a&a overview

Site Analysis & Assessment

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Now that you’re done with your goals articulation, you should have…

List of desired elements and speciesProblems, qualities, issues, likesIdeas for how to support and heal the land and surrounding ecosystemsDesign criteria to meet your values and goalsA list of questions and topics to guide your analysis and assessmentWhat do I need to know about the site to make these goals a reality?

GuidelinesA&A connects the goals to the site

It’s about patterns and relationships (remember: patterns to details)

When we analyze, we break the site up into smaller, decipherable components so we can understand the relationships that exist between them

The “What?”

Assessment

When we assess, we assign value

The “So What?”

What are the implications for design?

Bubble diagramsFat markers, big movements (patterns)

Circles and arrows

Reasonably messy

Words and pictures

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A&A is a summary of the current realityIt’s ok to have design directions, but don’t get lost in them

Note them and return to the here and now and the implications for design

Distinguish between

observations (factual, neutral)

--> interpretations (assigning value based on your background/perspective and your goals)

The Path Forward

Start collecting info (maps, historical documents, soils info, climate data, legal info, info from neighbors and community)

Undirected observation and interpretation

Now that you have your goals, go back and notice what you noticeConnect back to your first impressionsCan incorporate sector and flow analysis, or these can be part of your thematic observations

Thematic Observation

Sector analysis

Flow analysis

Scale of

Permanence

Scale of PermanenceClimateLandformWaterLegal IssuesAccess & CirculationVegetation & WildlifeMicroclimatesBuildings & InfrastructureZones of UseSoilAesthetics

Overlay for each aspect of the s.o.p.

(except climate)

The goals determine the question you are asking and what you are looking for

S.O.P. guiding questions

Use words and pictures

Set time limits for each aspect

Hold back on design, we’re buildin’ momentum here

If you get stuck, return to the goals

On each overlay: summarize the 3-5 most important points

A&A Summary: summarize all the most important data from all aspects of the s.o.p. onto one overlay, using words and pictures

Landform

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Water

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Access & circulation

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Vegetation & wildlife

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Soils

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Zones of Use, Aesthetics

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A&A summary

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Recap

Patterns to detailsPatterns inherent in the goals

Patterns inherent in the site

Next, we begin weaving them together

The goals guide the A&A

Analyze: break the site up into its components

Assess: assign value, interpret

Undirected observation

Sector and Flow Analyses

Thematic observation guided by the scale of permanence

Distinguish observations from interpretations

A&A Summarycombination of the most important or influential observations and interpretations from all aspects of the s.o.p. summarizes the current reality on the site and its implications for design in relation to the goalslays foundation for decisions in design phase

The more thorough the A&A, the smoother the design phase…The A&A discovers the design