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1. Keep it simple: The image of Telluride is that of a simpler time. Much of the built environment is composed of simple forms that reflect the climate, a western attitude, and the town’s remoteness as well as the limitations of early transportation systems.

2. Keep it in scale: Another aspect of Telluride is its sense of scale. Much of the town is perceived from a variety of breathtaking viewpoints. This overall scale is reflected in the street layout and in the buildings that enhance a pedestrian environment.

3. Respect Historic Resources: Telluride’s historic resources are vast. While the mineral resources have been mostly extracted, the sense of history is evident through the integrity of the town’s many historic buildings. Typically, old buildings should significantly outnumber new structures in an intact historic district. The sense of time and place on the street is also important. One should be able to perceive the character of the neighborhood as it was historically.

4. Make all new design compatible with the existing context: While the historic resources are extensive, they must be balanced with a new project that reflects the dynamics of changing times. That is, while historic, the town was not frozen in time. For this reason, new construction within Telluride should be compatible with the town’s historic resources, drawing upon the design elements of the historic buildings, yet they should not directly imitate historic structures in their entirety.

Regarding the concept of what is compatible with the historic context of Telluride, consider the following as a general standard: New interpretations of traditional building styles are encouraged such that they are seen as products of their own time yet compatible with their historic neighbors.

• Historic details that were not found in Telluride are inappropriate.

• Historic details that are authentic to Telluride are also discouraged, to maintain a distinction between a new project and the historic building.

• Historic proportions of height, width and depth are very important to be compatible with the historic mass and scale of Telluride.

There are basic universal design principles that apply to any project. In Telluride, height, scale and mass provide the framework needed to evaluate the appropriateness of proposed new construction or additions within the boundaries of the Telluride Historic Preservation Overlay District (HPOD). This framework along with the criteria for evaluating buildings, districts, sites and objects provides the tools used in preserving our heritage.

MASS & SCALE STUDY

TYPICAL LOT

Mass: Mass means the total size and dimension of the three dimensional space that a building occupies. It takes into consideration the building’s height, width and depth.

The massing of this residence is defined by the square form of structure.

Massing: Massing encompasses the composition and shape of a structure’s mass. The square form of structure defines the massing of this residence.

Bulk: Bulk is a subjective term for the part or parts of a building’s mass that constitutes the largest general shape or shapes of the building.

The bulk of both these structures is defined by the primary gabled roof rectangle with subordinate sheds, dormers and smaller gable elements.

Scale: Scale means the relative size of a building or structure in relation to the immediate building environment and to the Town. Typically included with a building are its details, entries, windows, plate heights and balconies as they relate to human proportions. Also included is the building’s mass and bulk compared proportionately with other structures in the neighborhood.

Note how the scale of the Miners Hospital (Telluride Museum) changed with the introduction of the wrap-around porch.

Form: Form encompasses the exterior shape of a structure’s mass.

Context: Context can be defined as the surrounding conditions or circumstances that form the environment within which something exists. A context can extend from the macro to the micro. In Telluride, all of the following elements are part of the context to which designs should respond:

• Planet Earth: global sustainability;

• Town of Telluride: fitting the project into the community;

• The Street: immediate context (i.e., setbacks, height, common materials, etc.);

• The Lot: response to site features (i.e., topography, trees, access, neighbors, solar access, views, etc.);

• The Building: mass, scale, proportion, balance, rhythm and sustainability – (materials, orientation, recycle/reuse, etc.); and

• Building Details: their effect on the overall character of the building and appropriate for climate and context.