Whether it be for a presentation to your peers, a critique or to a client, being able to successfully communicate your site analysis and research is an important part of the process and one that should not be overlooked.
It represents the beginning of your projects narrative and initially serves as a guide to help your audience understand its site and context, through to helping explain the design decisions and specific routes taken.
As explained here, your site analysis plays a very large role in the development and shaping of your building (it is fundamental), and failure to communicate it well (through presentation), could have a detrimental affect on your project’s success.
Your site analysis presentation should include all the characteristics of the site, showing the constraints and the opportunities it provides and how they developed into concepts and begun to influence your design decisions.
It sets the scene for the whole project, and should be referred back to throughout your presentation.
What to present
- Summary
- A general overview of weather patterns, access, context etc
- Important aspects
- Views, restraints, existing conditions, key features
- Photographs
- Images of important and relevant areas (only)
- Detail
- Key areas you wish to address and that influenced your design process
- Design intent
- Initial concept sketches / overlays and models showing site influence
How to present
Your presentation needs to clear and concise, and be graphically coherent with the rest of your projects presentation style. We’ve listed a few areas to find inspiration below, but you should also look at your peers and previous presentations by other students and architects.
We strongly advise regularly visiting degree shows and exhibitions (not necessarily just by other architects or architectural students) to gain inspiration.
Your presentation should communicate your site analysis through:
- Drawings and site sketches
- Showing key views, sight lines, existing buildings, key features and objects
- Diagrams / Graphics
- Sun and wind patterns, access types, street patterns, key zones, vegetation
- Site / Annotated photographs
- Showing the site as whole, important features, the wider context, neighboring buildings
- Maps
- access routes, boundaries, view directions, existing buildings, key zones, hazards, vegetation
- Site model
- Context, typography, scale, features
These need to be able to communicate the beginning of your projects journey, and when required also be able to answer questions regarding design decisions and intent.
The importance of the graphic technique used to present this data should not be underestimated, the analysis needs to catch you audiences attention and draw them into a conversation. This is where the size of your presentation boards, orientation, layout, and graphic style become crucial …it needs to look good!
A site model can be a very engaging center piece to a presentation, and can be used to demonstrate just about everything …context, typography, features, site lines, views
Use a variety of modelling methods to show different findings, you may even be able to incorporate materials found in your actual site …get creative!
This site model can also be later used to showcase the proposed concepts and overall design.
Site analysis inspiration
Inspiration can be taken from anywhere, but a good starting point could be:
Websites
Books
General
- Architecture competitions entries
- End of year shows
- Exhibitions
Also check out our own Architecture site analysis diagram and presentation examples on Pinterest
