CHAPTER 7: BUILDING AND CIRCULATION Flashcards
What factors drive building location decisions?
Placement of buildings on a site affects residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional uses
Proximity to customers, ease of access, and visibility are crucial for business success.
What is a key principle for building location?
Locate building on previously disturbed sites
This conserves open spaces and minimizes construction disturbance.
How should buildings be oriented to minimize grading?
Locate structures with respect to site topography
What is the impact of longer roads on development costs?
Increase development costs and create more impermeable surfaces
Longer roads can also reduce pedestrian safety.
What orientation is ideal for building entrances to maximize solar gain?
Southern orientation, ideally SSE & SSW
What is the recommended height for human-scaled buildings?
2-4 stories
What is building articulation?
3D detailing of a building’s exterior through variations in materials, colors, and design elements
What should taller buildings avoid to ensure pedestrian comfort?
Casting shadows or creating wind tunnel effects
How can energy demands of a building be reduced?
Lowering surface area, building to human scale, increasing natural light and ventilation
What does site circulation encompass?
Vehicular, pedestrian, bicycle, and multi-user circulation systems
What is an important consideration for site circulation?
Connectivity to existing circulation systems
What is the purpose of wayfinding?
Helps users orient themselves through signage, clear sight lines, and landmarks
What are the characteristics of a principle arterial roadway?
Highways, controlled access, heavy traffic, long distances, high speeds
What is a minor arterial roadway?
Routes through urban areas with major commercial and institutional uses
What is the role of collector roads?
Link traffic from local streets to minor arterial roadways
What percentage of streets in the US are classified as local roads?
90%
What is the recommended alignment for roadways?
Direct as possible while addressing topography and critical features
What is the sight distance in roadway design?
Length of road ahead visible to the driver
What factors affect sight distance?
Curves, hills, speed limits, alignments, intersections
What is a sight triangle?
Area at an intersection ensuring visibility for drivers
What are the three basic ways roads relate to topography?
- Parallel to contours
- Perpendicular to contours
- Diagonal across the contours
What is a woonerf?
A shared space roadway design prioritizing safety for pedestrians and cyclists
What are the components of streetscapes?
- Road
- Buildings
- Street trees
- Open spaces
- Sidewalks
- Site furnishings
What is a key benefit of streetscapes?
Reduce vehicle trips by mixing land uses and providing transit options
What is the maximum distance most pedestrians are willing to walk?
700 ft (1/8 mile)
What should pedestrian circulation systems minimize?
Conflicts with vehicles and cyclists
How can pedestrian safety at intersections be improved?
Ensuring unobstructed visibility to crosswalks and reducing crossing distances
What is the primary criterion for designing a crosswalk?
Unobstructed visibility
This ensures that vehicles and roadway users can see all crosswalks clearly
List three ways to increase pedestrian safety at intersections.
- Unobstructed visibility to all crosswalks
- Crosswalks oriented perpendicular to the highway
- Reduced distance required to cross a street
True or False: Lower vehicle speeds enhance pedestrian safety.
True
Lower speeds give pedestrians more time to react and cross safely.
What are the characteristics of bicycle paths?
- Dedicated for bicycle traffic
- Separated from vehicles by open space or barriers
- Typically 8-12 ft wide
What is the maximum cross slope considered ideal for bike paths?
1.5%
A maximum of 2% cross slope is acceptable.
What is the width range for bicycle lanes?
5-6 ft
Bicycle lanes are designated portions of larger roadways.
Describe wide outside lanes.
Located on the right side of traffic, ~14 ft wide, intended for shared use with vehicles
What is the most dangerous form of bikeway?
Shared roadways
Bikes are treated as cars, affecting traffic flow.
List two scenarios that increase the risk of accidents for cyclists.
- Cyclists turn left across oncoming traffic
- Cyclists cross an intersection when vehicles are turning from the right
What are key design considerations for bicycle circulation networks?
- Adequate sight lines
- Suitable topography
- Adequate lane widths
- Safe conditions at intersections
What is the purpose of multi-user trails?
To accommodate a range of users such as cyclists, walkers, runners, and skaters
What slope is recommended for ADA accessible trails?
Less than 5%
This ensures accessibility for all users.
What are the advantages of designing multi-use trails?
- Located within open space
- Provide connections to local ecosystems
- Minimize interruptions to travel
Define nature trails in terms of slope difficulty.
- Easy trails: 3-5% slope
- Moderate trails: 8-10% slope
- Hard trails: 10%+ slope
What should ADA routes be free from?
Obstructions
This includes any barriers that would impede access.
What is the maximum slope for an ADA walkway?
8.33%
This corresponds to a 1 ft elevation change over 12 horizontal feet.
What should be provided alongside ramps for accessibility?
Stairs
Ramps are not accessible for all abilities, hence both should be included.
What are two design considerations for elderly site users?
- Visual cues at grade changes
- Comfortable seating
What is a common activity that promotes social interaction among elderly users?
Walking
Walking paths foster interactions between elderly and other populations.
Fill in the blank: The more accessible a site is to a wide range of users, the more they are able to benefit from the _______.
[ecological, social, or economic opportunities]
