Building sqft to lot size?
Hi All,
As I take a lot of these Practice exams I get a lot of questions asking how big the FAR can be on a lot etc. but what if I wanted it the other way around? how would I calculate how big my lot needs to be based on the size of building I need? & the FAR
Thank you in advanced!!
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That's not something I would ever expect you to be asked to calculate for the ARE because in practice Owners are generally coming to Architects with a lot or series of lots, and FAR tends to vary depending on the specific zone each lot is in in a city.
That said, you totally could calculate the minimum lot size for a building of a given square footage with a given FAR. If the FAR is 2, and your building has to be 10,000 sq ft, then you need a lot of at least 5,000 sq ft - if a two-story building is acceptable. If your FAR is 0.5, then you need a lot of at least 20,000 square feet.
Best,
Ralph, the Amber Book Team -
I have actually seen questions that are somewhat like what you're asking. on a PA exam you would be given 3 lots with square footage, and then owner requirements for total square footage for the project. Example would be 20,000 sf required, maximum number of stories is 4, so lot size must be 5,000sf or higher. The exam question would likely include some setbacks as well, meaning greater than 5,000sf needed.
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