Feasibility/Suitability analysis

In my landscape studio this past month we were prompted to create a feasibility/suitability study for 25,000 acres on a site South of Enterprise/Mountains Edge. The premise for this type of study is to compile all of the information within and surrounding the site to deliver the primary pieces for development.

To start the study we took a site visit. Then we were broken into groups of five, each person in the group was given two categories to create a inventory and then analysis of. Mine was Hydrology and Utilities, other topics included but were not limited to; topography, biology, history, land use, ect. We then took these maps and compiled the information giving us the best ideal areas of development.

For the entirety of the project I felt this system was flawed. I was bothered deeply at the fact that a system can just be accepted when it plays such a huge roll in how cities are developed. I had a great deal of difficulty in determining why I feel that this type of analysis is flawed. But I feel after completing the project I found the source of some of the problems.

When compiling the maps each has a huge affect on the other. This causes great deal of conflict when one map is more concise than the other. One can be very suggestrial with a given topic, while the other is very concise. This would cause a sway in the accuracy in the final suitability/feasibility. Second, the choice in the way we measure a certain map, ie. Hydrology, washes. Also the way information can be compiled for biology, this is a huge roll within the analysis. It is of most importance to measure and compile information on every topic in a way that relates to one another and the over all influence of the site. This is such a large part of the analysis I feel that even if one map is of slight mistake it will sway the other maps that are combined within the study.

I am unsure of another way to create such an analysis, but I am sure there is another way. We just need to start challenging the things we accept. Here are some of the maps used and how they were compiled.


Development suitability/feasibility

Dark Blue representing best for developing

California Wrap Up and Packing Light Out Come

I had absolutely no control on where we were going or staying, just having control over what I was packing. Trying to pack as light as possible; which also added to the stress for the trip. Some notes, the shorts were to thin and were giving me trouble in the limited amount of time I was in the ocean. They dried fast and were light and took no room when packing. The towel for the ocean posed problems. I didn't pack one, but opted to use the hotel towel, which was heavy and took a large amount of room when packing. It also took forever to dry and poorly soaked the water. Next time I will bring a msr pack towl perfect for light travel, and dries 7x better than a regular towel.

I was also tested on my quick thinking when put in situations I had not thought for; which I was hoping to see if I could control when faced. When we were at Universal Studios, and the couple my girlfriend and I were traveling with got separated when the park was closing, I went into initial critical thinking. Not panicking but planning, called their phones several times, with no answer. So we made our way to the car. If the car was gone, we would take a cab to either the airport or bus station. As we did not know where are hotel was, we were moving rooms that night. This initial plan caused action and not panic. Which calmed and created a sense of direction.

Photo's taken with a Kodak 5.0 easy share. with a 1g card