Site

Site

The SITE system responds to SITE and contextual requirements. They will inform the extents of the bounding conditions and the form of the building.

  • We prefer to think of the SITE as the ‘platform’ for the building. This true for existing building extensions as it is to the refurbishment of disused oil or gas platforms.
  • Where is the SITE centre? It does not need to be the exact centre, but it is where the core will grow from.
  • If there is an existing building, what will be your project’s relationship to this?

The SITE system includes:

  • The conceptual origin of the process in the design grid
  • An opportunity for the inclusion of biodiversity strategies
  • A store of catalysing element for a ‘real’ biological building growth process
  • The resistor and transferer of structural load from the building
  • Control water runoff, capture, cleaning and cloud burst scenarios

The SITE system has a unique growth perspective because it is the origin of the building. The growth of every element in the building has its origin in the site. The function of the site is to support load from the structure and supply the spaces with their needs.

MP1 - Site

There are lots of different ways to approach the first part of the Agile Prototyping Methodology.

1.1 Element

Identify Element, Artefact or System

The SITE system has many elements. In this step please focus on the system and its element you wish to study further. It could be anything from its biodiversity, fire truck access, foundation systems or site drainage.

1.2 Line

Check for Organising Line or Surface

  • Similar to the facade and the floor the SITE is organised on a surface.
  • It is also built up of layers on the surface which have a line tangential to the surface.

1.3 Segments

Identify Segments or Zones

  • This would be the layers of the SITE including the landscaped or paved surface, any aggregate, the soil below …
  • or, under the bulding, the foundations, services and any basements etc.
  • This would also include the spatial organisatIon of the SITE which determines the location of the building and all of its systems.
  • Furthermore this could also be the ground, above ground and sky.

1.4 Scope

Define the Scope of the Study

Next you should scope your investigation of the SITE layers, segments and zones. This is up to you to define.

1.5 Features

Identify Features

Here you need to identify the features for each of the SITE layers included in your study as well as features in the ‘plan view’ spatial organisation.

MP2 - Site

2.1 Stages

Identify Stages

It can be difficult to think of the stages of SITE becuase it is probably a logical start point for all other systems in the building. Therefore if you struggle to think of the stages. The first would be the selection of the site and the next would be stages that trigger other systems, for instance the core, structure and services and when the site feeds external influence back to the facade for instance.

2.2 Proto Stages

Identify the Proto Stage

Having thought about all the stages that generate the features you identified in MP1.5

2.3 Feature A

Find Feature A

2.4 Feature B

Find Feature B (Repeat until complete)

2.5 Functions

Identify functions

MP3 Biomimetic Inspiration