Reading week 3

Upon a thorough reading of the text, it seems that the writer highlighted the urban site definitions, as it doesn’t interfere with urbanism of a site; on the contrary it highlights the different study elements. Kahn states: “The point is not that drawing boundaries is impermissible...but that the permeability of those boundaries has to be constantly reasserted.” The site is a source for building materials. It is linked reliant systems joining important means because materials are available in nature. Andrea Kahn talks about Leonardo Da Vinci’s sketch and the Palmanouva Plan, it shows how he sees site limits and scale also, Vinci’s sketch shows the limitless space, shows that no borders divide site, it is integrated into its geographic milieu with its surroundings, physical and non-physical attributes. Represented by graphic conventions and common terms such as place, concepts, context, scale, location, place boundary, etc.
The five points that represent the urban site are: mobile ground, site reach, site construction, unbound sites, and urban constellation. Khan talks about how all sides of the project interfere together and define the space of sequence, slippage, and continual revaluation. And also talks about the measurement of extent rage and the communication between a localized place and the surroundings, thus understanding the site through intentional selective viewing of what we are concerned about. Then defining site boundary according to its limits, scale, studying its surrounding, and with respect to ownership and scarcity. These are highlighted and studied by site analysis accompanied series of drawings, maps and models. Khan continues with high performance sites. The site provides interdependent systems combining intrinsic and extrinsic resources. And also its referred as beginning of prehistory and beginning with industrialization and modernism and beginning in the present post-industrial time.
After that Khan talks about the site as a depository of materials and energy for building. Starting from the 19th century and the usage of new material such as reinforced concrete and steel, synthetic goods, reinforced plastic, ect..Till now and the emerging of new technology and factory system. And the evolution of transportation technologies, urbanization, and mechanization, that was introduced by Le Corbusier, and the growth of the international style. Its is important to have the location of materials near the site, as well as the energy such as steam power and fossil fuels which are limited.
At the end Khan talks about the building with the site as a high performance design. In which she talked about the use of sustainable architecture (rigorous, transport), thus saving energy use and limiting the influence on the environment and controlling the interior environment, thus proving healthy one.The high performance design was the state of art equipment where the use of energy and materials decrease thus effect on the environment decrease..