Cliff Notes Flashcards
Zoning
uniform standards of construction originating in NYC in 1916 to protect the health, welfare and safety of people. Regulates the use of land, light, air, and open space while protecting property values and protecting against nuisances (factories in residential areas), undesirable businesses (porn shops by schools) and dangers (hazardous chemicals in public areas).
Incentive Zoning
encourages private developers to provide amenities for public use in exchange for opportunity to build larger or taller structures on a site.
Nonconforming Use
building is no longer permitted by the zoning ordinance. Typically allowed to stay unless it’s unsafe.
Conditional Use
a building that is permitted in an area that it is not zoned for, to benefit the public (e.g.: an elementary school in a residential neighborhood)
Variance
applied for by an owner on a private site to ask to deviate from an ordinance in order to avoid hardship.
Spot Zoning
a change in the zoning ordinance for a particular area
Ordinance
a municipal law
Setbacks
required open space measured between property line and face of building. Used to preserve light, air, and spaciousness
Building Line
utilized by communities principally to achieve planned street patterns. They help insure that buildings will not be erected in the bed of projected streets or of potential street widening.
Easements
legal right of government or another land owner to use one’s property for a specific purpose
Scenic Easement
Prevents development that upsets something scenic to the public
Assessment
valuation of property for the purpose of taxes
Business Improvement Districts
used to fund public space improvements (new streetscapes/graffiti removal) with the intention that it will enhance an area’s appeal. All business owners in district who would benefit pay increased taxes.
Eminent Domain
power of the state to take private property without owner’s consent, but with fair market value of the land compensation. Must be used government or public development (highways, railroads, civic center), economic development, or to mandate an easement for access (public utilities, right of way).
Deed Restrictions
place limitations on the use of the property, typically by original developers, who determined what land would be used for (live, work, or play) and can’t be changed by future owners.
Restrictive Covenant
limitations and stipulations used in residential settings. Can be aesthetic (allowable color pallets, vegetation types/pruning, fencing materials) pet control (how many and/or living conditions), or storage related (visibility of parked cars/boats/campers).
Affirmative Covenant
commits a buyer to performing duties in the future (e.g. will make payments for common charges in a condo)
Conditional Covenant
If restriction is violated or disregarded, the land will revet back to original owners/heirs.
Right-of-Way
right for people to cross land of another (pathways/cattle drives)
How many feet is in an acre?
One acre = 43,560 square feet
Check
Checks are 24 mi. on a side defined by parallels/meridians and divided into 16 townships
(US Survey divided land that was not already surveyed in 1780s into a square grid system)
Township
Are 6 miles on a side; divided into 36 1 mile sections
US Survey divided land that was not already surveyed in 1780s into a square grid system
Section
Are 1 mile square parcel of land containing 640 acres
US Survey divided land that was not already surveyed in 1780s into a square grid system
Quarter Section
Are 1/2 mile on each side
US Survey divided land that was not already surveyed in 1780s into a square grid system
Total Building Group:
All the buildings in a complex, group or masterplan
Component Building
An individual building in a Total Building Group
Activity Center
spaces related to each other by function within a building
Space Unit
each individual space within an activity center
Example: Medical Campus > Acute Care Hospital > Surgery Dept. > Pre-Op Suite
9 Space/Site Planning Considerations
- Relationship between site/structure
- Response to site conditions (sun/vegetation/wind/sound)
- Be visible but maintain human scale
- Express and serve its purpose economically and thoughtfully
- Utilize technologies and materials appropriately (honest tectonic expression)
- Use local materials and building techniques
- Create a hierarchy of parts that is interesting to look at
- Create a relationship between the interior and exterior
- Express human spirit and encourage human interaction
Estimate Needs
Determine total area by calculating the amount of space required for each us
Matrix Chart
numerical values of required relationships (1 = adjacent, 2 = no relationship, 3 = separate) are assigned to each program space with regard to the others
Bubble Diagram
before space planning create a loose drawing of circles that indicates required adjacencies, priorities or relationships, and relative sizes
Block Diagram
more accurate (but still preliminary) layout of spatial organization based on bubble diagram, but with accurate sizes use
Blocking
assigning departments to a defined area on a floor based on its desired adjacency and support requirement
Stacking
assigning floors/areas of floors to departments based on its desired adjacency and support requirement
Cardo and Decumanus
the two major streets in a Roman town, perpendicular
Point
a position, no dimension
Line
has direction and length but no thickness
Plane
has position, direction and length but no thickness
volume
a 3D plane
Shape
the outline of a form
Size
physical dimension
Color
Quality of a reflected light that articulates form and space
Light
Radiant Energy that is perceived by the human eye
Texture
applied to a surface
Proportion
relationship between parts that provides harmonious order
Golden Section
renaissance concept where a whole is divided so that the smaller part has the same relationship to the larger part, as the larger part has to the whole.
Rhythm
Regular occurrence of elements in time or space
Symmetry
balanced arrangements, typically in reference to formal design
Static form
parts are equal in size and located around a reference axis
Dynamic form
parts are unequal in size and arrange around a reference axis
Freeways
limited access roads with high speed, high volume circulation. move large volume around or thru urban centers. Over/underpasses.
AKA Expressways or Motorways
Arterial Streets
wide high capacity streets usually connecting to expressways. Typ. 2 or 3 lanes in each direction. No parking.
Collector Street
connection roads between local and arterial streets
Local streets
low capacity roads with direct access to a site
Formula for Site Slope %
Site Slope Percentage = Vertical/Horizontal x 100
What % site slope is good for all activities?
flat are -
What is a moderate site slope?
4-10%
What is a steep, unusable site slope?
10-50%
What is a very steep site slope, subject to erosion?
+50%
Construction slope (same as site slope formula) for storm drain?
.3% min
Construction slope for sanitary sewers
.4 - 1.4%
Construction slope for street surface drainage
.5% min
Construction slope for planted or large pavers
1% min
Construction slope for lawns
25% max
Construction slope for Planted Banks
50% max
Construction slope for Parking area/lot
5% max
Construction slope for Automobile Ramp
8% max
Construction slope for sidewalks
10% Max
Construction slope for streets/paved driveways
10% max
Angle of Repose
the greatest angle at which soil will lay without sliding
Angle of Repose for Loose wet clay or silt
30%
Angle of Repose for Compact dry clay
100%
Angle of Repose for wet sand
80%
Angle of Repose for Dry sand
65%
Gross Area =
Gross Area = Net Area (commonly used areas) + circulation (structure/MEP/service)
Floor Area Ratio (FAR) =
Floor Area Ratio (FAR) = Gross Area/Site Area
What arch. features are sometimes allowed to exceed height restrictions?
Penthouses, fan rooms, and skylights
What kind of lines are used in road design?
Roads consist of straight sections (tangents) and simple curves
What situations should be avoided in road design
- Avoid intersections that are slightly offset
* Avoid intersection where the angle of roads is less than 80°
What is a Cartridge Road?
Cartridge Roads are loop distributor-collector drive with access to the local road… typical in large shopping centers.
At intersections with more than ___ cars per hour, a traffic light is required
750
At intersection with more than ___ cars per hour, grade separation is required
3000
Cloverleaf
two level interchange
Direct left turn
where two expressways intersect. More expensive than Cloverleaf but allows more lanes to operate at high speeds in all changes of direction
Diamond
expressways intersect secondary roads. critical design elements : ramp grades, turning radii, lengths of the acceleration and deceleration lanes. Up ramps are 3-6%, down ramps are 8%
Maximum length of a block
1,600 feet
Maximum length of a Cul-de-Sac
400‘ max w/ 80‘ turn around
Width of 2 lane highway w/ 9’-0” shoulders
40’-0” - 42’-0”
Typical building materials of street surface
concrete, asphalt, grave, or decomposed granite
Typical width of street
11’-0” - 12’-0” wide
Typical Heavy Traffic street has __ curbs and ___
6” curb and gutter
Typical Minor streets have what kind of curb?
4” roll curb or gravel
Minimum curb radii @ minor streets
12”
Minimum curb radii @ major streets
50”
Typical Landscape strip dimenstions
7’ with trees or 4’ wide w/grass/dirt
Small Car turning radii
16-19’
standard car turning radii
19-23’
large car turning radii
23-25’
ambulance turning radii
25-30’
busses/trucks turning radii
43-50’
Typical parking space dimenstions
Spaces are typically 9’-0” wide and 18’-0” - 20’-0” long
Typical accessible parking space dimenstions
Accessible spaces are minimum 8’-0” wide with access alley 5’-0” wide for cars or 8’-0”
wide for vans adjacent to the space
How is the number of accessible spaces determined?
When parking is provided, the number of accessible parking spaces is determined by the
total number of spaces.
What % of parking must be accessible for hospital outpatient facilities, and physical therapy facilities?
hospital outpatient facilities: 10%
outpatient physical therapy facilities: 20%
When planning, how many SF should be allotted for parking/circulation per car?
400 SF
How much parking SF should be accounted for, for every 1000 SF of shopping space?
3000 - 4000 SF
How much clearance should be between parked cars to allow for enough space for opening doors?
20”
How wide should circulation aisle be?
12’ wide
Typical dimension of parking space in lots with attendants
8’ x 18’ stalls and 20’ aisles
Double loaded angled parking - projection and width for:
30° parking
30° parking ! ! = 15’-7” projection = 43’-2” bay width
Double loaded angled parking - projection and width for:
35° parking
35° parking! ! = 16’-7” projection = 45’-2” bay width
Double loaded angled parking - projection and width for:
40° parking
40° parking! ! = 17’-6” projection = 47’-0” bay width
Double loaded angled parking - projection and width for:
45° parking
45° parking! ! = 18’-2” projection = 48’-4” bay width
What angle of parking is the most efficient? Why?
Why is there a disadvantage?
- 11 cars / 100 linear feet of curb.
Allows for the maximum amount of spaces and two way traffic
Disadvantage: can be hard to maneuver
Second most efficient parking angle? What are the benefits?
60° parking is pretty efficient = 9 cars/100 lineal feet of curb.
Relatively economical and allows easy access to and from parking spaces. Easiest to use.
Benefits of 45° parking?
45° parking is pretty efficient = 8 cars/100 lineal feet of curb
Relatively economical and allows easy access to and from parking spaces
Least efficient parking angle?
30° parking is least efficient = 5 cars/100 lineal feet of curb
Uneconomical.
Max slope of parking lot
5%
In multiple story lots, what is the max slope of the ramp? How long should transitions be?
Ramps should be 15% max, with 8’ transitions
Order the 3 types of parking lots from least to greatest construction cost.
Outdoor Lot
Parking structure
underground parking
must consider land costs and number of spaces need to pick parking design option.
Which oriented site is most ideal?
Choose a south facing site (use overhangs or deciduous trees to block summer sun)
What area of a hill is most suitable for building?
Midway on a hill is best (top is too windy, fog/cold air settles in valley)
Location Factors for Construction:
Suburban Areas
Lowest costs for development and connected to urban areas
Location Factors for Construction:
Urban Areas
highest costs for development (due to labor rates)
Location Factors for Construction:
Rural Areas
variable cost based on access and existing transportation
8 Primary Concerns for Site Design
- Pedestrian and vehicular circulation/transportation network
- The disposal of runoff and the effects of surface drainage
- Landscaping
- Access to services and public facilities
- Natural and artificial lighting
- Site access for emergency vehicles
- Security
- Subsurface conditions and topography (including fluctuating water tables, heaving, and soil stability)
Mothballing
Term used in historic preservation when you designate certain areas to be repaired or restored at a later date, under a later contract.
Adaptive Reuse
process of adapting old structures for purposes other than those initially intended while retaining their historic features.
4 Goals of Historic Preservation :
Preservation :
Least amount of work done to the building and any interventions are as inconspicuous as possible
Preservation/Restoration occurs to buildings that are specifically significant (designed by a famous architect, housed an important historic event, etc). These buildings are typically on the National Register of Historic Places
4 Goals of Historic Preservation :
Rehabilitation :
retain and repair historic materials, but some replacement of damaged material is ok, as are additions that convey historic values
Rehabilitation occurs to buildings in a significant historic district, but aren’t individually significant (and are more likely to be able to take on a new use)
4 Goals of Historic Preservation :
Restoration :
remove inconsistent features and replace missing features in accordance with the restoration period
Preservation/Restoration occurs to buildings that are specifically significant (designed by a famous architect, housed an important historic event, etc). These buildings are typically on the National Register of Historic Places
4 Goals of Historic Preservation :
Reconstruction :
new construction to look like how something existed at an earlier time
Pros and Cons of Adaptive Reuse / Land Conservation
- Reduces the amount of sprawl in the outlying city
- Is sometime associated with gentrification
What is the process of Historic Preservation design?
Define whether preservation, rehab, restoration, or reconstruction
Team with structural/MEP engineers who have specialized historic preservation experience
Complete Preliminary Analysis/Pre-design and Research
Complete Design Phase:
Complete Document Phase:
Address energy efficiency, accessibility, health and life safety issues:
Catchment Areas aka market, trade, or tributary area
geographic area from which the participants in an activity are drawn. It grows and shrinks with the activity.
Residential Catchment Areas:
determined by local transit systems.
Proctor Compaction Test
Geotechnical tests to determine the maximum, practically achievable, density of soils and aggregates.
Percolation test
test method to determine the rate at which soil absorbs effluent. Used to test suitably of soil for a leachfield.
Survey : Baseline
parallel (line that follows latitudes of earth) used as the basis for the east‐ west layout of the US Survey system
Survey : Parallels
parallels between the baselines in the US Survey
Survey : Principal Meridian
meridian (north-south line that follows longitude of earth) that serves as the basis for the north‐south grid layout of the US Survey
Survey : Guide meridian
meridians between the principal meridians Benchmark: standard or point of reference against which things may be compared
Survey : Metes and bounds
verbal description of land that begins at a known point and
describes the bearing and length of each side of the property until the point of the beginning is reached
Contour interval
change in elevation between two contours. Smaller scaled maps typically have a larger interval for clarity.
Crown/Ridge:
contours point “down” toward the lower elevation
Swale/Valley
contours point “up” towards the higher elevation
Hills
concentric circles with elevations getting higher towards the center
Depression
concentric circles with the elevations getting lower towards the center
Frost line
max depth at which soil will freeze. Below, the soil stays warmer than freezing
Swamp
wetland that features permanent inundation of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water, generally with a substantial number of hummocks, or dry‐land protrusions
Swale
an elongated depression in the land surface that is at least seasonally wet, is usually vegetated and is normally without flowing water.
Detention Pond
low lying area that is designed to temporarily hold a set amount of water while slowly draining to another location. They are more or less around for flood control when large amounts of rain could cause flash flooding if not dealt with properly
Retention Pond
designed to hold a specific amount of water indefinitely. Usually the pond is designed to have drainage leading to another location when the water levelgets above the pond capacity, but still maintains a certain capacity
Riparian Rights
system of rights and duties that determine the reasonable use, duties, and allocations of water to owners of waterfront property (includes bottomland, beach, and upland, but not the water itself).
Owners can use water adjacent to their
property, but can’t infringe upon the rights of others to use the water
Sheet Flow
water that flows across paved surfaces.
Aquifer
permeable stratum of soil material that allows the passage of water underground and is the water source for wells
Hydrology
the study of the occurrence, movement, and quality of water on a site
Flume
elevated artificial channel that carries fast moving water and is used to transport things like logs and fish
Weir
embankment, levee or dam formed to hold a river or stream or divert water flow.
Albedo
how much radiant energy that is reflected by a surface where 0 is a flat black surface which absorbs all heat and 1 is a mirror (rate is listed as a fraction)
Conductivity
the speed with which heat passes through a material. Metals are high, and soils/sand are low
Macroclimate
based on latitude, elevation, and proximity to water. Water reduces temperature extremes.
Describe the macroclimate of Islands/Costal Region
constant & moderate temperature
Describe the macroclimate of Arid/Desert Region
low humidity & greater temperature variation
Describe the macroclimate of Mountainous Region
winds are forced to rise
Microclimate
based on solar radiation, the angle between the ground and altitude
Describe the sun angle of the suns greatest rays
perpendicular to ground
Describe the sun angle of winter solstice
least hours of sun and low sun angle
Describe the sun angle of summer solstice
most hours of sun and high sun angle
Vernal/Autumnal Equinox
equal hours of sun and dark
Vortex
when moving air encounters a building perpendicular to a broad face it flows both over roof and down the facade. Air collects at the base of the building which results in a high velocity swirl of wind.
Air Pollution Temperature Inversion Phenomenon
the air temperature at ground level is lower than higher elevations causing the heavy, cold trapped air below to release pollutants
Climate
the composite of weather conditions (described in data or quantifiable units) including temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, and rainfall, as well as site
conditions including microclimate, topography, ground cover, water, and elevation.
Ecology
the science of the pattern of relationships between a group of organisms and their environment.
Ecosystem
an environment of living organisms and non-living components
What population density is need to have a Collective Transit System
needs at least a population density of 30 persons per acre.
Max distance to walk to a stop is ___?
1/4 - 1/2 mile
What type of public transit is used for short trips in the city / long trips in the suburbs? How fast does it travel?
Local Bus, 15- 30 mph
What type of public transit is used to travel between medium density areas? How fast does it travel?
Express Bus, 40-60 mph
What type of public transit is used to travel between areas with high density? How fast does it travel?
Rail, 40-70 mph
Site constraints that affect a grading plan
- Existing trees and shrubs to be saved, transplanted or removed.
- The finished floor height of existing structures
- The finish grade of existing roads.
- Existing land forms
- The properly line, grade must be met and excess runoff can’t be diverted to adjacent
properties.
Describe Ecosystems
Ecosystems (e.g.: forest, pond, city, desert) are constantly changing, and if one component (species or non-living thing) is removed, the system will evolve to make new
relationships.
What kind of ecosystems are unstable?
Uniform ecosystems (all rural, natural ecologies or all urban, man made ecologies) tend to be unstable. Need harmony between natural and human activities.
How can we address climate issues?
Climate issues can be dealt with by addressing planning, orientation, building materials, plantings, and vegetative or constructed shading/exposure to sun.
Describe what surface is effected most by heat transmission in North and Southern latitudes.
In northern latitudes, heat transmission through walls is critical
In southern latitudes, heat transmission through roof is critical
List the processes of design concerning building and site design.
Get a site and/or building survey Determine land use Determine land value Determine soil type Determine potential land problems Complete soil testing Choose foundation type Prevent future problems
Name and describe the 3 types of site surveys
Preliminary : basic for preparation of architectural drawings
Construction : precise condition of site and adjacent structures, bench marks
Possession : records completed development
2 Forms of site survey
Geodetic: precise, follows spherical shape of the earth
Plane: more common, assumes a flat plane of the earth
EXAMPLES :
Aerial Photography (Google earth type images)
City
Construction (includes markers)
Hydrographic (oceans, rivers, lakes, etc)
Land (a description of the site)
Route (roads and utility lines)
What are the 3 types of building surveys?
Field Measurements: taken by hand
Laser Scanning: remotely measure existing spaces (quick)
Photogrammetry: establish control points and hand survey to get base coordinate
system (takes much longer than laser scanning)
What are the 8 basic categories of land use?
Agricultural Institutional Commercial Natural Resources Government Open/Conservation Industrial Residential
Land use methodologies : Comparison Method
land value is compared to other similar parcels (can be applied to all categories of use) and is the most accurate if current data is available
Land use methodologies : Development Method
when comparisons aren’t available, use estimates to
determine the selling price of lot, cost to develop, time to develop, and net sale price
Land use methodologies : Residual/Income Approach Method
used in highly developed areas by estimating
potential income from improvements that yield the highest return (highest & best use)
Land use methodologies : Allocation Method
used to determine value of improved properties by deducting the value of site improvements to get the value of the land.
Soil Types : Gravel
well drained and able to bear loads (+2 mm)
Soil Types : Sand
well drained and can serve as foundation when graded (0.5 - 2 mm)
Soil Types : Silt
stable when dry, swells when frozen, do not use when wet (.002 - .05 mm)
Soil Types : Clay
must be removed, too stiff when dry and too plastic when wet (
Levels of Soil
A Level - Topsoil (organic/mineral material)
B Level - Minerals
C Level - Partially weathered/fractured rock
D Level - Bedrock
Soil Types : Alluvium
soil, sand or mud deposited by flowing water
Soil Types : Humus
soft dark soil containing decomposed organic matter, poor bearing capacity
Soil Types : Loam
rich soil containing equal parts of sand, silt, and clay
Solving site problems :
Water within 6’-0” of land surface
pump out excavation, waterproof basement, resist hydrostatic pressure (continuous drain pipe installed at foundation)
Solving site problems :
Rock at / near the surface of site
use explosives to reduce manual labor
Solving site problems :
Soil is soft clay, waterbearing sand or silt
construct deeper foundations or drive piles,
remove poor soil
Solving site problems :
Underground Streams
avoid and be cautious of siting of structure
Solving site problems :
Cut and Fill
balance it. There shouldn’t be more taken away than added or vice versa
Bearing capacity of bedrock
10,000 psi
Bearing capacity of well graded gravel/sand
3,000 - 12,000 psi
Bearing capacity of compacted sand / fill
2,000 - 3,000 psi
Bearing capacity of silt / clay
1,000 - 4,000 psi
Borings
Locations depend on nature of the building and should be 20’-0” past firm strata
Where should soil borings be taken for open warehouses?
one in each corner and one in the middle
Where should soil borings be taken for large structures?
50’-0” spacing
Where should soil borings be taken for uniform conditions?
100 - 500’ spacing
Wash boring
the drilling of a test hold to locate bedrock beneath very compact soil. A pipe is driven into the soil while water forces the material to the surface. It can penetrate all materials other than rock.
Auger boring
soil testing that uses an auger drill big fastened to a rod to bring the soil to the surface. Most efficient in sand and clay because the bit is easily obstructed. It has limited depth
Core boring
an intact cylindrical sample is extracted by drilling through all types of soil including bedrock. Very reliable and expensive
Test pit
an excavation of an open pit that allows for a visual examination of the existing conditions as well as the ability to take intact samples for further testing. Can determine the depth of the water table.
Spread Footing
Most economical
Delivers load directly to soil.
Area of the footing = load/safe bearing capacity
Mat Foundations
Very expensive
Typically it’s only used when the strata is weak,
It acts as one continuous foundation.
Belled Caissons
holes are drilled to firm strata and concrete poured. They’re basically really, really deep spread footings
End Bearing Piles
2-3x cost of spread footings.
Driven until tip meets firm resistance from strata
Friction Pile
Driven into softer soil.
Friction transmits the load between pile and soil.
Bearing capacity is limited by whichever is weaker: the strength of the pile or the soil
How can you prevent future problems when designing the site?
Connect new on-site drainage to natural drainage
Design surface water runoff based on worst case storm scenario
Prevent erosion by using channels, gutters, swales, and xerioscaping
Behavior setting
a space with definable boundaries and objects where typical pattern of behavior occurs at a particular time (e.g. Tossing scarf during the national anthem at Jeld-Wen Field during a Timbers match)
Census
systematic record taking about members of a population. Began in 1790 and occurs every 10 years.
Demography
Statistical study of human populations
Density
number of people per unit area
Population size
actual number of people in a given location
Proxemics
the study of spatial requirements of humans and the effects of population density on behavior, communication and social interaction
Territoriality
behavioral system where person/group lays claim/defends an area
Sociofugal
grouping of people arranged so that each can have privacy from others
Typical Human Comfort Zone for Winter
63-71 degrees
Typical Human Comfort Zone for Summer
66-75 degrees
Typical Human Comfort Zone for Tolerable humidity
30%-60%
Typical Human Comfort Zone for uncomfortable humidity
75% +
