Site planning involves developing and implementing an organizational plan for interior or exterior spaces, complying with local regulations, considering physical attributes of the area, and creating visually appealing and practical designs. It applies to new construction and renovation of existing spaces.
Site planning is a process that involves developing and implementing a specific organizational plan for an interior or exterior space. Landscape architects develop floor plans for the grounds surrounding a home or business location. Commercial architects perform a similar function when designing the interior placement of key building construction elements, such as the placement of artificial and natural lighting, entrance and exit options, and any other amenities intended to provide function and form.
However, site planning isn’t just about creating a workable layout for the space. It also involves making sure the area is designed so that the space complies with local zoning laws, building laws, and any other regulations governing what can and cannot be included. From this point of view, the architect must be very familiar with all the laws that apply to the project and make sure that everything complies with local codes. Failure to comply can result in the loss of significant time and money as well as the possibility of fines or other action by local authorities.
The site planning process also involves taking into consideration any physical attributes of the area that is to be developed in any way. This can involve important details such as the soil type and native vegetation of the area, whether or not the property is located in a flood plain, and what elements should be acquired for successful landscaping. In the case of green landscape design, the challenge is not so much how to modify the terrain to fit the design, but how to create a design that is in harmony with the terrain itself.
Professionals using landscape architecture know that site planning is not a process that can be done in a couple of hours. Most commonly, site planners will spend weeks or months of events creating the ideal exterior plan for the site. The same goes for the architects who design the layout of the interior spaces. At all times, practical aspects such as safety must be considered, whilst also seeking to create the most visually appealing and practical design possible.
While site planning is most often thought to apply to new construction, the same basic principles can also be applied to the renovation of existing interior and exterior spaces. For example, a retail site planner can help a chain of retail stores come up with a plan to modify existing retail space to reflect the design common to all of the chain’s retail stores. The site planner can also help redesign the outdoor eating setup around a restaurant, landscaping the parking area with foliage to soften the hard lines of the asphalt or altering the exterior and grounds to better reflect the atmosphere that the establishment wishes to cultivate.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
