Topography

Topography is the shape of a piece of land: where it rises and falls, which way the slope faces, where the stream, the rock outcrop or the road runs. Architects mostly read it from maps showing contour lines and spot levels. The word also describes the surveying and mapping work that produces that information.

Topography in design

A building sits on the land, not the other way round. On a sloping plot, the entrance level, how far basements are cut into the ground, the balance of cut and fill and where rainwater will run are all read from the topography. Good designers treat a slope as an opportunity rather than a problem: stepped terraces, entrances on two levels, sections that open towards a view.

• The closer the contour lines, the steeper the slope.
• Corner levels of the building are marked on the site plan.
• Balancing cut and fill has a direct effect on cost.

Terrain in the 3D model

In architectural visualization, an accurate terrain model is what makes a building feel rooted in its setting. A surface generated from contour lines becomes the ground of the scene, carrying roads, planting and retaining walls. For a process that starts with reading the site, see how to plan a landscape design.