Urban Planning and Design Concepts

Street Patterns for Mountainous Sites

• Radial street patterns (connecting center to outskirts) are ideal for mountainous sites.

Rolling Terrain Considerations

• Building along contours increases construction costs.
• Drainage issues are more manageable.
• Rolling terrains offer more interesting development opportunities (e.g., attractive for high-end buyers).
• Buildings can serve as retaining walls for steep sites.

Site Survey Procedures

• The first step in conducting a site survey is to gather existing data.
• This is followed by personal reconnaissance (notes, sketches, photos).
• Then, summarize the off-site context and its changes.
• Finally, correlate data.

Major Road Types

• Boulevards, autobahns, expressways, and freeways are major roads.

Street Types

• A cul-de-sac is a dead-end street with a turnaround.
• Collector streets have low-moderate capacity.
• Avenues are wide streets.
• Local streets provide access to bordering properties.

Climatic Factors Affecting Human Comfort

• Solar radiation, humidity, and air movement directly influence human comfort.
• Latitude is also an indirect factor related to climate, but not a direct factor of comfort.

Site Planning for Retreat Centers

• The sanctuary in a retreat center is typically best positioned on a ridge (for best views).

Site Design Techniques

• Grading is the process of remodeling landforms for site functions.

Human Factors in Design

• Physical, psychological, and physiological factors are considered in design.

Topographic Map Symbols

• Brown is used for contour lines.
• Blue is used for bodies of water.
• Black is used for roads, railroads, and boundaries.
• Green is used for woodlands.

Site Documentation

• A survey is a checklist of site information.

Site Attributes

• Soil attributes include bearing capacity, stability, erodibility, and fertility.

Urban Design Concepts

• Site planning involves arranging structures and shaping spaces.

Contour Lines

• Contour lines connect points of equal elevation on a topographic map.

Humidity and Body Comfort

• A decrease in humidity generally improves body comfort.

Human Needs Hierarchy

• Abraham Maslow articulated the hierarchy of human needs.

Building Design for Sunlight Control

• Overhangs, building orientation, louvered windows, and roof shape control sunlight entering a building.

Wind Patterns

• A land breeze is a flow of air from land to water at night.
• A sea breeze flows from water to land.

Passive Design Strategies for Milder Climate

• Maximizing sun exposure indoors for healthier climates.
• Growing shade trees for milder temperatures.

Personal Space

• Spatial bubble is a concept of personal space.

Site Measurement Methods

• Hiring a geodetic engineer is the best approach for precise site measurements.

Window Placement Considerations (Manila)

• South-facing windows are optimal in Manila for utilizing the wind and avoiding direct sunlight.

Oceanographic Phenomena

• A storm surge is the result of high winds forcing water ashore above normal tide levels.

Governmental Agencies in Philippines

• Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration, and Mines and Geosciences Bureau are agencies that provide information about natural hazards.

Site Factors for Design

• Plant species, tree size, soil fertility, and introduced invasive species are biological factors.

Place and Architecture

• Genius loci is the phenomenon or experience of a place.

New Urbanism Principles

• Widening roads is discouraged in new urbanism; slow-speed streets, on-street parking and hidden parking slots are promoted.

Built-Up Areas

• Urban form is the visible built-up areas often equated with "townscape."

Urban Design Fundamentals

• Urban design outlines how buildings, places, spaces, and networks shape cities.

Creating Engaging Public Spaces

• Placemaking creates places with meaning and identity.

Qualities of Good Urban Space

• Walkability is a vital component of good urban space.

Urban Morphology

• A study of urban morphology considers urban form and shape.

Urban Infrastructure Assets

• Physical capital comprises buildings, machines, roads, etc.

Supporting Principles of Urban Design

• Good urban design fosters local character.

Space Classification

• Squares/plazas can be categorized by location, size, form, and function.

Placemaking Principles

• Permeability determines access to a particular place; variety offers access to different uses.

Basic Urban Space Forms

• Typical urban space forms include circles, rectangles, and triangles.

Street Layout

• Grid street layouts are the most practical design for city planning.

City Aesthetics

• Landscape and public space contribute to a city's character and beauty.

City Components

• Streets represent the "nerves/veins/arms and legs" of a city.

Personalization in Space

• Permeability and personalization affect how people can modify a place.

Use Variety

• Variety refers to the range of available uses for a space.

Urban Design Stakeholders

• Architects, politicians, and stakeholders are all involved in urban design.

Urban Design Goals

• Effective urban design creates a sense of place.

Focal Points in Cities

• A square, or plaza is an area framed by buildings to showcase them.

Comprehensive Urban Documenting

• Urban documentation encompasses historical analysis, legibility and permeability studies, and visual examinations of details.

Urban Planning Principles

• Traditional urban patterns and elements are important to preserve. Urban sprawl is counterproductive.

Tropical Building Design

• North-facing orientations work best in tropical climates for wind and sunlight control.

Indoor Wind Management

• Strategies to control indoor wind can include minimizing interior walls, strategic window placements, and louvered openings.

Urban Density and Service Use

• Increasing density enables more efficient service use in the principle of New Urbanism.