A great design doesn’t start on the drawing board; it starts on the site.
Whether you are a homeowner looking to protect your investment or an architecture student building a professional foundation, site investigation is a critical step.
This process involves uncovering the hidden opportunities and “deal-breaker” constraints of a property before a single line is drawn. We look at the house, the land, the surrounding context, and the complex regulations that govern them.
- For Homeowners: This is your insurance policy. Gathering this data early avoids re-design and ensures your home is comfortable, functional and valuable.
- For Students: This is the bridge between theory and practice. You will learn how to translate raw site data into a professional “Base Plan” that informs every design decision.
If you are Renovating or Selling and aren’t sure of your next move, this course identifies the essential feasibility info you need now, and what can wait until you’re ready to build.
Key Learning Objectives
On course completion you will understand how to:
- Read the Land Identify physical features and “deal-breaker” constraints that dictate where and how you can build.
- Map Your Home: Source or create accurate floor plans.
- Respond to Climate: Apply orientation, sun path, and breeze data to improve energy performance.
- Create a Base Plan: Combine land, house, and climate information into one drawing for your design phase.
- Navigate Regulations: Decode Australian building codes and the approval process to design with confidence.
COURSE CONTENT
- 1. Your Land: Covers the physical features of your land, also known as your site, including what is above and below the ground. We identify the practical constraints that dictate where and how you can build.
- 2. Your existing house: This lesson explains how to source or prepare accurate ‘as built’ floor plans of the existing house — the essential starting point for any renovation.
- 3. Your climate: A recap of Environmental Design: The Fundamentals. We apply orientation, sun path and breeze direction.
- 4. Creating a Base Plan: Learn to layer your research into one working drawing—the professional foundation for any concept design.
- 5. Regulations & Approvals: A guide to Australian local, state and national building regulations and the approval process. Find this information early to save time and money and design with confidence
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