THE PLANNING

OF RESIDENTIAL
DEVELOPMENTS
Nathaniel von Einsiedel
Fellow, United Architects of the Philippines
Fellow, Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners
PRESENTATION OUTLINE

PROJECT DESIGN DESIGN FUTURE

INTRODUCTION
FEASIBILITY PHILOSOPHY PROCESS TRENDS

Elements of the Market Design Principles Design

Condition and Considerations
Residential
Trends
Development
Development Preliminary, Draft
Process Alternatives
Site Analysis Final, and Final
Design
Developer’s Role Types of
Regulations Residential Design Elements
Developments
The
Development Financing
Team

The Planning of Residential Developments 2

INTRODUCTION

Peacock Lake
The Planning Residential
of Residential Development
Developments 3
Peacock Great Lake, Beijing, China
INTRODUCTION:
Elements of the Residential Development Process
Inception of an idea – Developer, with background knowledge of the market looks
for needs to fill, sees possibilities, comes up with some ideas, and does a quick
1 feasibility analysis in his mind.

Refinement of the idea – Developer finds a specific site for the idea; looks into
physical feasibility; talks to prospective buyers, lenders, planners; settles on a tentative
2 design; takes an option on the land if idea is promising.

Feasibility – Developer commissions a formal market and feasibility study; decides on

final design; and secures government permits.
3
Contract negotiations – Contracts are negotiated; loan commitments are secured;
decides on the contractor; initiates pre-selling
4
Formal commitment – Contracts are signed – joint venture agreement, construction
loan and contract, exercise of land purchase option, marketing, etc.
5
Construction
6
Completion and formal opening – Developer secures occupancy permit; brings in
full-time operating people; sets up HOA; buyers move in
7
Asset and property management – Property management system is put in place
8
The Planning of Residential Developments 4
INTRODUCTION: The Development Team

• Developer
• Market Analyst
• Attorney / Lawyer
• Planner
• Surveyor
• Civil Engineer
• Landscape Architect
• Financial Planner
• Marketer / Broker
• Construction Manager
• Contractor
• Building Manager/Village
Administrator

The Planning of Residential Developments 5

INTRODUCTION: The Developer’s Role

• Creator of a community

• Determines the “what”, “where”, “when”, and “for whom” of development

• Assembles and manages the development team

• Is subject to the limits imposed by private and public decision-maker

• Must be sensitive to long-range social and environmental needs and expectations

The Planning of Residential Developments 6

PROJECT FEASIBILITY
PROJECT FEASIBILITY: Market Conditions

• Market Area

• Economic Trends

• Demand Factors

• Supply Factors

• Market Conditions

• Competition

• Market Share

The Planning of Residential Developments 8

PROJECT FEASIBILITY: Site Analysis

• Site Configuration
• Accessibility
• Location
• Disaster Risks
• Climate
• Physical Characteristics
- Topography
- Hydrology
- Geology
- Vegetation
- Views and Vistas
• Utilities
• Public Facilities

The Planning of Residential Developments 9

PROJECT FEASIBILITY:
Government Policies, Plans, & Regulations/ Financing
GOVERNMENT POLICIES, PLAN & FINANCING
REGULATION
• Land Use and Zoning (CLUP) 1. Development Financing
• Banks
• Environmental Laws
• Life insurance Companies
• Water Code, Fire Code, Sanitation • Pension Funds
Code • Savings & Loans Associations
• Credit Unions
• Housing Standards (BP 220, PD 957,
etc.) • Joint Venture

• Building Code 2. Buyer Financing

• In- house
• Regional Development Plan
• Banks
• Provincial Physical Framework Plan • Pag- IBIG

• DPWH & DOTC Plans The Planning of Residential Developments 10

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY: Design Principles

• Selecting open space with regard to enhancing

the natural characteristics of the land, such as
vegetation or body of water

• Devising mechanisms to protect natural beauty

while reserving certain areas for recreational use

• Designing storm drainage facilities to minimize the

possibilities of soil erosion, siltation, and flooding,
with open spaces located near waterways and
natural drainage channels

• Planting and maintaining vegetation in order to

foster temperature and sound control, and clean
air

• Preventing erosion in areas of steep slopes, and

ensuring that land is used for purposes consistent
with the preservation of open space

The Planning of Residential Developments 12

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY: Development Alternatives

• Traditional Subdivision

• Cluster Development

• Planned Unit Development

• Neighborhood Unit

• “Township”

The Planning of Residential Developments 13

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY: Housing Types

• Single Family Detached

• Single Family Attached

- Duplex / Quadruplex
- Townhouses
- Rowhouses

• Multifamily
- Low-Rise, Medium-Rise,
High-Rise

• Ownership Types
- Lease / Rental / Usufruct
- Condominium
- Ownership
The Planning of Residential Developments 14
 PLANNING AND
DESIGN PROCESS
PLANNING & DESIGN PROCESS: Location Analysis

• Past trends of city growth

• Quality and traffic condition of access

roads

• Availability of utilities

• Location of public facilities and

services

• Streets and Highways

• Surrounding Land Uses

• Conflicting Land Uses

• Government policies and plans

affecting the area

The Planning of Residential Developments 16

PLANNING & DESIGN PROCESS: Site Analysis

• Topography
• Hydrology
• Geology
• Climate
• Disaster Risks (Flooding,
Landslides, Storm Surge,
Earthquake)
• Vegetation / Flora
• Wildlife / Fauna
• Views and Vistas

The Planning of Residential Developments 17

PLANNING & DESIGN PROCESS: Plan Formulation

Preparation of Clarification
Detailed of client
Engineering expectations/
Designs and Location & Site
Specifications Analysis

Preparation
of
Preparation Conceptual /
of Final Plan Preliminary
and Design
Plan and
Design

Preparation
of Draft Final
Plan and
Design

The Planning of Residential Developments 18

PLANNING & DESIGN PROCESS: Design Elements

Density
• The number of persons or dwelling units per
hectare

• Controlled by specifying the number of

dwelling units per hectare, followed by
specification of lot sizes

• Density in itself does not guarantee quality,

but necessary to determine demand for
utilities (water, electricity, etc)

Lot Sizes (per BP 220 & PD 957)

• Socialized: 28sm – 64sm
• Economic: 36sm – 72sm
• Medium Cost: 50sm – 100sm
• Open Market – 60sm – 120sm

The Planning of Residential Developments 19

PLANNING & DESIGN PROCESS: Design Elements

Blocks & Street Layout

• Street should follow a

functional hierarchy (eg,
arterial, collector, local,
pathway) based on
expected volume of
vehicles

• The smaller the

dimensions of the block,
the more walkable the
community and thus
more social interaction
among neighbors

The Planning of Residential Developments 20

PLANNING & DESIGN PROCESS: Design Elements

Floor Area Ratio (FAR) Formula:

• the ratio of total floor area Total Floor Area (B+C)

divided by Land (site) area. FAR (%)= x 100
Site Area (A)

Building Area (B)

BCR (%)= x 100
Site Area (A)
Building Coverage Ratio
(BCR)

• the ratio of the building area

divided by the land (site)
area.

The Planning of Residential Developments 21

PLANNING & DESIGN PROCESS: Design Elements

Density Configurations on One Hectare

LOW PLOT COVERAGE HIGH PLOT COVERAGE MEDIUM PLOT COVERAGE

Density: 74 dwelling/ ha Density: 74 dwelling/ ha Density: 74 dwelling/ ha

High building height Low building height Medium building height

Residential
Office & Commercial
Public Facilities Source: Javier Mozas, Aurora Fernandez Per (2006), Density: New Collective Housing

The Planning of Residential Developments 22

PLANNING & DESIGN PROCESS: Design Elements
Streetscape

• Street ROW width and streetscape design should be based on function

and type of adjacent land use

• Sidewalks should be widest in commercial / retail areas

• Sidewalks should incorporate street trees and landscaping as much as

possible

• Streets should incorporate bike lanes as much as possible

The Planning of Residential Developments 23

PLANNING & DESIGN PROCESS: Design Elements

Water Supply
• Deepwell
• Connected to municipal
system with individual house
connections

Flood Control & Drainage

• Natural drainage-ways
• Open canals
• Underground concrete culverts
• Bioswale
• Floodwater retention ponds

Power Supply
• Overhead distribution wires
• Underground

The Planning of Residential Developments 24

PLANNING & DESIGN PROCESS: Design Elements

Open Space / Parks

• It’s size and location should

be based on the site’s
environmental
characteristics

• See National Water Code,

BP 220 and PD 957
standards for minimum
requirements

• The more the open space,

the better it is for people’s
physical and mental health

The Planning of Residential Developments 25

PLANNING & DESIGN PROCESS: Design Elements

Public Facilities and Amenities

• Schools • Community Centers

• Health & Day Care Centers • Sports Centers
• Police and Fire Stations • Disaster Evacuation Centers

The Planning of Residential Developments 26

FUTURE TRENDS
FUTURE TRENDS

• Compact Cities

• Smart Cities

• Mixed-Use
Developments

• Transit Oriented
Development

• Events- Oriented City

Planning

The Planning of Residential Developments 28

FUTURE TRENDS

• Bikeable / Walkable / Sittable Communities

• Green Development
• Larger percentage of area for parks and public open
space

The Planning of Residential Developments 29

END OF PRESENTATION
Nathaniel von Einsiedel
Chairman / Principal Urban Planner
Consultants for Comprehensive Environmental Planning, Inc.
concepinc@gmail.com / www.concepinc.com