Floor Area Ratio (FAR)

Definition

The relationship between a building's total floor area and the land area beneath it. It's how cities control building density without saying 'you can't build too big here.'

Example Usage

The zoning allows a 3.0 FAR, meaning we can build 300K sq ft on a 100K sq ft lot.

Origin

Urban planning terminology from 1950s New York

Fun Fact

Manhattan's FAR regulations range from 1.0 in residential areas to 12.0+ in commercial districts, explaining why some buildings are impossibly tall.

Source: American Planning Association

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