Planning

Site Planning and building form are very important from the point of view of seismic performance of the structure. Also it is very important to have proper compatibility of elements resisting seismic forces. Site Planning and selection of building forms is the first step in designing of any structure and the decisions taken are very crucial for the behaviour of those structures during any earthquake.
Based on examples taken from various past earthquakes and theories this chapter gives guidelines for Site Planning, selection of building form and formulation of architectural design concepts for earthquake resistant structures in the earthquake prone areas.
Site design involves the perception, analysis, and design of the elements affecting a parcel of land in order to accomplish some useful purpose. It is a process that results in a tangible solution to practical problems. Site problems may include the placement of structures, development of circulation paths, or design of a surface drainage system. In most cases, site solutions require modification of existing topography.

Essential nature of Site Planning:

- It involves arranging structures on the land and shaping spaces between them. It is an art linked to architecture, and city planning. The site plan locates objects and activities in space and time. It may be concerned with a small cluster of houses, a single building and the surrounding space, or a small community built in a single operation. It involves the organization of land use zoning, access, circulation, privacy, security, shelter, land drainage, and other factors. This is done by arranging the compositional elements of landform, planting, water, buildings and paving and building in site plans.

Relevance of Site Planning to the needs of the society:

- A site plan usually shows a building footprint, travel ways, parking, drainage facilities, sanitary sewer lines, water lines, trails, lighting, and landscaping and garden elements. It shows the