Building Design Principles in RIO-7.
San Antonio Unified Development Code § 35-674.02
in effectSec. 35-674.02. - Building Design Principles in RIO-7.
This section provides policies and standards for the design of commercial, multi-family developments in excess of eight (8) units, and single-family developments in excess of five (5) units, institutional developments, and industrial buildings within the river improvement overlay districts. In general, principles align with the standards and guidelines established for the Downtown Business District.
(a) Mass and Scale. A building shall appear to have a "human scale." In general, this scale can be accomplished by using familiar forms and elements interpreted in human dimensions. Exterior wall designs shall help pedestrians establish a sense of scale with relation to each building. Articulating the number of floors in a building can help to establish a building's scale, for example, and prevent larger buildings from dwarfing the pedestrian.
(1) Reduce large floor plates and varying a building's height through the creation of smaller structures or facades when designing large projects that consume half a block or more. Sculpt a building's mass to avoid large bulky structures, which provide more visual monotony than variety. It is the well-balanced variety of building massing and textures of shadow, light and materials that in total adds to the richness of the built environment.
(2) Design building massing to reinforce the street wall with well-scaled elements or structures that are sensitive to the neighborhood context.
A. Divide large building facades into a series of appropriately scaled modules so that no building segment is more than ninety (90) feet in length. Consider dividing a larger building into "modules" that are similar in scale.
B. Monolithic slab-like structures that wall off views and overshadow the surrounding neighborhood are discouraged.
C. New buildings over seventy-five (75) feet tall should incorporate design elements that provide a base, middle and a top. Buildings less than seventy-five (75) feet should have a pedestrian scaled base with a cornice, eave, or other architectural element that gives the building a discernable edge at the top story.
D. Where a new building is infilled between an existing historic buildings on a block:
i. The new building should, to the extent possible, maintain the alignment of horizontal elements along the block.
ii. Floor-to-floor heights should appear to be similar to those seen in the area, particularly the window fenestration.
iii. Align at least one (1) horizontal building element with another horizontal building element on the same block face. It will be considered to be within alignment if it is within three (3) feet, measured vertically, of the existing architectural element.
(b) Height. Building heights vary along the creek corridor, from one-story houses to high-rises. This diversity of building heights is expected to continue. Building heights shall be configured such that a comfortable human scale is established along the edges of properties and views to the creek and other significant landmarks are provided while allowing the appropriate density for an area.
A. The maximum building height and creek-side building step-backs shall be as defined in Table 674-3.
B. Building step-backs shall be at least fifteen (15) feet.
C. Buildings may be built to the height allowed without stepping back by aligning the lower floors with step-back-line creating more street level open space between the building and the creek.
Table 674-3
Description | RIO-7a | RIO-7b | RIO-7c | RIO-7d | RIO-7e
Maximum # of Stories | Unlimited | Unlimited. In the Main and Military Plaza Historic District comply with the Guide for New Construction in Historic Districts | 8 | 6 | 4
Maximum Height in Feet | NA | NA | 96 ft. | 72 ft. | 48 ft.
First Creek side building step-back | NA | Towers over 75 feet must step back 20' from the creek ROW or easement line. | 5 stories | 5 stories | NA
(1) High-rise towers above ten (10) stories are encouraged in RIO-7a and allowed in RIO-7b when not in conflict with the Historic Design Guidelines. Towers are not allowed to form a continuous wall along the creek but shall be carefully sited to provide both views and privacy. Tower forms should be simple yet elegant and add a sculptural quality to the Downtown San Antonio skyline.
A. Towers should be combined with other building forms along the creek including townhouses, stacked flats, and mid-rise mixed-use buildings to create a variety of residential and office opportunities.
B. Towers should have their massing designed to reduce overall bulk and to appear slender as they ascend higher.
C. Towers may extend directly up from the property line at the street and are not required to be setback.
D. Tower siting and massing should maintain key views toward important natural or man-made features.
E. Design the middle segment or tower of the building to break up the overall bulk into smaller segments and address impacts such as shadowing and views. Reduce the perception of mass through architectural detailing such as changes of materials and color.
F. Design the top of buildings to be a "fifth facade" that may be distinctive against the skyline when looked up to or viewed from above. A well-designed roofline creates opportunities for sky views and views to distinctive landmarks; creates opportunities for sunlight to reach the ground, and orients the public when wayfinding. Design the top of the building and/or the top of its podium to include opportunity for communal outdoor amenity space and/or a place for environmental innovation such as green roofs, rainwater recovery and solar panels.
G. Towers should be designed to achieve a simple faceted geometry and large vertical plane movement. They should not appear overwrought or to have over-manipulated elements.
H. Towers that emulate a more streamline modern style should provide variation through subtle details in the curtain wall, and the articulation of a human-scaled base at the street level.
I. If a project has more than one tower, they should be complementary to each other and employ the same architectural design approach.
J. Generally, buildings over one hundred fifty (150) feet tall should not be historicized. They should represent contemporary interventions in the skyline.
K. A tower's primary building entrances should be designed at a scale appropriate to the overall size and design of the tower and be clearly marked.
L. A building's top should be delineated with a change of detail and meet the sky with a thinner form, or tapered point. Unarticulated, flat-topped buildings are not desired in Downtown San Antonio's skyline.
M. Mechanical Penthouses should be integrated into the tower design and should not appear as a separate element, as shown in Figure 5.7.
(2) Low-rise and mid-rise buildings are encouraged in RIO-7c, RIO-7d, and RIO-7e.
(3) In RIO 7-d, organize the mass of the building to step back from established residential neighborhoods. Where a commercial, mixed-use residential, multi-family or industrial use abuts a single-family residential development, or is across the street from a single-family residential development, the following standards shall apply:
A. The massing of the building shall not exceed twenty-five (25) feet in height at the setback line. The building mass can continue upward within a 45-degree building envelope for a distance of fifty (50) feet measured horizontally from the building face, at which point the building massing may continue vertically to the height established in subsection 35-674(c).
(c) Materials and Finishes. After establishing a new building's overall massing and vertical and horizontal variation, it is important to develop a building's visual character at the level of material choices and detailing. The interplay of materials, windows and other elements should support the larger design principles as articulated by the architect. Ensure that buildings have architecturally detailed facades, where publicly visible, with no blank or featureless sides in anticipation of abutting to potential development in later phases or on adjacent land.
(1) Buildings are supposed to aim for a "timeless design" and employ sustainable materials and careful detailing that have proven longevity.
A. San Antonio has strong sun conditions. Use deep reveals to get shadow lines and if colors are desired, saturated colors and evaluate these outside on site.
B. Feature long-lived and local materials such as split limestone, brick and stone. The material palette should provide variety, reinforce massing and changes in the horizontal or vertical plane.
C. Use especially durable materials on ground floor facades.
D. Generally, stucco is not desirable on the ground floor as it is not particularly durable. Detail buildings with rigor and clarity to reinforce the architect's design intentions and to help set a standard of quality to guild the built results.
E. To provide visual variety and depth, layer the building skin and provide a variety of textures that bear a direct relationship to the building's massing and structural elements. The skin should reinforce the integrity of the design concept and the building's structural elements as seen in Figure 7.5 and 7.6 of the Downtown Design Guide and not appear as surface pastiche.
F. Layering can also be achieved through extension of two (2) adjacent building planes that are extended from the primary facade to provide a modern sculptural composition.
G. Cut outs (often used to create sky gardens) should be an appropriate scale and provide a comfortable, usable outdoor space.
H. Design curtain walls with detail and texture, while employing the highest quality materials.
I. Design the color palette for a building to reinforce building identity and complement changes in the horizontal or vertical plane.
J. Value-added materials, such as stone should be placed at the base of the building, especially at the first floor level. Select materials suitable for a pedestrian urban environment. Impervious materials such as stone, metal or glass should be used on the building exterior. Materials will be made graffiti resistant or be easily repainted.
K. Corner buildings at prominent intersections require a higher standard of articulation, detailing, and architectural treatment than other buildings within the middle of the block.
L. RIO-7e is a mixed-use transition area with single family houses, some masonry commercial buildings, concrete warehouses, and long metal sheds built next to railroad sidings. In this district, the historic preservation officer may approve non-traditional building materials, like corrugated metal siding and concrete panels, if well detailed and compatible with the traditional building forms and scale of the district.
(2) Prohibited Exterior Materials.
A. Imitation stone (fiberglass or plastic);
B. Plywood or decorative exterior plywood;
C. "Lumpy" stucco, CMU;
D. Rough sawn or "natural" (unfinished) wood, EIFS;
E. Used brick with no fired face (salvaged from interior walls);
F. Imitation wood siding;
G. Plastic panels.
(e) Pedestrian Orientation. New buildings should follow the principles of good urban design, creating active street and creek facades and focusing on enhancing the public realm of the streets and the creek.
(1) Buildings ought to create a familiar rhythm relative to the overall street. The rhythm and pattern helps to tie the street together visually and provides the pedestrian with a standard measurement of progress. Reinforcement of this facade rhythm is encouraged in new buildings, even if a singular structure (see Figure 7.1 in the Downtown Design Guide).
(2) New development ought to respect the existing fabric of the community by reflecting historic mixed-use development patterns, through the use of building indentations, relationship to the street, first floor plate height, breaks in buildings for open space, and changes in color to avoid monolithic and monochromatic developments.
(3) Horizontal Variation. Vary the horizontal plane of a building to provide visual interest and enrich the pedestrian experience, while contributing to the quality and definition of the street wall.
A. Provide well-marked entrances to cue access and use. Enhance all public entrances to a building through the use of compatible architectural or graphic treatment. Main building entrance shall read differently from retail storefronts, restaurant, and commercial entrances.
B. Avoid continuous massing longer than ninety (90) feet not articulated with shadow relief, projections and recessed. If massing extends beyond the is length, it needs to be visibly articulated as several smaller masses using different material, vertical breaks, such as expressed bay widths, or other architectural elements.
C. Horizontal variation should be of an appropriate scale and reflect changes in the building uses or structure as seen in Figure 7.2.4 of the Downtown Design Guide.
D. Vary details and materials horizontally to provide scale and three-dimensional qualities to the building.
E. While blank street wall facades are discouraged, there is usually one side of the building that is less prominent (often times called "back of house").
(4) Vertical Variation. Both classical and modern buildings can exhibit basic principles of visual order in the vertical plane—often with a distinct base (street and pedestrian lower levels), a middle (core mid-section, and often consistent for multiple floors of a mid- to high-rise building), and a top (the upper level that distinguishes a building and defines how it "meets the sky") as seen in Figure 7.3 of the Downtown Design Guide.
A. Modern or contemporary building designs often layer this principle with more variation and syncopation to create interesting architectural composition as seen in Figure 7.4 of the Downtown Design Guide. Whenever a new infill building is proposed between two (2) existing structures, every attempt should be made to maintain the characteristic rhythm, proportion, and spacing of existing door and window openings.
B. Variation in the vertical plane of a building ought to define the building's uses and visually differentiate ground floor uses, from core functions and how the building "meets the sky."
i. Employ a different architectural treatment on the ground floor facade than on the upper floors, and feature high quality materials that add scale, texture and variety at the pedestrian level.
ii. Vertically articulate the street wall facade, establishing different treatment for the building's base, (middle and top) and use balconies, fenestration, or other elements to create an interesting pattern of projections and recesses.
iii. Provide an identifiable break between the building's ground floors and upper floors designed for office or other use. This break may include a change in material, change in fenestration pattern or similar means.
iv. In order to respect existing historic datums, the cornice or roof line of historic structures should be reflected with a demarcation on new infill structures whenever possible.
v. On facades exposed to the sun, employ shade and shadow created by reveals, surface changes, overhangs, and sunshades to provide sustainable benefits and visual interest.
vi. Buildings taller than seventy-five (75) feet should employ at least two (2) vertical breaks or reveals greater than three (3) feet in depth to divide the bulkiness of the mass.
(5) Fenestration. Provide high-performance, well-detailed windows and doors that add to the depth and scale of a building's facade.
A. Windows are to be as transparent as possible at the ground floor of the building, with preference given to grey, low-e glass (eighty-eight (88) percent light transmission).
B. Window placement, size, material and style should help define a building's architectural style and integrity.
C. In buildings other than curtain wall buildings, windows should be recessed (set back) from the exterior building wall, except where inappropriate to the building's architectural style. Generally, the required recess may not be accomplished by the use of plantings around the window.
D. Windows and doors should be well-detailed where they meet the exterior wall to provide adequate weather protection and to create a shadow line.
E. Windows on upper floors should be proportioned and placed in relation to grouping of storefront or other windows and elements in the base floor. Windows should have a vertical emphasis.
F. Glazing. Incorporate glazing that contributes to a warm, inviting environment for interior spaces.
i. Ground-floor window and door glazing should be transparent and non-reflective.
ii. Above the ground floor, both curtain wall and window and door glazing should have the minimum reflectivity needed to achieve energy efficiency standards. Non-reflective coating or tints are preferred.
iii. A limited amount of translucent glazing at the ground floor may be used to provide privacy.
(6) Street Wall. In order to support a pedestrian-oriented public realm, retail or commercial streets should be framed by buildings uniformly placed at the sidewalk with no setback as seen in Figure 5.5 of the Downtown Design Guide. The height of the street wall is an important element in shaping the character of the public realm. Design building walls along the sidewalk (Street Walls) to define the street and to provide a comfortable scale for pedestrians.
A. Street walls should be located against the back of sidewalk.
B. Walls above the ground floor that step back from the ground floor street wall are considered to be part of the street wall.
C. Breaks in the street wall should be limited to those necessary to accommodate pedestrian pass-through, public plazas, entry forecourts, permitted vehicular access driveways, and hotel drop-offs.
D. An identifiable break should be provided between a building's retail floors (ground level and, in some cases, second and third floors) and upper floors. This break may consist of a change in material, change in fenestration, or similar means.
E. Vertical breaks should also be taken into account with fenestration such as columns or bays.
F. When a property is situated in such a manner as to appear to be the terminus at the end of a street or at a prominent curve in the creek, buildings should incorporate an architectural feature that will provide a focal point at the end of the view. These features may include:
i. Enhanced building facade.
ii. Enhanced garden or landscape in an open space.
iii. Variation in roof shape.
iv. Change material and color.
v. Tower element.
(7) In contrast to the design of buildings along the sidewalks described in (b)(9) the creek side of buildings should not establish a uniform, aligned wall but rather a series of related and connected gardens, plazas, and patios. These On-site Open Spaces (see subsection 35-673(q)) should be integrated with the San Pedro Creek Improvements Project. Where a building facade faces the creek it should recognize the historic proportions of lots and resulting building forms. Lots were generally seventy (70) to ninety (90) feet wide along the creek but several hundred feet deep. The resulting building forms are long bar-shapes running perpendicular to the creek.
A. The best views of the creek are generally perpendicular to the creek not parallel to the creek. Rectangular buildings should have the narrow face parallel to the creek and the long face perpendicular to the creek. See Figure 674-1.
i. Bends in the creek provide a unique opportunity for siting buildings to maximize views and may provide unique challenges. The Historic Preservation Officer may consider different building orientations for these sites if the overall goals for RIO-7 are met.
B. Buildings are not allowed to have a continuous, flat facade lot-line to lot-line along the creek property line. Building massing should turn perpendicular to the creek and form gardens, courts, patios, paseos, and plazas between buildings and/or different building masses. Windows, balconies, or other ways of viewing these publically accessible open spaces is high encouraged. The following On-Site Open Spaces required by building length may be used as one of the On-Site Open Spaces required by Table 673-3.
i. The maximum length of a building wall plane is ninety (90) feet. Buildings with facades longer than ninety (90) feet must use side-yard courts, courtyards, or forecourts to divide the facade into modules less than ninety (90) feet long.
ii. Buildings or a collection of buildings built concurrently with a creek-face longer than two hundred seventy (270) feet are required to have a forecourt, courtyard, creek-side plaza, garden, paseo, or pedestrian-oriented service drive to divide the mass of the building and provide publicly accessible open space.
iii. Single developments with three hundred (300) linear feet of creek frontage or greater should have at least two (2) distinct building types or building heights along the creek property line with no more than seventy (70) percent of any one building type. Building types are defined in Downtown Design Guidelines.
iv. Buildings that setback more than thirty (30) feet from the creek-side setback line and provide publicly accessible gardens, patios, plazas, or terraces are not required to provide additional publicly accessible open spaces.
v. Sites that are five hundred fifty (550) feet or longer should provide mid-block paseos, pedestrian oriented mid-block service drives and fire lane, or pedestrian friendly public access and should connect from a public street to another public street, public alley, or the San Pedro Creek. Where San Antonio Public Works and/or Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has provided approval, per Chapter 8 Section C of the Downtown Design Guide, connections should try to align within one hundred (100) feet of the mid-block connection.
(8) Develop the first floor to activate the creek paseos and street sidewalks.
A. In mixed-use buildings, retail buildings, or office buildings the creek side facade should be primarily transparent with seventy-five (75) percent of the length of the facade devoted to display windows and/or windows affording some view into the interior areas or offices. Facades facing Primary and Secondary Pedestrian Streets listed in subsection 35-672(b)(1)D Curb Cuts should have at least fifty (50) [percent] of the facade devoted to windows. Facades facing side streets should have at least twenty-five (25) percent of the facade devoted to windows. Side-street facades should contribute to the pedestrian friendly environment and activate the street when possible. These facades are important in activating the connections from the surrounding neighborhoods to the creek.
B. In multi-family residential buildings with no retail, arrange support facilities, management offices, and building amenities along the creek and streets with a minimum of seventy-five (75) percent of the exterior facade associated with these spaces. Provide building and ground floor residential unit entrances to pedestrian paths that connect to the high-bank paseo or publicly accessible path at the top-of-bank along the low-bank paseo.
C. Institutional and civic buildings should arrange functions and entrances to provide access and views to internal functions.
D. Alternate arrangements that provide creek and street activation may be approved by the historic preservation officer.
(9) Design ground floor space for retail or other active uses, orienting tenant spaces to the street and creek and maximizing storefronts and entries along the sidewalks to sustain street level interest and promote pedestrian traffic.
A. Locate active uses along the street and creek facade to enhance the building's relationship to the public realm. Uses include: lobbies, dining rooms, seating areas, offices, retail stores, community or institutional uses, and residences.
B. Ground floor retail space shall be provided to a depth of at least twenty-five (25) feet from the front facade and shall include an average fourteen (14) foot to zero (0) inch floor-to-ceiling height, with heights above fourteen (14) feet being very desirable.
C. The primary entrance to each street level tenant that does not have its frontage along a public street shall be provided from a pedestrian paseo, courtyard or plaza, which is connected to the public street, creek, or alley.
D. Wall openings, such as storefront windows and doors, shall comprise at least seventy (70) percent of a commercial building's street and creek level facade as seen in Figure 3.2. of the Downtown Design Guide.
E. Clear glass for wall openings, i.e., doors and windows, shall be used along all street-level commercial facades for maximum transparency, especially in conjunction with retail and hotel uses as illustrated in Figure 3.3 of the Downtown Design Guide. Dark tinted, reflective or opaque glazing is not permitted for any required wall opening along commercial street level facades.
F. A building's primary entrance, defined as the entrance which provides the most direct access to a building's main lobby and is kept unlocked during business hours, shall be located on a public street or on a courtyard, plaza or paseo that is connected to and visible from a public street or the San Pedro Creek.
G. At least one building entrance/exit, which may be either a building or tenant and resident entrance, shall be provided along each street frontage.
H. Use clear windows and doors to make the pedestrian level facade highly transparent and accessible. Along retail streets, provide a nearly continuous band of windows. Ensure doorways in glass walls exhibit sufficient contrast to be clearly visible.
I. The facades on downtown commercial streets should be detailed as storefronts, except where the proposed ground floor use is live and work units, residential units or other non-commercial building types as seen in Figure 3.1.10 of the Downtown Design Guide. Where non-residential streets intersect, the ground floor retail space should wrap the corner onto the intersecting streets wherever possible.
J. Residential units with separate entries should include windows or glass doors on the ground floor that look out onto the street.
K. If a residential unit's individual entry along the street is the unit's primary entry, it should be accessible from the sidewalk.
L. More public entrances than the minimum specified by code, including building and or tenant and resident entrances are highly encouraged. Incorporate a pedestrian-oriented scale at the street and river level.
(10) Incorporate a pedestrian-oriented scale at the street and creek level.
A. Awnings and canopies shall be fabricated of woven fabric, glass, metal or other permanent material compatible with the building's architecture
B. Street wall massing, articulation and detail, street level building entrances and storefront windows and doors, as well as the use of quality materials and decorative details should be used to promote pedestrian-scaled architecture along the street.
C. Architectural features that reinforce the retail character of the ground floor street and creek wall and/or help define the pedestrian environment along the sidewalk, such as canopies, awnings, and overhangs, are encouraged and should be integral to the architecture of the building.
D. The design of the ground floors of hotels should exhibit a series of public space and entries that equally welcome the general public as well as guests. The first floor should be as transparent as possible. Hotel uses such as bars, lounges, restaurants, cafes, spas and other uses open to the public should exhibit a direct pedestrian connection from the public right-of-way whenever possible Don't waste valuable street frontage on "back of house" uses.
E. Electrical transformers, mechanical equipment and other equipment should not be located along the ground floor street wall. Electrical transformers, mechanical equipment, other equipment, enclosed stairs, storage spaces, blank walls, and other elements that are not pedestrian-oriented should not be located with one hundred (100) feet of the corner property line as seen in Figure 3.6 of the Downtown Design Guide or visible from public right-of-way.
(11) Street Entrances. Design building entries to be clearly visible from the street as well as to promote pedestrian comfort, safety, orientation and accessibility. In order to increase personal safety, entries and associated open spaces should be designed to avoid the creation of isolated areas and to maintain lines of sight into and out of a space.
A. Reinforce a building's entry with one or more of the following architectural treatments:
i. Extra height lobby space;
ii. Distinctive doorways;
iii. Decorative lighting;
iv. Distinctive entry canopy;
v. Projected or deep recessed entry;
vi. Building name and address integrated into the facade;
vii. Artwork integrated into the facade or sidewalk;
viii. A change in paving material, texture, or color within the property line;
ix. Distinctive landscaping, including plants, water features and seating.
B. The primary street entrance of single buildings will be off the public sidewalk in RIO-7a, RIO-7b, and RIO-7c as seen in Figure 7.7 of the Downtown Design Guide.
i. In RIO-7d and RIO-7e, entrances may be off of a walkway connected to both the public sidewalk and the parking area as shown if Figure 673-1.
ii. In projects with multiple buildings arranged on one site, building entrances may be off of pedestrian paths connecting streets with the creek or courtyards and plazas within a site similar to Figure 672-2.
C. Strong colors should emphasize architectural details and entrances.
D. Deep recessed entries into the building are encouraged.
(12) Creek Side Facade and Entrances. The Creekside of buildings should be responsive to the park-side of an urban building. Materials may be less formal, trellises and pergolas may be used in place of more traditional street side canopies and formal entries.
[image omitted; see the official code]
(Ord. No. 2016-10-13-0798, § 1(Att. A), 10-13-16)
Source: City of San Antonio, City Code, City Charter and Unified Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/san_antonio/codes/unified_development_code?nodeId=ARTVIHIPRURDE_DIV6RIDI_S35-674.02BUDEPRRFetched: 10/27/2026