Pleasant Hill BART
Specific Plan
Building Design
The appearance and character of an area is produced by the combination of building mass and height, the scale of exterior spaces formed by the buildings, type of landscaping, signage, and visual relationships to adjoining areas, each of which are addressed above. Another major factor influencing the appearance is the design of individual buildings and the manner in which various materials, forms and colors are employed. Different combinations of material, forms and colors can produce a feeling of informality, formality, monumentality, urbanity, rustic ness and so on. Similarly, great variations can result in a sense of chaos or conversely little variation often produces a sense of drabness or barrenness. It is important, therefore, to establish an overall framework to guide the design of individual buildings in a way which help produce an attractive and enjoyable setting. The accompanying diagram and policies set forth below provide the basis for coordinating future building design.
| Policy 1. | A major distinction in design character should be established between the areas north and south of Las Juntas. An informal, suburban appearance should be retained north of Las Juntas. This should be accomplished by prevailing use of natural wood materials and finishes and softer-surface brick which generally conveys a suburban appearance. This should be reinforced by use of so called "natural colors" such as browns and greens, and use of smaller, loosely organized building forms and roofs with pitched, gable, hip, etc. surfaces to maximize visual interest and create an appearance of smaller building forms. |
| Policy 2. | Development south of Las Juntas should be distinguished from the suburban appearance of its surroundings to help reinforce its identity and denote its special function. No attempt should be made to impose a standardized architecture on the area but a sufficient consistency in materials and building forms should be achieved to ensure a unified appearance. Building architecture should avoid a monumental look and instead suggest a more casual, relaxed environment. Materials, colors and building forms should convey a progressive, urban character through use of more highly refined building materials including concrete, glass, steel and harder surface brick which projects an urban quality. |
| Policy 3. | Buildings facing onto the pedestrian and auto approaches and central Station Area plaza, as identified in the accompanying diagram as focal spaces, should have facade heights, cornice lines, colors, materials, fenestration, signage and building placement coordinated to create an organized, unified appearance for each street and the plaza. |
| Policy 4. | A sense of entry should be created at each of the Station Area gateways shown. Buildings should be sited to provide a sense of enclosure at these points. |
| Policy 5. | Individual buildings within each of the Station Area subareas should be designed to be compatible in appearance. For example, where two buildings abut a public space, a consistent cornice line should be used, and where buildings create outdoor spaces intended for use by the public or building tenants, the resulting spaces should be designed as a unit. |