incremental or phased development. In the Calistoga residence the main house and carriage house form an ell that encloses a courtyard open on one side to the east sun and neighboring hills.

 

GO FORWARD TO PART VI: FORMULATING THE PROJECT LANGUAGE

 

GO BACK TO PART IV: SITE ANALYSIS

 

GO BACK TO THE INTRODUCTION/TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

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