Page 114 - Waxahachie, TX Residential Design Guidelines

Design guiDelines For new Cons truCtion

m a s s a n d s c a l e

Mass is established by the arrangement and proportion of a
building’s basic geometric components. These include the main
building, wings and porches, roof and foundation. A building’s form
or shape can be simple or complex. The main body of a building
may be one or more stories. Secondary elements, usually porches
or wings, extend from the main building. These elements create
the massing of a building.

Design the massing of new
Scale refers to a building’s size in relationship to other buildings.
construction to appear similar to
The size of a building is determined by its dimensions, including
that of historic buildings in the
height, width and depth, which also dictate the building’s square
district.
footage. Door and window heights and the cornice reflect interior
floor and ceiling heights on the exterior of a building and should be
proportional to the building. New residential construction should
be compatible with adjacent historic buildings in mass, scale and
relationship of solids to voids in the exterior walls. The mass and
scale of new residential structures should relate to nearby historic
buildings so the older buildings are not visually diminished or
overpowered, nor should they be too small so as to look out of
place.

Design a new building to be of
6.4 Design the massing of new construction to appear
a height that is compatible with
similar to that of historic buildings in the district.
adjacent contributing historic
a. Choose the massing and shape of the new structure to
properties.
maintain a rhythm of massing along the street.
b. Match the proportions of the front elevations of a new
structure with those in the historic context.

6.5 Design the scale of new construction to appear
similar to that of historic buildings in the district.
a. Design a new building to be of a height that is compatible
with adjacent contributing historic properties.
b. Size foundation and building floor heights to appear
similar to those of nearby historic buildings.
c. Match the scale of a porch to the main building and
reflect the scale of porches of nearby historic buildings.

106 Waxahac hie Residential design guidelines