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Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service
Site, Landscape,
and Community Design
2
United States Courthouse
Architects: DPK&A Architects/ Kingsland Scott Bauer Associates,
A Joint Venture
Erie, Pennsylvania
GSA Project Managers: Edward H. Myers and Lawrence F. Boreali 2.0
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2.1
Goals and Objectives
2.2 Site
Security
2.3 Site
Analysis
2.4
General Site Planning Criteria
2.5 Grading
2.6 Site
Utilities
35
Utilities/Services 35
Water 36
Sanitary Sewer 36
Storm Drainage 2.7
Site Circulation Design
37
Urban Site with Structured Parking
38
Fire Apparatus Access
39
Vehicular Drives, Parking Lots
and Service Areas
2.8
Pavements and Curbs
2.9
2.10
2.11
2.12
2.13
2.14
2.15
Sustainable Landscape Design
40
Maintenance Considerations
40
General Design Principles
41
Landscape Elements
Plant
Materials
42
Species Selection
43
Placement
43
Planting Practices
Irrigation for Landscaping
44
System Design
Landscape
Lighting
Site
Furniture
Site
Signage
47
Construction Signs
Flagpoles
F A C I L I T I E S S T A N D A R D S F O R T H E P U B L I C B U I L D I N G S S E R V I C E
2.0 Table of Contents
Revised March 2005 PBS-P100
30 Site Design. Federal facilities must be safe and secure,
yet still be accessible, welcoming, and effective workplaces.
A successful site and landscape design addresses building
and personal security while creating a setting that is
engaged with the larger context in which it sits. Building
setbacks for new construction are required to keep
vehicles and other potentially harmful devises away
from the main structure of the building, and the
resultant spaces must be carefully designed. Security
countermeasures shall be customized in each case, based
on established principles, criteria, risk analysis, and site
conditions. While entrance lobbies, garages, or other non­
workspaces may, in some cases, be included within the
setback, no building workplaces shall be within the
setback without a waiver from the Commissioner of the
Public Buildings Service. In establishing secure vehicle
setbacks, planters, low walls, water features, trees,
hardened street furniture, and landscaped berms may be
creatively employed as perimeter barriers. Bollards also
are quite acceptable when integrated with the design of
the building and its surroundings. Barriers should be
visually punctuated and as unobtrusive as possible to
pedestrians. Consideration should be given to
incorporating security features that allow for exible use
of the site, such as a gathering space away from the
building, or a setting for artwork. High blank walls should
be avoided; lower walls with sitting edges are preferable.
Where feasible, features that provide required security
should also provide visual and functional amenities for
building users and visitors. Existing building security,
where the current setback cannot be achieved, can be
addressed through design of landscape elements at the
perimeter, removal of on street parking, and expansion
or acquisition of additional perimeter space. Security
features in these areas must be carefully integrated with
Southeast Federal Center Master Plan, Washington, D.C.
S I T E , L A N D S C A P E A N D C O M M U N I T Y D E S I G N
31
Revised March 2005 PBS-P100
Goals and Objectives/Site Security
2.1
2.1 Goals and Objectives
2.2 Site Security
The quality of the site design is a direct result of the
buildings integration with the site. It represents
signicant Federal investment and should, wherever
possible, make a positive contribution to the surround­
ing urban, suburban or rural landscape in terms of
conservation, community design and improvement
efforts, local economic development and planning, and
environmentally responsible practices.
See Chapter 1: General Requirements for a complete
discussion of model codes and standards adopted by
GSA. This section highlights regulations and standards
that apply to site design. their surroundings, while the acquisition and design
must be closely coordinated with local ofcials early in
the process.
Building Entrances. GSA buildings typically should
have one primary entrance for staff, visitors and the
public. In large facilities, secondary entrances may be
created, with appropriate consideration given to impacts
on security and building operations. Security screening
stations shall be integrated with the building architecture,
in close coordination with operational screening needs,
and with designs to allow for future exibility to accom­
modate improved technology. Designs shall address and
accommodate foreseeable public queuing in projects
where that is a concern.
Original primary entrances at historic and other existing
buildings should be retained. Closure of ceremonial
entrances and redirecting public access to below grade
and other secondary entrances for security or accessibility
purposes is discouraged and other ways to achieve
security should be proposed. Wherever possible, access
for the disabled to historic buildings should be provided
at, or nearby original ceremonial entrances. See Chapter 8
for access controls and intrusion detection systems.
2.3 Site Analysis
Successful site planning and design depends on a
thorough review and understanding of existing conditions
on and around the site. An on-site investigation must be
carried out prior to any design effort. For additional
information see the GSA PBS document, The Site Selection
Guide, found at
www.gsa.gov/siteselection
.
Site Survey. A complete site survey is required for all new
construction projects and for alterations that involve work
outside the existing building lines. Survey requirements
are listed in Appendix A: Submission Requirements.
Geotechnical Investigation. Requirements for all
geotechnical investigations are listed in Appendix A:
Submission Requirements.
Archeological Testing. In some cases, GSA requires
specialized testing by a contractor to determine whether
archeological sites are present, and if so, to determine
their extent, character and signicance. If such testing is
required, it should be coordinated with geotechnical
testing to ensure that such testing does not inadvertently
damage archeological resources. The GSA Project
Manager will inform the architects and engineers when
such archeological investigations may affect the project.
32
F A C I L I T I E S S T A N D A R D S F O R T H E P U B L I C B U I L D I N G S S E R V I C E
2.3 Site Analysis
Revised March 2005 PBS-P100 Architectural model, U.S. Courthouse and Harborpark, Boston, MA
S I T E , L A N D S C A P E A N D C O M M U N I T Y D E S I G N
Revised March 2005 PBS-P100
General Site Planning Criteria
2.4
33
Flood Plains. No buildings shall be built within the 100
year ood plain. Buildings designated as critical actions
(such as courthouses) shall not be built within the 500
year ood plains. Exceptions must be approved by the
customer agency, PBS Assistant Commissioner for
Portfolio Management and by the Chief Architect.
If the building location is approved, mechanical and
electrical equipment rooms must be located 1500mm
(5 feet) above the level of the 100 year ood plain. For
further information, see GSA order, GSA ADM 1095.6:
Consideration of Floodplains in Decision Making, and
the GSA PBS Floodplain Management Desk Guide found
at
www.gsa.gov/environmental
.
2.4 General Site
Planning Criteria
Existing Site Features and Existing Vegetation. Existing
natural features on the site should generally be preserved
and be used as a starting point for the overall site design.
Efforts should be made to preserve existing vegetation,
particularly healthy trees and plant specimens. GSA
promotes the protection and integration of existing
vegetation and natural terrain into site design.
Energy Conservation. The use of site design to aid energy
conservation and sustainability is encouraged. Solar
orientation of the building and well placed plant material
can be used to increase heat gain in the winter and reduce
heat gain during the summer.
Environmentally Sound Practices. GSA promotes
practices that are environmentally benecial and conserve
resources. Landscape designs and plant materials should
reect regional environmental concerns and promote
minimal use or elimination of both chemicals and potable
water for irrigation. Design and construction strategies
should reduce stormwater runoff and polluted site water
runoff. See
www.lowimpactdevelopment.org
for
guidance.
Building Separation. Building separation and require­
ments for rated exterior walls and openings for protec­
tion from exposure by adjacent buildings or hazards
shall comply with the requirements of the International
Building Code (IBC). 2.5 Grading
Slopes. The slopes of planted areas should permit easy
maintenance. Turf areas shall have a slope of no more
than 3:1