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Building massing and street-level details can place strong
visual emphasis on public spaces, helping to link the
West End
to the downtown core.
• Site Planning
• Streetscape
• Building Design
Building Design
The design of buildings can contribute to creating a distinct neighborhood identity within the West End.
New buildings in the West End must establish the precedent for human-scale design and design quality in the district.
Building Design Guidelines
1. Consider each building as a high-quality, long-term
addition to the West End District. Exterior design
and building materials should exhibit permanence
and design excellence appropriate to an
urban setting.
2. In general, the existing architecture in the West End
is not as noteworthy and cohesive as the traditional
building styles found in the downtown core. Therefore,
an opportunity exists for new development
proposals to establish a desirable architectural
context and precedents. Careful consideration of
the scale, massing and detail of individual buildings
will contribute to an appealing district identity and
character, and a satisfying public environment. The
following methods and techniques will help new
development meet this objective:
>> Use building massing and orientation to place
strong visual emphasis on the street and other
important civic spaces. In general, buildings
should be three stories tall at the street to
help create a sense of enclosure appropriate to
an urban setting while relating to the scale of the
pedestrian. Use upper-level building setbacks to
accommodate greater heights.
>> Vary the building character as the building
rises; in general, differentiate among the base,
middle and top levels of a building.
>> Employ strong building forms such as
towers to demarcate important gateways,
intersections and corners.
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