Page 64 - State College, PA Design Guidelines

06.28.2018 •

Building Articulation

Providing articulation in the building mass will minimize impacts on the
neighborhood context and neighboring buildings. For example, creating
offsets in long walls and stepping down height on all building facades are
good design choices and help minimize negative impacts on adjacent historic
structures.

5.5 Where a new building is deeper or wider than existing
buildings in the historic context, use facade
articulation techniques to help a building fit within the
scale of the surrounding historic context.
a. Use vertical and horizontal wall offsets (changes in the wall plane)
to reduce the overall perceived scale of a building as viewed from
the street.
b. Use vertical and horizontal wall offsets to reduce the visual
impact of long side wall areas on neighboring properties and the
street.

5.6 Position taller portions of a structure away from
neighboring historic buildings of lower scale.
Use vertical and horizontal wall offsets to reduce
the overall scale of a building as viewed from the
street. (Top photo - Winnetka, IL; Bottom photo -
Boulder, CO)

If a new building were to be built in this context, taller portions of the structure should be positioned
away from the neighboring historic buildings of lower scale. (400 block of East Fairmount in Holmes-
Position taller portions of a structure away from Foster/Highlands Historic District)
neighboring historic buildings of lower scale.
Here, the second story is set back from the
side facade to respect the neighboring historic
building. (Boulder, CO)

58 STATE COLLEGE, PA • HERITAGE STATE COLLEGE DESIGN GUIDELINES