SITE ANALYSIS (HIGH SCHOOL)

OVERVIEW:

On October 13th-15th, Landscape Architecture and Design students from the College of DuPage, Jolliet Junior College, Parkland College and Illinois Central College will travel to Denver to participate in a design charrette with a select group of students from Prosser Career Academy High School, Hanson Park Elementary and landscape professionals as part of the Come Alive Outside Design Challenge. To prepare for the design charrette, the high school design teams will conduct a Site Analysis of the current schoolyard. During the charrette, the high school students will collaborate in larger Charrette Teams consisting of teachers, college students and professionals to create design concepts for an outdoor learning environment to be constructed at the school. The high school and elementary students on these charrette teams are the experts on the current site, as well as representatives of the wants and needs of the broader student population at Hanson Park. The materials in this packet will help to provide college students with a preview of the site. This Site Analysis will walk you through the process of assessing the current physical elements of your schoolyard, as well as how students currently use the space. During the Design Charrette, this assessment of the current site will be the starting point for designing a more engaging, natural and useful schoolyard!

WHAT IS A DESIGN CHARRETTE?

A charrette is an intensive planning session where citizens, designers and others collaborate on a vision for development. It provides a forum for ideas and offers the unique advantage of giving immediate feedback to the designers. More importantly, it allows everyone who participates to be a mutual author of the plan.

Through brainstorming and design activity, many goals are accomplished during the charrette. First, everyone who has a stake in the project develops a vested interest in the ultimate vision. Second, the design team works together to produce a set of finished documents that address all aspects of the design. Third, since the input of all the players is gathered at one event, it is possible to avoid the prolonged discussions that typically delay conventional planning projects. Finally, the finished result is produced more efficiently and cost-effectively because the process is collaborative. *

*From The Town Paper: http://www.tndtownpaper.com/what_is_charrette.htm  

Site Analysis Instructions:    

1. Break into 5 Design Teams, with approximately two or three students on each team. Every team will conduct its own Site Analysis and prepare a Site Analysis Map prior to the Design Charrette on October 14th.

2. Make sure that every student has the following: • 8.5x11” copy of the Base Map of the school. • Si te Ana lys is Worksheet • Something to write with and clipboard or something to write on.

3. Go outside, observe the site and conduct a site analysis by drawing the elements listed on the Site Analysis Worksheet onto the Base Map. Don’t worry about making everything look good right now. These maps are the first draft that you will use later to produce your final Site Analysis Map. Work as a teams, but every student should draw the current features of the site onto a Base Map.

4. Use the notes and sketches that you have made on your smaller base maps to produce a larger final Site Analysis Map. It’s good to discuss and debate certain elements as you draw them onto your final Site Map. In order to complete your final Site Analysis Maps you will need: • 24x36” copy of the Base Map of the school. (Provided) • Tracing Paper (Provided)

This is a great way to draw different elements of the site over the Base Map in layers, as you likely have different elements that overlap. Lay the tracing paper over the Base Map, and tape the corners so that it does not move as you draw on it. Create one layer by drawing the PHYSICAL ELEMENTS onto the tracing paper. Create a second layer by drawing the PATTERNS OF USE onto a separate sheet of tracing paper.

• Masking Tape • Colored pencils or markers.

Site Analysis Worksheet:

Go outside, walk the site and draw the following elements onto your Base Map. While you are outside, mark the elements on your 8.5x11” maps with a pen or pencil. When you produce your larger, final Site Analysis Map, draw the elements using the indicated color.

PHYSICAL ELEMENTS: NOTES:

Wet Areas and Water Sources (Blue)

It is very important to mark areas that accumulate water or stay wet after a storm. You should also mark water sources including downspouts, water spigots, drainage ditches, etc…

Sunny Areas (Yellow)

Mark the areas of the schoolyard that receive Full Sun or at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Take note of how the sun moves and mark the hottest and sunniest areas of the schoolyard.

Shady Areas (Gray)

Mark the areas that are in Full Shade or get less than 4 hours of direct sunlight per day. You will need to observe the schoolyard at different points in the day to get a good sense which areas are the most shaded.

Open Windy Areas (Arrows)

Mark the direction that the wind blows and areas of the yard that are most windy. Buildings, trees and other structures help to block the wind, making it easier for tender, young plants to grow.

PATTERNS OF USE: NOTES:

Pass ive Gather ing Areas (Orange)

Mark benches, seating, or areas where people currently gather to socialize. Label these areas throughout the entire schoolyard, not just within area of the future garden site.

Act ive Gather ing Areas (Red)

Mark sports fields and other areas of the schoolyard where people engage in physical activity. Label these areas throughout the entire schoolyard.

Traf f i c Pat terns (Brown)

Mark the natural pathways where people most commonly walk. When creating a design for the space you may want to accommodate these existing traffic patterns with paths and walkways.

L ines o f S ight (Eye Symbol)

Depict the most common views of the area including windows, views from the road, parking area or existing pathways. You can then design in such a way that draws attention to beautiful areas or hides unsightly elements.

     

*Adapted  from  The  Learning  Grounds  Guide  for  Schools  developed  by  Evergreen.