Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
At the beginning of the site-grading process, the designer will start
with a property map and topographic land survey. The land survey map
will include topography (usually in the form of contours and key spot
elevations of existing land or built features on the property). It will also
contain property lines, existing built structures, vegetation (usually
trees), existing driveways, roads adjacent to the property, infrastructure
(power and telephone lines), servitudes (drainage channels or electrical
rights-of-way), hydrologic features, and other pertinent information that
can be mapped. As the designer works to develop site design concepts,
he or she will consider the existing site features, and, initially, what
was learned walking the site and conducting a site analysis. Initial site
design concepts will be informed by the existing physical features of
the property, most importantly the landforms and drainage patterns.
Guiding the site design are the client's programmed activities, includ-
ing proposed new structures, circulation (vehicular and nonvehicular),
infrastructure, and environmental influences such as sun and wind pat-
terns and climate, to list a few. The experienced designer will have the
requirements of grading and existing topography in mind while devel-
oping initial design concepts during the site investigation. The details of
the grading that will be necessary to support the design will consist of
arranging program elements requiring level surfaces on the more level
topography of the site, and locating other program elements on steeper
portions of the site. There is always a balancing act involved in making
these design and location decisions, as it is not always feasible or desir-
able to utilize the level areas of a site for activities requiring level areas,
in which case a more aggressive modification of existing site topography
to accommodate design elements will be required.
One of the precepts of grading is to pair design elements requiring
level surfaces with level areas of a site, and fit other program elements
that can appropriately be accommodated into steeper topography. As a
goal, this would make sense in order to reduce the amount of grading
(the moving of earth)—an approach that serves to respect site integ-
rity and reduce construction costs at the same time. This approach of
matching program to suitable site characteristics is not always feasible,
given other considerations. For instance, access to an existing road may
be situated on steep, hilly topography that cannot be avoided, assuming
