Floor Area Ratio Analysis
Floor area ratio (FAR), also called plot ratio or floor space index, is the ratio of a building's total floor area to the area of the lot it sits on, and it is the workhorse metric of zoning-based density control. A FAR of 2.0 means a building has twice as much floor space as its plot, achievable as a two-storey building covering the whole lot or a four-storey building covering half of it. Embedded in zoning codes since New York's 1916 ordinance and analysed in planning texts such as Ben-Joseph's study of urban codes, FAR analysis quantifies development intensity, sets buildable limits, and links regulation to the form and density of the built environment.
Read the full method
Sign in with a free account to read this section.
Method map
The neighbourhood of related methods — select a node to explore.
Sources
- Ben-Joseph, E. (2005). The Code of the City: Standards and the Hidden Language of Place Making. MIT Press. ISBN: 9780262025744
- Cervero, R., & Kockelman, K. (1997). Travel demand and the 3Ds: density, diversity, and design. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 2(3), 199–219. DOI: 10.1016/S1361-9209(97)00009-6 ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 22). Floor Area Ratio Analysis (Plot Ratio as a Density and Zoning Metric). ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/urban-studies/floor-area-ratio-analysis
Which method?
Set this method beside its closest kin and read them side by side — the library lays the books on the table; the choice is yours.
- Housing Affordability IndexUrban Studies↔ compare
- Mixed-Use IndexUrban Studies↔ compare
- Urban Scaling LawsUrban Studies↔ compare
- Urban Sprawl MeasurementUrban Studies↔ compare