Context Analysis
Design for new development should go beyond consideration of individual buildings and fit successfully into Bainbridge Island’s urban and natural context.
These requirements present an analytical framework to guide approaches to design that respect and enrich the facets of the built and natural environment that make Bainbridge “Bainbridge.”
Your site is part of our community.
Context analysis is a prerequisite for application of Design Standards and Design Guidelines. This chapter outlines requirements for applicants
to present their understanding of the site’s context. The components of the analysis included here are intended to be part of the review process and will be the focus of the Conceptual Proposal Review, the first meeting of the design review process.
A thorough understanding of all aspects of the site and its context is fundamental to design that fits and contributes to Bainbridge Island’s unique
built and natural environments. Development affects its setting through each facet of design in ways that can be striking or largely invisible to the public. It is not enough to simply describe the context, but to analyze its qualities and to
understand and its implications for design.
An effective context analysis will carefully examine the relationship between the site, potential development, and the surrounding environment. This creates a foundation for design that takes cues from patterns in the
surroundings and contributes to the Island’s unique character, while preserving, supporting, and repairing the natural environment. Sustainability is an overarching goal for design on Bainbridge, and will be a key component in all respects of this analysis.