How to do a site analysis
How to do a site analysis
October 1, 2025
Why site analysis matters for architects and analysts
Site analysis is a critical first move in any design, development or investment process.
For architects, it offers a lens into the physical, social, legal and environmental conditions of a location — helping them design buildings and public spaces that respond to context, climate, views, and constraints.
For analysts, real estate professionals, and entrepreneurs, site analysis helps evaluate demand, assess locational risk, analyze competitor density and estimate the financial feasibility of a project. A robust analysis offers a bridge between raw spatial data and actionable investment insight.
The toolkit is the same (buffers, demographic layers, street networks, amenities) for all professionals and the difference lies in the purpose of analysis and how the layers are interpreted.
Site analysis is a critical first move in any design, development or investment process.
For architects, it offers a lens into the physical, social, legal and environmental conditions of a location — helping them design buildings and public spaces that respond to context, climate, views, and constraints.
For analysts, real estate professionals, and entrepreneurs, site analysis helps evaluate demand, assess locational risk, analyze competitor density and estimate the financial feasibility of a project. A robust analysis offers a bridge between raw spatial data and actionable investment insight.
The toolkit is the same (buffers, demographic layers, street networks, amenities) for all professionals and the difference lies in the purpose of analysis and how the layers are interpreted.
Site analysis is a critical first move in any design, development or investment process.
For architects, it offers a lens into the physical, social, legal and environmental conditions of a location — helping them design buildings and public spaces that respond to context, climate, views, and constraints.
For analysts, real estate professionals, and entrepreneurs, site analysis helps evaluate demand, assess locational risk, analyze competitor density and estimate the financial feasibility of a project. A robust analysis offers a bridge between raw spatial data and actionable investment insight.
The toolkit is the same (buffers, demographic layers, street networks, amenities) for all professionals and the difference lies in the purpose of analysis and how the layers are interpreted.
Key steps in basic site analysis & what to focus on
Key steps in basic site analysis
& what to focus on
Key steps in basic site analysis
& what to focus on
Here is a generic 5-step workflow.
Depending on your project type (residential, retail, public project) or site context (urban, suburban, rural), you’ll emphasize different data.
Here is a generic 5-step workflow.
Depending on your project type (residential, retail, public project) or site context (urban, suburban, rural), you’ll emphasize different data.
Here is a generic 5-step workflow.
Depending on your project type (residential, retail, public project) or site context (urban, suburban, rural), you’ll emphasize different data.
Step
Step
What to Do
What to Do
What to Emphasize (by Use Case)
What to Emphasize (by Use Case)
Step 0.
Understand the Purpose
of your analysis
Step 0.
Understand the Purpose
of your analysis
Step 0.
Understand the Purpose
of your analysis
What to Do
Answer questions:
– What is the purpose of the site analysis in your project?
– What problems in the project need to be solved by analyzing the context?
– What scale you need for site analysis? (macro /micro)
Answer questions:
– What is the purpose of the site analysis in your project?
– What problems in the project need to be solved by analyzing the context?
– What scale you need for site analysis? (macro /micro)
Answer questions:
– What is the purpose of the site analysis in your project?
– What problems in the project need to be solved by analyzing the context?
– What scale you need for site analysis? (macro /micro)
It’s important to meet your goal precisely and find suitable data. For example, architects often use two or three scales: city scale to show transport accessibility and urban context, and site/macro scale to gather data on constraints and project conditions.
It’s important to meet your goal precisely and find suitable data. For example, architects often use two or three scales: city scale to show transport accessibility and urban context, and site/macro scale to gather data on constraints and project conditions.
It’s important to meet your goal precisely and find suitable data. For example, architects often use two or three scales: city scale to show transport accessibility and urban context, and site/macro scale to gather data on constraints and project conditions.
What to Emphasize (by Use Case)
Step 1.
Gather Data
Step 1.
Gather Data
Step 1.
Gather Data
What to Do
Collect datasets based on the purpose: building footprints, street networks, transport accessibility, green spaces, demographic & income statistics, POI data, zoning & legal overlays.
Collect datasets based on the purpose: building footprints, street networks, transport accessibility, green spaces, demographic & income statistics, POI data, zoning & legal overlays.
Collect datasets based on the purpose: building footprints, street networks, transport accessibility, green spaces, demographic & income statistics, POI data, zoning & legal overlays.
What to Emphasize (by Use Case)
Architects: also historical, topography, soil, climate.
Analysts: competitor lists, market data, traffic counts.
Architects: also historical, topography, soil, climate.
Analysts: competitor lists, market data, traffic counts.
Architects: also historical, topography, soil, climate.
Analysts: competitor lists, market data, traffic counts.
Step 2.
Understand the purpose
of your analysis
Step 2.
Understand the purpose
of your analysis
Step 2.
Understand the purpose
of your analysis
What to Do
Visualize your layers, layer by layer: buildings, roads, open spaces, topography and others.
Visualize your layers, layer by layer: buildings, roads, open spaces, topography and others.
Visualize your layers, layer by layer: buildings, roads, open spaces, topography and others.
What to Emphasize (by Use Case)
For architects: in dense cities define shadowing, street width, building heights. In rural / suburban: define connectivity
to transportation.
For analysts: visualize base layers for the context and then identify additional soft data needed
For architects: in dense cities define shadowing, street width, building heights. In rural / suburban: define connectivity
to transportation.
For analysts: visualize base layers for the context and then identify additional soft data needed
For architects: in dense cities define shadowing, street width, building heights. In rural / suburban: define connectivity
to transportation.
For analysts: visualize base layers for the context and then identify additional soft data needed
Step 3.
Analyze Demographics
& Demand
Step 3.
Analyze Demographics
& Demand
Step 3.
Analyze Demographics
& Demand
What to Do
Add demographic data layers such as population density, income bands, age distribution, and employment rates.
Add demographic data layers such as population density, income bands, age distribution, and employment rates.
Add demographic data layers such as population density, income bands, age distribution, and employment rates.
What to Emphasize (by Use Case)
For retail or services: focus on income levels, consumer segments.
For housing: focus on household size, age & growth trends.
For retail or services: focus on income levels, consumer segments.
For housing: focus on household size, age & growth trends.
For retail or services: focus on income levels, consumer segments.
For housing: focus on household size, age & growth trends.
Step 4.
Identify Opportunities
& Constraints
Step 4.
Identify Opportunities
& Constraints
Step 4.
Identify Opportunities
& Constraints
What to Do
Overlay soft and hard data – amenities, transit stops, parks and commercial zones, competitor locations.
Overlay soft and hard data – amenities, transit stops, parks and commercial zones, competitor locations.
Overlay soft and hard data – amenities, transit stops, parks and commercial zones, competitor locations.
What to Emphasize (by Use Case)
Spot “white zones” (areas underserved), conflict zones (competition, noise, traffic), access bottlenecks.
Spot “white zones” (areas underserved), conflict zones (competition, noise, traffic), access bottlenecks.
Spot “white zones” (areas underserved), conflict zones (competition, noise, traffic), access bottlenecks.
Step 5.
Visualize & Present
Step 5.
Visualize & Present
Step 5.
Visualize & Present
What to Do
Create maps, diagrams, heatmaps, comparative charts; synthesize into diagrams or reports
Create maps, diagrams, heatmaps, comparative charts; synthesize into diagrams or reports
Create maps, diagrams, heatmaps, comparative charts; synthesize into diagrams or reports
What to Emphasize (by Use Case)
Use visual hierarchies, clear legends, contrast, layering to make your arguments understandable.
Use visual hierarchies, clear legends, contrast, layering to make your arguments understandable.
Use visual hierarchies, clear legends, contrast, layering to make your arguments understandable.
Base layers for site analysis
Below is a common palette of layers — not every project uses all, but they serve as your toolkit:
Below is a common palette of layers — not every project uses all, but they serve as your toolkit:
Below is a common palette of layers — not every project uses all, but they serve as your toolkit:
Buildings & Land Use — footprint, height, function
Buildings & Land Use — footprint, height, function
Buildings & Land Use — footprint, height, function
Street & Transport Network — roads, sidewalks, transit stops
Street & Transport Network — roads, sidewalks, transit stops
Street & Transport Network — roads, sidewalks, transit stops
Amenities / Points of Interest (POI) — retail, schools, cafes, healthcare facilities, museums, parks
Amenities / Points of Interest (POI) — retail, schools, cafes, healthcare facilities, museums, parks
Amenities / Points of Interest (POI) — retail, schools, cafes, healthcare facilities, museums, parks
Green Spaces — parks, gardens, ecological zones
Green Spaces — parks, gardens, ecological zones
Green Spaces — parks, gardens, ecological zones
Demographics & Socioeconomics — population, age cohorts, income bands, employment
Demographics & Socioeconomics — population, age cohorts, income bands, employment
Demographics & Socioeconomics — population, age cohorts, income bands, employment
Competitors / Market Players — locations of similar businesses
Competitors / Market Players — locations of similar businesses
Competitors / Market Players — locations of similar businesses
Topography / Soil / Hydrology — slope, drainage, flood risk
Topography / Soil / Hydrology — slope, drainage, flood risk
Topography / Soil / Hydrology — slope, drainage, flood risk
Zoning / Legal Overlays — permitted usage, easements, restrictions
Zoning / Legal Overlays — permitted usage, easements, restrictions
Zoning / Legal Overlays — permitted usage, easements, restrictions
Historical / Cultural Context — heritage buildings, local character, community patterns
Historical / Cultural Context — heritage buildings, local character, community patterns
Historical / Cultural Context — heritage buildings, local character, community patterns
How to do this in Aino
Instead of manually preparing data layers, Aino lets you run your site analysis through prompts in natural language. You can:
Instead of manually preparing data layers, Aino lets you run your site analysis through prompts in natural language. You can:
Instead of manually preparing data layers, Aino lets you run your site analysis through prompts in natural language. You can:
Load or name your site location
Load or name your site location
Load or name your site location
Ask for all basic physical layers (buildings, roads, parks, POIs, etc.)
and soft layers such as demographic and income data
Ask for all basic physical layers (buildings, roads, parks, POIs, etc.)
and soft layers such as demographic and income data
Ask for all basic physical layers (buildings, roads, parks, POIs, etc.)
and soft layers such as demographic and income data
Load or name your site location
Load or name your site location
Load or name your site location
Visualize results instantly on interactive maps via prompts or manually
Visualize results instantly on interactive maps via prompts or manually
Visualize results instantly on interactive maps via prompts or manually
Export maps, charts, or data for reporting
Export maps, charts, or data for reporting
Export maps, charts, or data for reporting