I think this video is very clear and easy to understand how FAR works. It is clearly explained that FAR always works with the maximum lot coverage which was something I did not know before, so it was very informative. My only question is, what would happen if the calculations ended in a # of stories that is not an exact full number like 2, 3 etc. What if it is 2.7 or 2.99. Would you have to round down an entire story and waste the rest of the buildable area?
On an Architecture exam, round down. In real life, you won't be able to exceed the F.A.R. so either round down to the nearest story or if the AHJ allows that 3rd story but the F.A.R. restricts the amount of area, only build up to the area allowed for that 3rd story.
This video expands on how to calculate the FAR and why learning about it is essential. I appreciated how thoroughly the video went over how do each calculation. This video left no room for any questions it was explained well enough to not too convoluted. I believe most can appreciate how condensed and straight forwards the information was.
This vidoo clearly explains how FAR works and how it helps maxing building footprint and building area. Watching it get explained and written out in front of me was very helpful and left no room for questions. I believe most can appreciate how condensed and straight forwards the infomation was.
This video gives a clear explanation on how to calculate the FAR and why learning about it is essential. I appreciated how the explanation dove into the understanding that FAR is not just a two dimensional value. It also integrates how many floors the building has. This video left no room for any questions because of the clarity of the explanation.
This video was super understanding when learning how to calculate FAR. The video clarified the difference between FAR and lot coverage, explaining how they work together to determine a building's maximum size. It showed that the maximum building area is calculated by multiplying the site's area by the FAR, while the footprint is determined separately. The video made understanding these concepts, including how to calculate the footprint, clear and easy to follow.
This video was clear and straight to the point, it helps understand how FAR and lot coverage work together. Visually learning this through a condensed, yet simple and straight forward demonstration allowed me to have a better understanding in calculating maximum building footprint and maximum building area.
This FAR explanation video is so easy to understand. I've always been fraustrated with these concepts and terms but now I can see how we need to figure how much stories are needed to meet the FAR. It helped me calculating and knowing the way to maxmize the building footprint and not waste the building area.
Applicable skills like this are so great to watch. A short 5 minute video that clearly compare how the FAR and coverage work together. While the examples were showing a somewhat square level lot, it's exciting to think about how architects work around meticulous sites that may be a long rectangular stretch, or maybe even on a steep grade in the mountains or by the lake.
Watching the video not only helped me understand how the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is calculated but also helped in understand how coverage is related to FAR. Reading Erin's comment about rounding down answered the same question I asked myself.
The breakdown using whole, simple, and blunt numbers does a great job of analyzing how FAR is incorporated into the basis of construction. Understanding lot coverage, the amount of stories being potentially built, and the definite building footprint is made simple with this explanation. Reading the pinned comment above, it's interesting how the concept of having a number that isn't quite concise such as a decimal, is handled in the real world.
I'm glad that this video went over an example where FAR is not 1, because it shows that we still use the 5000sf multiplied by the coverage to get the maximum coverage, it would be used for any FAR if the site is 50' x 100'.
This video really cleared up and provided clarification on the concept of FAR for me. I have a better understanding of calculating the max building area, and actual building footprint in relation to the FAR and total lot coverage. It also explains the number of stories needed for certain building footprints, and how we can utilize the small footprint in the use of more floor stories.
I'm glad I watched this video to ensure I understand the connection between floor area ratio, and coverage, in the building footprint. This will definitely ensure That I know how much I can actually build and how many floors can be done in this project. Knowing all this information will allow me as the architect to explain to my customers exactly how much they can build so they have an estimate of their cost.
This explanation of FAR was very clear and helpful! The FAR is used to get the max buildable area by multiplying the FAR with the square footage, we then need to look at max lot coverage to see building footprint. I think it was very helpful to understand how FAR and lot coverage work together and see how we would go about planning designs with these restraints in order to still maximize building area.
Great video! The concept of Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R.) was explained very clearly, making it easy to understand both the calculations and its impact. The examples really helped visualize how F.A.R. affects building density and design. Thanks for breaking down a complex topic in such a simple and engaging way!
This video made it very clear between the different of FAR and lot coverage and how they work together. They establish how tall and large you can build a building, when the lot is cut down to a significant size. It made it more clear how we can maximize the space of our building by creating multiple stories to fulfill the FAR even though it is restricted through the lot coverage.
This video provides a clear and straightforward explanation of FAR, with helpful visuals to support the calculations. It effectively covers both the math and the role of factors like floors and lot coverage, and I did not know that it always worked with the maximum lot coverage. This video will definitely make it easier to apply the FAR formula.
Thank you for the tutorial! It not only helped clarify how to calculate FAR but also explained some key terms, like the distinction between coverage and FAR. I now understand that coverage refers to how much of the site can be built on, regardless of FAR, while FAR defines the maximum buildable area for the lot.
Thank you for this video, it clarified the relationship between FAR (Floor Area Ratio), maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and setbacks. I found it interesting to learn that the area refers to the total square footage of a building, while lot coverage limits how much of the lot the building can occupy. You can build upwards within the area limit, but outward expansion is restricted by the lot coverage. FAR always works in conjunction with maximum lot coverage, highlighting how much of a site can be designed after calculations.
It was very helpful to learn visually how to properly calculate the floor area ratio (FAR) and the maximum lot coverage. Early in the video, it was stated how the area is not the same as the building footprint in which I would have figured it was but seeing how the two work together made sense in order to describe the size of any future buildings.
I appreciate how this video was able to explain how to calculate the amount of buildable area for a site in detail while simultaneously being concise. It was interesting to learn that the maximum building area is simply derived from the site's area and the given FAR through the process of multiplication. I also learned that this is not to be confused with building footprint which is a separate endeavor.
This video helped me understand that FAR (Floor Area Ratio) and the maximum size of a building are different concepts. FAR works with the maximum lot coverage to create and define the maximum size of a building, as the sum of the two is the maximum size a building can be. I also learned about the number of floors allotted for certain areas of a building, and that the number of floors can be maximized.
This video provides a very clear overview of F.A.R. calculations. I would imagine that setbacks, height limits, and other more specific site-based codes would also impact the number of stories a project could have, and wonder if most buildings truly reach their maximum area according to the F.A.R., or if the majority get affected by other codes and ultimately fall short of the maximum.
Watching this video, clarified the relationship between FAR, maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and setbacks. It was really interesting to learn that area is the total square footage of floor space a building has, and the lot coverage determines how much of the lot that building itself can take up. So, with the area, you can build upwards as much until you hit the area number whereas with the lot coverage, you can only build outwards as much. FAR always works alongside max lot coverage which was another point I looked into as it was interesting to learn how much of a site you can actually design after doing calculations.
This video clearly explained that FAR (Floor Area Ratio) and the maximum building size are separate concepts. It demonstrated how FAR and lot coverage combine to set the total allowable size of a building. By showing how these factors interact, the video made it easy to understand how to calculate and use them to determine the building’s total size. Additionally, it covered how the number of floors impacts the building’s design, showing that more floors can help maximize the building’s space and overall size. This thorough explanation made it easy to grasp how each element plays a role in shaping the final building design.
This video was very informative and helpful in giving a clear explanation on what FAR is and an example of how to solve it. This helped me better understand the concept as well as how I would apply it in a situation. The concept has been brought up in studio before so but having it spelled out like this helps make it much more clear.
This video helped me understand the relationship between the floor area ratio and the building footprint. I had a job at a small architecture firm two years ago and I remember my boss asking me to calculate the floor area ratio for a project I was doing. At the time I somewhat figured it out, but was still fairly confused on how it worked. This video helped clarify my confusion and better understand for FAR works.
This video helped to clarify the difference between FAR and the maximum size of a building. FAR and the maximum lot coverage combine to create the maximum size for a building, despite a more restrictive footprint. The method of calculating the footprint and number of stories shown in the video helps clarify the two concept's relationship and how it translates to design constraints.
This video was incredibly clear and helpful in explaining the relationship between FAR and lot coverage, and how these two factors work together to determine the number of stories needed for a building. FAR represents the total floor area of a building relative to the size of the lot, while lot coverage dictates the percentage of the lot that can be occupied by the building footprint. Understanding how FAR and lot coverage interact is crucial because it directly affects the building's height and overall massing. Before watching, I wasn’t aware of how closely these elements are interconnected in influencing building design. This video was useful in clarifying my previous confusion.
The video clarified the concept of FAR by showing the calculations and made it easy-to-follow steps. It demonstrated how to measure both the gross floor area and the lot area, making it easier to apply the FAR formula.
I really like the video because it was simple and very clear in understanding the difference between FAR and the percentage coverage. I like how it gave two different examples for each type of problem one focusing on FAR and the other on percentage coverage.
I'm glad you mentioned about lot coverage as well, beause when you put them together you can see the relationship very well. Lot coverage is really only enacting on the first floor of the lot you are working on, meaning that you can only build on a certain section of the floor of your lot. FAR is more flexible in that you can put that area on multiple stories - FAR is counted for every floor of the building not just the first floor. Very easy to unuderstand and follow, this was a great example of FAR/lot coverage Calc.
The video F.A.R of a building, the coverage portion, and the number of stories a building can have made me understand why certain buildings were built the ways they were. Continuing on this point it was interesting seeing a quick but meaningful explanation of how to calculate the F.A.R. of a building but also calculate coverage that can be used. The coverage of land was interesting but very useful, this video made the calculations very simple and straightforward to use in the future.
Your explanation of F.A.R is very clear and informative because it simplifies complicated material into a very easy to understand set of equations. I did not realize that F.A.R and site coverage were so dependent on the actual outcome of available square footage for the building footprint as well as how many stories would be making up the site.
This video was very helpful in understanding not only how Floor Area Ratio works but also how to calculate it. Previously, I was not aware/was confused about the difference between the building footprint and the FAR, but with the calculations done in this video, I was able to fully understand it. Additionally, I had no clue before about how the FAR and lot coverage had related to one another, but watching this video helped clear it up for me.
This video was really helpful in simplifying the steps needed to find the number of stories needed in maximizing the F.A.R. with a given lot coverage. While I was aware of FAR based on previous classes, it was useful to see actual examples that calculated the number of floors needed to vertically get the most out of a given amount of lot coverage. The steps were also easy to follow and remember.
This video does a clear job of explaining the relationship between Floor Area Ratio, maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and number of stories. Calculating the amount of buildable area involves all these important values as well as for maximizing the building area. Initially I didn't know they were all interrelated and that one value was used for the next.
The point about the relationship between lot coverage and building height particularly resonated with me. The video highlights how understanding this relationship is crucial for achieving efficient building designs and maximizing usable space. By strategically calculating the interplay between these factors, developers can create innovative solutions that make the most of the available area while adhering to regulatory constraints. This approach not only ensures compliance with zoning laws but also fosters creativity in architectural design, enabling more effective use of limited space.
This video helped me figure out how the relationship between F.A.R. and lot coverage works to determine the levels you need to build based on the calculations between the two ideas.
Yes, the video really does clear up this relationship. It shows this in the calculations how you go from finding the max buildable area first, then the building footprint, and lastly you bring these two calculations to determine the levels you need to build. Good simple examples and explanation of how to get to the number of stories.
This video was really useful in fully understanding the relationship between the F.A.R. and the maximum lot coverage. Seeing the calculation makes so much more sense on paper, and doesn't really seem so complex in reality. The calculation for the stories was something I never new about, and the maximum lot coverage was also a new thing for me. It makes me wonder what can be placed within the other portion of the lot.
Zoning determines other requirements about the lot, it might be landscape requirements, might be providing open space for amenities...other portion can be used for parking, for paths to enter the building, seating areas...etc
Understanding how many floors a building can have is impressive. This is mostly because i did not know the F.A.R was the multiplier of density. Using this ratio is a very important idea for me to understand.
Sarqeles, thanks for moving through the calculation step by step. Following along and going through the motions is one of the best ways to learn. I'll be returning to this video when it becomes applicable to work.
This video was easy to follow and understand with its simple yet informative examples to show how FAR and coverage are used in figuring out how to design on use the floor area on the lot within its restrictions.
I really enjoyed this video; after watching this it has allowed me to under how FAR works. It was good to learn the math behind finding out FAR, implementing the coverage allowed, and then building to the allowable capacity. It was good to know that you can build up to use the max square footage allowed but also staying within the coverage limit.
This FAR explanation was so helpful and easy to understand! Doing multiple examples was definitely good for me to see exactly how the math works rather than being confused after the first one and trying a method that would only work in that specific scenario. I also learned how dependent the FAR and site coverage were on the number of stories and the available square footage.
This video helped explain the difference between the FAR and the lot coverage. Before, I did not really understand how to calculate the building footprint, but this video easily explains how to do it. It was really clear and easy to follow.
This video helped me understand the relationship between Floor Area Ratio, maximum lot coverage, and setbacks. I now understand that F.A.R. is not the building footprint but rather the total build volume; the footprint is affected by other factors such as max lot coverage and setbacks.
This video was very concise and allowed me to understand the relationship between lot coverage and floor area ratio. At my community college we always did zoning research prior to our projects so I'm excited to be learning about it and utilizing it again.
This video helped elaborate the difference of the Floor Area Ratio and the actual building footprint. Before the two seemed to blend together, but now the difference is clear. The explanation on how to calculate the buildable stories to maximize ones space was also helpful, I initially didn't know they were related.
FAR (floor area ratio) is clearly explained in this video. I now how it works with the maximum lot coverage, the number of stories being built, and the building footprint. Seeing everything written out was very helpful when trying to understand how everything relates to one another.
In this video, we learned how to calculate Floor Area Ratio and maximum lot coverage. I was intrigued by how one can solely calculate the amount of buildable area through F.A.R. which is simply a number/factor. The examples helped me navigate the terms, the F.A.R. isn’t the building footprint, it's the floor area, so we have to calculate the coverage to obtain the footprint. I have a better understanding of how to calculate the number of stories for future projects.
This video helped me understand the difference between the buildable area allowed versus the lot coverage. I would have believed they were the same thing a couple months ago. Now I know that the area is the total square footage of floor space a building has throughout however many stories it may have whereas the lot coverage determines how much of the lot that building itself can take up.
This video was really helpful in understanding the whole concept of FAR. Helped me realize there is more to building lot usage and coverage like you showed in the video. Especially with the limitations one has to for actually building space that is allowed
In this video, I have learned what a floor area ratio is. Before I knew what the concept meant. However, I didn't know how to apply it now I know that through a mathematical formula you can find what the maximum buildable area is thanks to the explanation in the video.
This video did an incredible job in helping me understand how floor area ratio (FAR) works, and how the concepts of maximum lot coverage and building footprint coincide. In fact, I was also quite surprised to find out just how easy it was to figure out the calculations demonstrated in the video! Now that I understand this concept much more concisely, I am excited to apply this into future projects to further maximize their potential.
This video clearly explained what floor area ratio is and how to find it. I liked how it started simple then more concepts were added at each step, it made it easier for me to understand how lot coverage and floor area ratio are related to each other. I found it interesting towards the end where you explained how to find the maximum stories that can be built based on the site square footage, it makes me more aware of buildings around me and how their footprint and site square footage relate to the amount of stories there are.
From this video, I learned a lot about the relationship between floor area ratio (FAR), lot area, maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and the number of stories. The example of a lot with a FAR of 3 and 25% coverage that resulted in 12 stories showed just how important it is to not only know the lot area, but also the floor area ratio and maximum lot coverage. When any of their value changes, such as the change in FAR from 1 to 3, it can drastically change how many stories a building can have. This demonstrated the flexibility of building design because despite having a small amount of building footprint, usable space can increase by maximizing the amount of vertical space within the building.
I found this video extremely helpful. I've always wondered about how we calculate the number of stories our project can have based on the FAR. I didn't know much about the FAR and lot coverage until watching this video and was introduced to FAR last year. It's really new experience for me to start considering how much of the site we can actually build on and how many stories the building could have. I think these examples helped me understand lot coverage and FAR a lot more than what I already knew, which was just about the meaning of F.A.R.
After watching the video, I got a better understanding on the difference between maximum buildable area and the building footprint. I wasn't familiar with the calculations previously. Also, I did not realize that you could use the remaining buildable area on additional stories, but it makes total sense!
Love the clear, focused explanation of calculating both FAR and Coverage/Building Footprint in this video- and how the correlation of the two can help us generate a maximum building area through a number of floors/stories- but I did have a question about this aspect. Before finally wrapping my head around the fact that it was likely more of a generalization (and suggestion to maximize floor area in a realistic and functional way)-- my initial thought was to wonder if the resulting number of floors (post-calculations) could easily be ignored or altered for the sake of design or other potential reasons. Take for instance your final example, which arrives at an answer of 12 stories around the 5:00 mark. Though possibly not as elegant or practical, Wouldn't it technically be possible for the same project to have say 15 or even 20 stories? So long as the ground floor maintained the same footprint of 1,250 SF, some variation in the upper floors could take advantage of potential setbacks or uniquely selective gaps and still meet the base requirements of 15,000 SF AND a Lot Coverage of just 1,250. Would this be possible? Thank you for the video, it definitely helped make a seemingly complicated topic feel simple. Plus emojis in a video title are always a plus.
Great question. 💡 Building height, stories, building footprint and F.A.R work together. Even if the footprint is maintained per allowed coverage, the zone will almost always have a maximum height or stories. Density is only one aspect of the equation. When you think of each Zoning regulation, ask yourself: what is really the intent behind this requirement. Once you understand this point, it makes sense why you have to limit height, stories, etc.
I found this video very informational. had always been a bit confused on to how some of these calculation were found and now I understand floor and story hight calculation a bit better
This video helped me understand the relationship of maximum lot coverage and the floor area ratio. and how these values help maximize the building area by using the maximum building area divided by the coverage value to determine how many stories is needed to maximize the buildable area.
This was a very useful and helpful video to further help me understand how F.A.R. work. Takes me back to my Spring 2022 Arch school semester projected located in the downtown LA, and we had limitation and specific coverage and I know could go back and use this calculation to determined the true building SQ footage I could have build on the site and how many stories I could have had. Thank You!
This video was great at explaning how FAR works. It clearly explained how FAR, coverage and the site itself come together to determine the buildable areas and stories of a building. I originally thought that FAR could not exceed 1, it was interesting to see how as FAR increases it allows for more levels to be built. The examples alongside the equations really made the topic much easier to follow.
To put it simply, this video was very helpful with understanding how F.A.R works as well as the definition. One thing is just to see words on a slide but in this case I really benefited from seeing the diagrams and calculations, something a little more practical. Now I understand how to calculate the amount of buildable area and how coverage can affect that number, ultimately giving us the number of how many stories can be built as well.
This video help me understand how to calculate the build area with the F.A.R. and L.C.R.. I also found that the relationship with the FAR, LCR, and Storages can be simplify into F.A.R./L.C.R.=Storages. Depends on what number I am looking for I can apply the area of the site with those number to get the result. This is really helpful video and I am appreciated it.
I thought this video was very helpful and explained the process very well! From watching this tutorial, I have a better understanding of how to calculate the difference between floor area ratio and lot coverage in order to calculate the amount of buildable area for any lot and how many stories the building can be. Understanding the relationship between the two will help to efficiently maximize the usable space of the building while following the restrictions.
Watching this video is essential when trying to the find the F.A.R and how many stories a building can have after doing all the math and calculations. I was a bit confused at first but after watching it like 3 times, it made more sense. Great vid btw!
This video made it clear not only how to calculate FAR and coverage but also maximize the square footage in a building. Although the coverage may be smaller than the FAR using multiple stories one can use the maximum amount FAR allows. In the video examples were shown that were rectangular but this would be very interesting to put to use with different shapes.
The relationship between Floor Area Ratio, maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and number of stories is clearly explained in this video allowing for a better understanding while applying it to future projects. All of these significant factors must be taken into account when calculating the buildable area in order to maximize the building area. I was unaware at first that they were all connected, or even that they existed, and that one value was utilized to determine another.
The examples in the video helped to clarify the difference in floor area ratio and building footprint for me, thank you! I can imagine the planning process can get much more complex once building height and setbacks come into play. This video made me think about the Equitable Building in New York that led to New York City’s first zoning resolution in 1916 due to its lack of setbacks. It’s an interesting story in architectural history in my opinion, at least I was fascinated when I first learned about it!
I learned a lot in this video, among which the relationship between floor area ratio (FAR), land area, maximum plot coverage, building footprint, and number of floors is crucial for determining the overall size, height, and layout of buildings on a given site. Together, these factors determine how much space can be used and developed relative to the site. By balancing these factors, architects and developers can effectively plan the size, height, and use of buildings while complying with zoning regulations.
Thank you so much for this video! I had yet to find a video that explained the difference between Max Buildable Area and Building Footprint - I was so confused between the two! Now I feel confident going into PA tomorrow :)
This video helps me understand the difference between building area and footprint, the relationship between these two, and how to achieve the maximum with large F.A.R and a small percentage of lot coverage.
This is super informative! It explains the concept of F.A.R. very well. I see now why this information is crucial to know as an architect, because we cant assume the area of the site can be equal to the area of the building. It's very tempting to want to max out the size of the building, but that can only be determined by the site context and local building/zoning codes.
I highly appreciate how easy it was to follow along and understand the important concepts of the video like the relationship between the building footprint and building area! I'm quite surprising to find out the simplicity in being able to calculate a structure's footprint by just multiplying the coverage by the total lot area. I feel this information will definitely be useful for future projects and helping us students understand how much space our buildings should take up and how tall they are required to be, therefore allowing our future designs to be much more plausible and realistic! :]
This was concise and well-explained. Beyond the obvious reasons, I now have a better understanding of why so many developers build up instead of out in dense urban areas where land is more valuable due to scarcity or desirability. Building upward allows developers to maximize the allowable floor area, and constructing said high-rise buildings increases profit as more floor space is generated without the need for additional land. Less land is less money spent, making the project more cost effective and profitable.
Learning that the F.A.R. is what multiplies with the density of the lot is interesting because, in the first video, I thought it was meant to be something that would stop building. Meanwhile, knowing that the F.A.R. is the reason why buildings become tall and dense in specific cities and areas helps me understand why downtown has a higher density of tall buildings meanwhile in the residential zones they keep them lower.
The Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is an important component of architectural codes that restricts the overall building area in relation to the size of the land. It is calculated by dividing the building's total floor area by the lot area. While FAR dictates the building's total area, lot coverage determines the building's footprint on the land. This means that a higher FAR allows for vertical development by adding additional stories without expanding the footprint, which is particularly useful when lot coverage is strictly limited.
This video was super helpful and understanding how the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is calculated. I never really understood how the calculations were used, but the video really helped me understand the calculation between the blueprint, the story of levels, or just the zoning area. This will really help with future project calculations. :)
This is a great video for understanding what FAR and coverage is. It's short, simple, and concise. I think understanding how much of the buildable area is important when it comes to designing whatever type of construction you're working on. I wonder how often FAR changes and what other factors are being considered for determining the FAR.
This video was very informative and demonstrates clearly how FAR, maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and the number of stories you could build on site are all linked. It highlights how these factors relate together to calculate the buildable area and maximize the building's size. It also made me wonder how the calculation works in real life if the shape of the lot is an organic/irregular shape not a square as the examples.
I think this video was very helpful in clearing my understanding of the FAR. After watching the video, it helped me understand why the FAR does not tell you what the actual building footprint is. We would need to analyze what the maximum lot coverage and setbacks can tell you what the actual building footprint is. I also like how the video showed some examples on how to calculate the number of stories to maximize our buildable area.
Yes, I agree with you that this video cleared my understanding of the FAR and also taught us how to calculate it. Previously I was not sure how lot coverage related to the FAR, but know I know. The calculation examples were very helpful.
This video effectively explains how Floor Area Ratio, maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and the number of stories are interconnected. Understanding these key values is crucial for calculating the buildable area and optimizing building space. Initially, I didn't realize that these values are interrelated and that one value influences the others.
I found this video absolutely fascinating and actually really easy to understand and follow. Firstly, I found it fascinating as I never knew that math such as this went into figuring out the coverage of a building area. Furthermore, learning that it was so simple of a mathematical equation to figure out gives me comfort as I feel that I will not need to worry about remembering the formula in the future as it is something that I can do easily.
This video is very interesting because until now I confused the maximum buildable area with lot coverage. This reminded me of a previous studio project located on a relatively small lot that needed to handle a large occupant group. Because the FAR was low and the lot had setbacks from all four sides, I did some research to see if it is possible or advisable to request setback adjustments in a situation like this. My professor explained that in the professional field it is possible to request for increased setbacks or height increase as long as it does not endanger the safety of the site. This would be in regards to environmental concerns, fire safety, plumbing, and other factors.
This video helps me understand the difference between lot coverage and F.A.R. Lot coverage is the amount of space a building can take up on the site, while F.A.R is the floor area of that the building can have (include each level). A question that I have is if you do these calculations and find that you can make a 4 story building, would you have to look at other zoning codes to see if you can build a 4 level building in that area, or is the F.A.R already reflective of the zoning codes regarding building height and levels?
You look at what all the codes say, never stop after reading one part if the code. Compare Zoning and building codes to understand what you can really build.
This video was actually more insightful and easier to understand than I had initially thought. As an architect student who is just learning about codes and zonings, this explanation gave me an understanding of how these types of calculations are made when trying to find the maximum number of coverage your lot can take. I do have a curiosity question: what is the purpose of having a coverage system when doing calculations for your lot? Thank you for this easy and informative explanation.
Good question. Coverage helps local zoning authorities maintain open space requirements, ensure environmentally sound principles for water management so we don't have excessive impermeable ground. We want to hold onto water that would have normally remained pre construction. Covering land tends to create excessive runoff in many cases.
The video does a great job of highlighting key zoning issues like building footprint, occupancy, and construction type. One question I have is, what tools or resources do professionals typically use to ensure they’re compliant with all these zoning regulations before a project begins?
This video on FAR calculation was very clear and straight to the point, and helped me clearly understand the concept. By utilizing the given FAR and coverage percentage value, you can calculate the buildable area as well as the maximum stories you can build. A question I did have was can the FAR be changed upon request to a city official, or is it something that is permanently set by the regulations.
Super easy to follow with reasonable F.A.R examples. Calculating max building area and actual building footprint are very distinct and super important in the beginning stages of LOD , I also appreciate the additional information in the pinned comment! Note to self: round down on a.r.e.
This is actually an awesome video, had not really thought about how important this is and how much we are going to use/need this in the future. Very clear video and straightforward equation, one bit of feedback I can think of is explaining where the FAR value comes from, who exactly determines this or gives us this number.
This video helps to better understand how FAR works and how it worked together with the coverage percentage to give you information like the configuration of your building like the number of stories you would need. It helps to maximize building footprint and building area.
I've learned about FAR, lot coverage, bldg footprints, etc. in the past, but they've always been a jumble of words to me so I truly appreciate the clarification. I will definitely be coming back to this video often, but it did raise the question of how different Floor Area Ratios and lot coverage requirements affect the feasibility and construction of multi-story buildings as opposed to single-story buildings on the same lot size? Specifically, how do these factors influence things like building height, bldg footprint, potential occupancy, and overall space use, particularly in areas with strict zoning regulations or where maximizing buildable area is critical for economic viability?
This is a very cohesive video explaining Floor Area Ratio. I appreciate being able to visualize FAR in a more mathematical sense than simply as a concept to be imagined. I'll be sure to draw diagrams like these out in the future. This video does leave me wondering about cases that differentiate from the norm. How would the ratio change or stay the same in cases where the floors are differing heights or where there are service spaces or mechanical spaces between certain floors but not others? How does poche difference affect the ratio? I'll certainly be sure to explore these things in the future.
Entire floors dedicated to mechanical spaces are often excluded from F.A.R. Different heigh floors don't affect F.A.R., but stories and max height of Zoning regulations do!
This video cleared up the differences between FAR, Lot are coverage and building footprint and how they work together to maximize the usable area on a site while staying in code.
The video was straight forward about how to calculate the FAR. It was also helpful with computing the number of stories for a building based of coverage. I wonder what the calculation approach would be if each story is a different area?
Still need to stay under the F.A.R.. Begin with the footprint, then figure out maximum stories and with the area you can work with, you can divide the floors accordingly or however you wish. In dense urban districts, some AHJ's will have setbacks for tall buildings so the buildings pull back as they get taller vertically. It's not one constraint, you're balancing the requirements of all constraints to see what you can really build.
I think this video is very clear and easy to understand how FAR works. It is clearly explained that FAR always works with the maximum lot coverage which was something I did not know before, so it was very informative. My only question is, what would happen if the calculations ended in a # of stories that is not an exact full number like 2, 3 etc. What if it is 2.7 or 2.99. Would you have to round down an entire story and waste the rest of the buildable area?
On an Architecture exam, round down. In real life, you won't be able to exceed the F.A.R. so either round down to the nearest story or if the AHJ allows that 3rd story but the F.A.R. restricts the amount of area, only build up to the area allowed for that 3rd story.
This video expands on how to calculate the FAR and why learning about it is essential. I appreciated how thoroughly the video went over how do each calculation. This video left no room for any questions it was explained well enough to not too convoluted. I believe most can appreciate how condensed and straight forwards the information was.
This vidoo clearly explains how FAR works and how it helps maxing building footprint and building area. Watching it get explained and written out in front of me was very helpful and left no room for questions. I believe most can appreciate how condensed and straight forwards the infomation was.
This video gives a clear explanation on how to calculate the FAR and why learning about it is essential. I appreciated how the explanation dove into the understanding that FAR is not just a two dimensional value. It also integrates how many floors the building has. This video left no room for any questions because of the clarity of the explanation.
This video was super understanding when learning how to calculate FAR. The video clarified the difference between FAR and lot coverage, explaining how they work together to determine a building's maximum size. It showed that the maximum building area is calculated by multiplying the site's area by the FAR, while the footprint is determined separately. The video made understanding these concepts, including how to calculate the footprint, clear and easy to follow.
This video was clear and straight to the point, it helps understand how FAR and lot coverage work together. Visually learning this through a condensed, yet simple and straight forward demonstration allowed me to have a better understanding in calculating maximum building footprint and maximum building area.
This FAR explanation video is so easy to understand. I've always been fraustrated with these concepts and terms but now I can see how we need to figure how much stories are needed to meet the FAR. It helped me calculating and knowing the way to maxmize the building footprint and not waste the building area.
Glad it was helpful!
Applicable skills like this are so great to watch. A short 5 minute video that clearly compare how the FAR and coverage work together. While the examples were showing a somewhat square level lot, it's exciting to think about how architects work around meticulous sites that may be a long rectangular stretch, or maybe even on a steep grade in the mountains or by the lake.
Watching the video not only helped me understand how the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is calculated but also helped in understand how coverage is related to FAR. Reading Erin's comment about rounding down answered the same question I asked myself.
Excellent!! Glad another comment helped you!
The breakdown using whole, simple, and blunt numbers does a great job of analyzing how FAR is incorporated into the basis of construction. Understanding lot coverage, the amount of stories being potentially built, and the definite building footprint is made simple with this explanation. Reading the pinned comment above, it's interesting how the concept of having a number that isn't quite concise such as a decimal, is handled in the real world.
I'm glad that this video went over an example where FAR is not 1, because it shows that we still use the 5000sf multiplied by the coverage to get the maximum coverage, it would be used for any FAR if the site is 50' x 100'.
This video really cleared up and provided clarification on the concept of FAR for me. I have a better understanding of calculating the max building area, and actual building footprint in relation to the FAR and total lot coverage. It also explains the number of stories needed for certain building footprints, and how we can utilize the small footprint in the use of more floor stories.
I'm glad I watched this video to ensure I understand the connection between floor area ratio, and coverage, in the building footprint. This will definitely ensure That I know how much I can actually build and how many floors can be done in this project. Knowing all this information will allow me as the architect to explain to my customers exactly how much they can build so they have an estimate of their cost.
Fantastic
This explanation of FAR was very clear and helpful! The FAR is used to get the max buildable area by multiplying the FAR with the square footage, we then need to look at max lot coverage to see building footprint. I think it was very helpful to understand how FAR and lot coverage work together and see how we would go about planning designs with these restraints in order to still maximize building area.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video! The concept of Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R.) was explained very clearly, making it easy to understand both the calculations and its impact. The examples really helped visualize how F.A.R. affects building density and design. Thanks for breaking down a complex topic in such a simple and engaging way!
This video made it very clear between the different of FAR and lot coverage and how they work together. They establish how tall and large you can build a building, when the lot is cut down to a significant size. It made it more clear how we can maximize the space of our building by creating multiple stories to fulfill the FAR even though it is restricted through the lot coverage.
This video provides a clear and straightforward explanation of FAR, with helpful visuals to support the calculations. It effectively covers both the math and the role of factors like floors and lot coverage, and I did not know that it always worked with the maximum lot coverage. This video will definitely make it easier to apply the FAR formula.
Thank you for the tutorial! It not only helped clarify how to calculate FAR but also explained some key terms, like the distinction between coverage and FAR. I now understand that coverage refers to how much of the site can be built on, regardless of FAR, while FAR defines the maximum buildable area for the lot.
You're very welcome!
Thank you for this video, it clarified the relationship between FAR (Floor Area Ratio), maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and setbacks. I found it interesting to learn that the area refers to the total square footage of a building, while lot coverage limits how much of the lot the building can occupy. You can build upwards within the area limit, but outward expansion is restricted by the lot coverage. FAR always works in conjunction with maximum lot coverage, highlighting how much of a site can be designed after calculations.
It was very helpful to learn visually how to properly calculate the floor area ratio (FAR) and the maximum lot coverage. Early in the video, it was stated how the area is not the same as the building footprint in which I would have figured it was but seeing how the two work together made sense in order to describe the size of any future buildings.
I appreciate how this video was able to explain how to calculate the amount of buildable area for a site in detail while simultaneously being concise. It was interesting to learn that the maximum building area is simply derived from the site's area and the given FAR through the process of multiplication. I also learned that this is not to be confused with building footprint which is a separate endeavor.
Woohoo!! Glad that clears up the confusion!
This video helped me understand that FAR (Floor Area Ratio) and the maximum size of a building are different concepts. FAR works with the maximum lot coverage to create and define the maximum size of a building, as the sum of the two is the maximum size a building can be. I also learned about the number of floors allotted for certain areas of a building, and that the number of floors can be maximized.
This video provides a very clear overview of F.A.R. calculations. I would imagine that setbacks, height limits, and other more specific site-based codes would also impact the number of stories a project could have, and wonder if most buildings truly reach their maximum area according to the F.A.R., or if the majority get affected by other codes and ultimately fall short of the maximum.
Watching this video, clarified the relationship between FAR, maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and setbacks. It was really interesting to learn that area is the total square footage of floor space a building has, and the lot coverage determines how much of the lot that building itself can take up. So, with the area, you can build upwards as much until you hit the area number whereas with the lot coverage, you can only build outwards as much. FAR always works alongside max lot coverage which was another point I looked into as it was interesting to learn how much of a site you can actually design after doing calculations.
Yes!
This video clearly explained that FAR (Floor Area Ratio) and the maximum building size are separate concepts. It demonstrated how FAR and lot coverage combine to set the total allowable size of a building. By showing how these factors interact, the video made it easy to understand how to calculate and use them to determine the building’s total size. Additionally, it covered how the number of floors impacts the building’s design, showing that more floors can help maximize the building’s space and overall size. This thorough explanation made it easy to grasp how each element plays a role in shaping the final building design.
This video was very informative and helpful in giving a clear explanation on what FAR is and an example of how to solve it. This helped me better understand the concept as well as how I would apply it in a situation. The concept has been brought up in studio before so but having it spelled out like this helps make it much more clear.
This video helped me understand the relationship between the floor area ratio and the building footprint. I had a job at a small architecture firm two years ago and I remember my boss asking me to calculate the floor area ratio for a project I was doing. At the time I somewhat figured it out, but was still fairly confused on how it worked. This video helped clarify my confusion and better understand for FAR works.
Nice, glad it helped!
This video helped to clarify the difference between FAR and the maximum size of a building. FAR and the maximum lot coverage combine to create the maximum size for a building, despite a more restrictive footprint. The method of calculating the footprint and number of stories shown in the video helps clarify the two concept's relationship and how it translates to design constraints.
This video was incredibly clear and helpful in explaining the relationship between FAR and lot coverage, and how these two factors work together to determine the number of stories needed for a building. FAR represents the total floor area of a building relative to the size of the lot, while lot coverage dictates the percentage of the lot that can be occupied by the building footprint. Understanding how FAR and lot coverage interact is crucial because it directly affects the building's height and overall massing. Before watching, I wasn’t aware of how closely these elements are interconnected in influencing building design. This video was useful in clarifying my previous confusion.
I'm so glad it cleared up your confusion!
The video clarified the concept of FAR by showing the calculations and made it easy-to-follow steps. It demonstrated how to measure both the gross floor area and the lot area, making it easier to apply the FAR formula.
I really like the video because it was simple and very clear in understanding the difference between FAR and the percentage coverage. I like how it gave two different examples for each type of problem one focusing on FAR and the other on percentage coverage.
I'm glad you mentioned about lot coverage as well, beause when you put them together you can see the relationship very well. Lot coverage is really only enacting on the first floor of the lot you are working on, meaning that you can only build on a certain section of the floor of your lot. FAR is more flexible in that you can put that area on multiple stories - FAR is counted for every floor of the building not just the first floor. Very easy to unuderstand and follow, this was a great example of FAR/lot coverage Calc.
Fantastic, glad it was easy to follow! 💯💯
The video F.A.R of a building, the coverage portion, and the number of stories a building can have made me understand why certain buildings were built the ways they were. Continuing on this point it was interesting seeing a quick but meaningful explanation of how to calculate the F.A.R. of a building but also calculate coverage that can be used. The coverage of land was interesting but very useful, this video made the calculations very simple and straightforward to use in the future.
Awesome 👌
Your explanation of F.A.R is very clear and informative because it simplifies complicated material into a very easy to understand set of equations. I did not realize that F.A.R and site coverage were so dependent on the actual outcome of available square footage for the building footprint as well as how many stories would be making up the site.
Glad it was helpful!
This video was very helpful in understanding not only how Floor Area Ratio works but also how to calculate it. Previously, I was not aware/was confused about the difference between the building footprint and the FAR, but with the calculations done in this video, I was able to fully understand it. Additionally, I had no clue before about how the FAR and lot coverage had related to one another, but watching this video helped clear it up for me.
@@keanaangeliquemallari3125 yay!!!
This video was really helpful in simplifying the steps needed to find the number of stories needed in maximizing the F.A.R. with a given lot coverage. While I was aware of FAR based on previous classes, it was useful to see actual examples that calculated the number of floors needed to vertically get the most out of a given amount of lot coverage. The steps were also easy to follow and remember.
Glad you enjoyed it!
This video does a clear job of explaining the relationship between Floor Area Ratio, maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and number of stories. Calculating the amount of buildable area involves all these important values as well as for maximizing the building area. Initially I didn't know they were all interrelated and that one value was used for the next.
Very good!
The point about the relationship between lot coverage and building height particularly resonated with me. The video highlights how understanding this relationship is crucial for achieving efficient building designs and maximizing usable space. By strategically calculating the interplay between these factors, developers can create innovative solutions that make the most of the available area while adhering to regulatory constraints. This approach not only ensures compliance with zoning laws but also fosters creativity in architectural design, enabling more effective use of limited space.
Exactly, great job!
This video helped me figure out how the relationship between F.A.R. and lot coverage works to determine the levels you need to build based on the calculations between the two ideas.
💫
Yes, the video really does clear up this relationship. It shows this in the calculations how you go from finding the max buildable area first, then the building footprint, and lastly you bring these two calculations to determine the levels you need to build. Good simple examples and explanation of how to get to the number of stories.
This video was really useful in fully understanding the relationship between the F.A.R. and the maximum lot coverage. Seeing the calculation makes so much more sense on paper, and doesn't really seem so complex in reality. The calculation for the stories was something I never new about, and the maximum lot coverage was also a new thing for me. It makes me wonder what can be placed within the other portion of the lot.
Zoning determines other requirements about the lot, it might be landscape requirements, might be providing open space for amenities...other portion can be used for parking, for paths to enter the building, seating areas...etc
Understanding how many floors a building can have is impressive. This is mostly because i did not know the F.A.R was the multiplier of density. Using this ratio is a very important idea for me to understand.
Sarqeles, thanks for moving through the calculation step by step. Following along and going through the motions is one of the best ways to learn. I'll be returning to this video when it becomes applicable to work.
Great!
This video was easy to follow and understand with its simple yet informative examples to show how FAR and coverage are used in figuring out how to design on use the floor area on the lot within its restrictions.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I really enjoyed this video; after watching this it has allowed me to under how FAR works. It was good to learn the math behind finding out FAR, implementing the coverage allowed, and then building to the allowable capacity. It was good to know that you can build up to use the max square footage allowed but also staying within the coverage limit.
This FAR explanation was so helpful and easy to understand! Doing multiple examples was definitely good for me to see exactly how the math works rather than being confused after the first one and trying a method that would only work in that specific scenario. I also learned how dependent the FAR and site coverage were on the number of stories and the available square footage.
Glad it was helpful!
This video helped explain the difference between the FAR and the lot coverage. Before, I did not really understand how to calculate the building footprint, but this video easily explains how to do it. It was really clear and easy to follow.
Excellent
This video helped me understand the relationship between Floor Area Ratio, maximum lot coverage, and setbacks. I now understand that F.A.R. is not the building footprint but rather the total build volume; the footprint is affected by other factors such as max lot coverage and setbacks.
Good!!
This video was very concise and allowed me to understand the relationship between lot coverage and floor area ratio. At my community college we always did zoning research prior to our projects so I'm excited to be learning about it and utilizing it again.
I love community colleges, they are excellent institutions and I'm glad you were introduced to this topic before!
This video helped elaborate the difference of the Floor Area Ratio and the actual building footprint. Before the two seemed to blend together, but now the difference is clear. The explanation on how to calculate the buildable stories to maximize ones space was also helpful, I initially didn't know they were related.
Great!
FAR (floor area ratio) is clearly explained in this video. I now how it works with the maximum lot coverage, the number of stories being built, and the building footprint. Seeing everything written out was very helpful when trying to understand how everything relates to one another.
In this video, we learned how to calculate Floor Area Ratio and maximum lot coverage. I was intrigued by how one can solely calculate the amount of buildable area through F.A.R. which is simply a number/factor. The examples helped me navigate the terms, the F.A.R. isn’t the building footprint, it's the floor area, so we have to calculate the coverage to obtain the footprint. I have a better understanding of how to calculate the number of stories for future projects.
This video helped me understand the difference between the buildable area allowed versus the lot coverage. I would have believed they were the same thing a couple months ago. Now I know that the area is the total square footage of floor space a building has throughout however many stories it may have whereas the lot coverage determines how much of the lot that building itself can take up.
Good!!
This video was really helpful in understanding the whole concept of FAR. Helped me realize there is more to building lot usage and coverage like you showed in the video. Especially with the limitations one has to for actually building space that is allowed
Glad it was helpful!
In this video, I have learned what a floor area ratio is. Before I knew what the concept meant. However, I didn't know how to apply it now I know that through a mathematical formula you can find what the maximum buildable area is thanks to the explanation in the video.
This video did an incredible job in helping me understand how floor area ratio (FAR) works, and how the concepts of maximum lot coverage and building footprint coincide. In fact, I was also quite surprised to find out just how easy it was to figure out the calculations demonstrated in the video! Now that I understand this concept much more concisely, I am excited to apply this into future projects to further maximize their potential.
Glad it was helpful!
This video clearly explained what floor area ratio is and how to find it. I liked how it started simple then more concepts were added at each step, it made it easier for me to understand how lot coverage and floor area ratio are related to each other. I found it interesting towards the end where you explained how to find the maximum stories that can be built based on the site square footage, it makes me more aware of buildings around me and how their footprint and site square footage relate to the amount of stories there are.
Glad it was helpful!
From this video, I learned a lot about the relationship between floor area ratio (FAR), lot area, maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and the number of stories. The example of a lot with a FAR of 3 and 25% coverage that resulted in 12 stories showed just how important it is to not only know the lot area, but also the floor area ratio and maximum lot coverage. When any of their value changes, such as the change in FAR from 1 to 3, it can drastically change how many stories a building can have. This demonstrated the flexibility of building design because despite having a small amount of building footprint, usable space can increase by maximizing the amount of vertical space within the building.
Great comment!
I found this video extremely helpful. I've always wondered about how we calculate the number of stories our project can have based on the FAR. I didn't know much about the FAR and lot coverage until watching this video and was introduced to FAR last year. It's really new experience for me to start considering how much of the site we can actually build on and how many stories the building could have. I think these examples helped me understand lot coverage and FAR a lot more than what I already knew, which was just about the meaning of F.A.R.
I'm glad it helped, see if you can apply it on a project to practice the concept of F.A.R. and L.C.R. ☺️
After watching the video, I got a better understanding on the difference between maximum buildable area and the building footprint. I wasn't familiar with the calculations previously. Also, I did not realize that you could use the remaining buildable area on additional stories, but it makes total sense!
Glad it was helpful!
Love the clear, focused explanation of calculating both FAR and Coverage/Building Footprint in this video- and how the correlation of the two can help us generate a maximum building area through a number of floors/stories- but I did have a question about this aspect. Before finally wrapping my head around the fact that it was likely more of a generalization (and suggestion to maximize floor area in a realistic and functional way)-- my initial thought was to wonder if the resulting number of floors (post-calculations) could easily be ignored or altered for the sake of design or other potential reasons. Take for instance your final example, which arrives at an answer of 12 stories around the 5:00 mark. Though possibly not as elegant or practical, Wouldn't it technically be possible for the same project to have say 15 or even 20 stories? So long as the ground floor maintained the same footprint of 1,250 SF, some variation in the upper floors could take advantage of potential setbacks or uniquely selective gaps and still meet the base requirements of 15,000 SF AND a Lot Coverage of just 1,250. Would this be possible? Thank you for the video, it definitely helped make a seemingly complicated topic feel simple. Plus emojis in a video title are always a plus.
Great question. 💡 Building height, stories, building footprint and F.A.R work together. Even if the footprint is maintained per allowed coverage, the zone will almost always have a maximum height or stories. Density is only one aspect of the equation. When you think of each Zoning regulation, ask yourself: what is really the intent behind this requirement. Once you understand this point, it makes sense why you have to limit height, stories, etc.
I found this video very informational. had always been a bit confused on to how some of these calculation were found and now I understand floor and story hight calculation a bit better
This video helped me understand the relationship of maximum lot coverage and the floor area ratio. and how these values help maximize the building area by using the maximum building area divided by the coverage value to determine how many stories is needed to maximize the buildable area.
💥💯
This was a very useful and helpful video to further help me understand how F.A.R. work. Takes me back to my Spring 2022 Arch school semester projected located in the downtown LA, and we had limitation and specific coverage and I know could go back and use this calculation to determined the true building SQ footage I could have build on the site and how many stories I could have had. Thank You!
Good, Do that, go back and recalculate it as a thought exercise!
This video was great at explaning how FAR works. It clearly explained how FAR, coverage and the site itself come together to determine the buildable areas and stories of a building. I originally thought that FAR could not exceed 1, it was interesting to see how as FAR increases it allows for more levels to be built. The examples alongside the equations really made the topic much easier to follow.
Glad it was helpful!
To put it simply, this video was very helpful with understanding how F.A.R works as well as the definition. One thing is just to see words on a slide but in this case I really benefited from seeing the diagrams and calculations, something a little more practical. Now I understand how to calculate the amount of buildable area and how coverage can affect that number, ultimately giving us the number of how many stories can be built as well.
Excellent!
This video help me understand how to calculate the build area with the F.A.R. and L.C.R.. I also found that the relationship with the FAR, LCR, and Storages can be simplify into F.A.R./L.C.R.=Storages. Depends on what number I am looking for I can apply the area of the site with those number to get the result. This is really helpful video and I am appreciated it.
🥳
I thought this video was very helpful and explained the process very well! From watching this tutorial, I have a better understanding of how to calculate the difference between floor area ratio and lot coverage in order to calculate the amount of buildable area for any lot and how many stories the building can be. Understanding the relationship between the two will help to efficiently maximize the usable space of the building while following the restrictions.
Excellent!
Watching this video is essential when trying to the find the F.A.R and how many stories a building can have after doing all the math and calculations. I was a bit confused at first but after watching it like 3 times, it made more sense. Great vid btw!
Awesome, very glad it made sense eventually!!
This video made it clear not only how to calculate FAR and coverage but also maximize the square footage in a building. Although the coverage may be smaller than the FAR using multiple stories one can use the maximum amount FAR allows. In the video examples were shown that were rectangular but this would be very interesting to put to use with different shapes.
Yes, the footprint can really be any shape, as long as it satisfies all the other zoning regulations for the property and the AHJ is fine with it!
The relationship between Floor Area Ratio, maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and number of stories is clearly explained in this video allowing for a better understanding while applying it to future projects. All of these significant factors must be taken into account when calculating the buildable area in order to maximize the building area. I was unaware at first that they were all connected, or even that they existed, and that one value was utilized to determine another.
The examples in the video helped to clarify the difference in floor area ratio and building footprint for me, thank you! I can imagine the planning process can get much more complex once building height and setbacks come into play. This video made me think about the Equitable Building in New York that led to New York City’s first zoning resolution in 1916 due to its lack of setbacks. It’s an interesting story in architectural history in my opinion, at least I was fascinated when I first learned about it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I learned a lot in this video, among which the relationship between floor area ratio (FAR), land area, maximum plot coverage, building footprint, and number of floors is crucial for determining the overall size, height, and layout of buildings on a given site. Together, these factors determine how much space can be used and developed relative to the site. By balancing these factors, architects and developers can effectively plan the size, height, and use of buildings while complying with zoning regulations.
Excellent!
Thank you so much for this video! I had yet to find a video that explained the difference between Max Buildable Area and Building Footprint - I was so confused between the two! Now I feel confident going into PA tomorrow :)
You're welcome Marish! Do very well tomorrow, and no matter what happens, you're already a success! 🚀
This video helps me understand the difference between building area and footprint, the relationship between these two, and how to achieve the maximum with large F.A.R and a small percentage of lot coverage.
Great!
This is super informative! It explains the concept of F.A.R. very well. I see now why this information is crucial to know as an architect, because we cant assume the area of the site can be equal to the area of the building. It's very tempting to want to max out the size of the building, but that can only be determined by the site context and local building/zoning codes.
Exactly!
I highly appreciate how easy it was to follow along and understand the important concepts of the video like the relationship between the building footprint and building area! I'm quite surprising to find out the simplicity in being able to calculate a structure's footprint by just multiplying the coverage by the total lot area. I feel this information will definitely be useful for future projects and helping us students understand how much space our buildings should take up and how tall they are required to be, therefore allowing our future designs to be much more plausible and realistic! :]
Awesome!!
This was concise and well-explained. Beyond the obvious reasons, I now have a better understanding of why so many developers build up instead of out in dense urban areas where land is more valuable due to scarcity or desirability. Building upward allows developers to maximize the allowable floor area, and constructing said high-rise buildings increases profit as more floor space is generated without the need for additional land. Less land is less money spent, making the project more cost effective and profitable.
Learning that the F.A.R. is what multiplies with the density of the lot is interesting because, in the first video, I thought it was meant to be something that would stop building. Meanwhile, knowing that the F.A.R. is the reason why buildings become tall and dense in specific cities and areas helps me understand why downtown has a higher density of tall buildings meanwhile in the residential zones they keep them lower.
Great!
The Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is an important component of architectural codes that restricts the overall building area in relation to the size of the land. It is calculated by dividing the building's total floor area by the lot area. While FAR dictates the building's total area, lot coverage determines the building's footprint on the land. This means that a higher FAR allows for vertical development by adding additional stories without expanding the footprint, which is particularly useful when lot coverage is strictly limited.
This video was super helpful and understanding how the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is calculated. I never really understood how the calculations were used, but the video really helped me understand the calculation between the blueprint, the story of levels, or just the zoning area. This will really help with future project calculations. :)
@@AllisonEllenburg awesome, so glad 😊
This is a great video for understanding what FAR and coverage is. It's short, simple, and concise. I think understanding how much of the buildable area is important when it comes to designing whatever type of construction you're working on. I wonder how often FAR changes and what other factors are being considered for determining the FAR.
Glad it was helpful!
This video was very informative and demonstrates clearly how FAR, maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and the number of stories you could build on site are all linked. It highlights how these factors relate together to calculate the buildable area and maximize the building's size. It also made me wonder how the calculation works in real life if the shape of the lot is an organic/irregular shape not a square as the examples.
Lot shape can be any shape, the footprint can be any shape in theory, as long as you stay under the maximums provided.
I think this video was very helpful in clearing my understanding of the FAR. After watching the video, it helped me understand why the FAR does not tell you what the actual building footprint is. We would need to analyze what the maximum lot coverage and setbacks can tell you what the actual building footprint is. I also like how the video showed some examples on how to calculate the number of stories to maximize our buildable area.
Yes, I agree with you that this video cleared my understanding of the FAR and also taught us how to calculate it. Previously I was not sure how lot coverage related to the FAR, but know I know. The calculation examples were very helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for explaining it simply and to the point. Keep them coming.💯
You're welcome 😊
This video effectively explains how Floor Area Ratio, maximum lot coverage, building footprint, and the number of stories are interconnected. Understanding these key values is crucial for calculating the buildable area and optimizing building space. Initially, I didn't realize that these values are interrelated and that one value influences the others.
@@samueljimenez2225 👍
I found this video absolutely fascinating and actually really easy to understand and follow. Firstly, I found it fascinating as I never knew that math such as this went into figuring out the coverage of a building area. Furthermore, learning that it was so simple of a mathematical equation to figure out gives me comfort as I feel that I will not need to worry about remembering the formula in the future as it is something that I can do easily.
Glad you enjoyed it!
This video is very interesting because until now I confused the maximum buildable area with lot coverage. This reminded me of a previous studio project located on a relatively small lot that needed to handle a large occupant group. Because the FAR was low and the lot had setbacks from all four sides, I did some research to see if it is possible or advisable to request setback adjustments in a situation like this. My professor explained that in the professional field it is possible to request for increased setbacks or height increase as long as it does not endanger the safety of the site. This would be in regards to environmental concerns, fire safety, plumbing, and other factors.
Your professor was correct!
This video helps me understand the difference between lot coverage and F.A.R. Lot coverage is the amount of space a building can take up on the site, while F.A.R is the floor area of that the building can have (include each level). A question that I have is if you do these calculations and find that you can make a 4 story building, would you have to look at other zoning codes to see if you can build a 4 level building in that area, or is the F.A.R already reflective of the zoning codes regarding building height and levels?
You look at what all the codes say, never stop after reading one part if the code. Compare Zoning and building codes to understand what you can really build.
This video was actually more insightful and easier to understand than I had initially thought. As an architect student who is just learning about codes and zonings, this explanation gave me an understanding of how these types of calculations are made when trying to find the maximum number of coverage your lot can take. I do have a curiosity question: what is the purpose of having a coverage system when doing calculations for your lot? Thank you for this easy and informative explanation.
Good question. Coverage helps local zoning authorities maintain open space requirements, ensure environmentally sound principles for water management so we don't have excessive impermeable ground. We want to hold onto water that would have normally remained pre construction. Covering land tends to create excessive runoff in many cases.
The video does a great job of highlighting key zoning issues like building footprint, occupancy, and construction type. One question I have is, what tools or resources do professionals typically use to ensure they’re compliant with all these zoning regulations before a project begins?
This video on FAR calculation was very clear and straight to the point, and helped me clearly understand the concept. By utilizing the given FAR and coverage percentage value, you can calculate the buildable area as well as the maximum stories you can build. A question I did have was can the FAR be changed upon request to a city official, or is it something that is permanently set by the regulations.
It's set but you can apply for a variance.
Super easy to follow with reasonable F.A.R examples. Calculating max building area and actual building footprint are very distinct and super important in the beginning stages of LOD , I also appreciate the additional information in the pinned comment! Note to self: round down on a.r.e.
Glad it was helpful!
This is actually an awesome video, had not really thought about how important this is and how much we are going to use/need this in the future. Very clear video and straightforward equation, one bit of feedback I can think of is explaining where the FAR value comes from, who exactly determines this or gives us this number.
Fantastic, thanks! Glad you found it helpful.
This video helps to better understand how FAR works and how it worked together with the coverage percentage to give you information like the configuration of your building like the number of stories you would need. It helps to maximize building footprint and building area.
Great!
Thanks!
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I've learned about FAR, lot coverage, bldg footprints, etc. in the past, but they've always been a jumble of words to me so I truly appreciate the clarification. I will definitely be coming back to this video often, but it did raise the question of how different Floor Area Ratios and lot coverage requirements affect the feasibility and construction of multi-story buildings as opposed to single-story buildings on the same lot size? Specifically, how do these factors influence things like building height, bldg footprint, potential occupancy, and overall space use, particularly in areas with strict zoning regulations or where maximizing buildable area is critical for economic viability?
Each variable is a different code table so you gather all the data then compare the metrics to see which pans out financially.
This is a very cohesive video explaining Floor Area Ratio. I appreciate being able to visualize FAR in a more mathematical sense than simply as a concept to be imagined. I'll be sure to draw diagrams like these out in the future. This video does leave me wondering about cases that differentiate from the norm. How would the ratio change or stay the same in cases where the floors are differing heights or where there are service spaces or mechanical spaces between certain floors but not others? How does poche difference affect the ratio? I'll certainly be sure to explore these things in the future.
Entire floors dedicated to mechanical spaces are often excluded from F.A.R. Different heigh floors don't affect F.A.R., but stories and max height of Zoning regulations do!
This video cleared up the differences between FAR, Lot are coverage and building footprint and how they work together to maximize the usable area on a site while staying in code.
Awesome!
Just what I wanted to learn. Thank you.
The video was straight forward about how to calculate the FAR. It was also helpful with computing the number of stories for a building based of coverage. I wonder what the calculation approach would be if each story is a different area?
Still need to stay under the F.A.R.. Begin with the footprint, then figure out maximum stories and with the area you can work with, you can divide the floors accordingly or however you wish. In dense urban districts, some AHJ's will have setbacks for tall buildings so the buildings pull back as they get taller vertically. It's not one constraint, you're balancing the requirements of all constraints to see what you can really build.