Architecture
During the first 60 years of Bend’s existence, the structures that were built here reflected the scale of the town and were largely composed of the natural resources available within the region. Although a variety of styles were used, the resulting mix never detracted from the small town feel. The area has grown threefold since the 1970s, and most of the featureless building designs that could be from “anywhere USA” have occurred during the last 30 years of the century. This trend was emphasized in the 1990s as large, national retail chains moved to Bend.
Yet in spite of this, people remain attracted to Bend largely because of its original character, and have expressed a strong desire for new development in the town to be respectful of and, to some degree, express its original small town roots in the design of new structures. In order to accomplish this, structures need to be evaluated in terms of several components, including exterior design, wall articulation, building materials and roof design.
Bend does not have a history that allows it to claim a particular architectural style as indigenous; however all existing styles here were designed to what is termed “human scale.” Structures were small to moderate in scale and incorporated architectural details and elements for interest. Although it is unrealistic to ever expect a complete return to the designs of the past, large structures should be designed so that their impact is more consistent with the scale of commercial buildings in Bend. Specifically:
■ walls on large buildings should be broken into smaller scale elements and articulated with architectural features appropriate to the chosen design;
■ landscaping should also be incorporated along large walls to further break up the impact of large structural planes;
■ main entrances should be clearly defined and highly visible, again using architectural features to enhance their design;
■ roofs should be designed to be integral with and appropriate to the overall architectural style of a structure. On large buildings, they should be designed to reduce the apparent exterior mass of the building. Variations within one architectural style are desirable, as are overhangs and other shadow-producing elements;
■ the predominant building materials used on building exteriors should be materials that are characteristic of Central Oregon. These include brick, wood, native stone, textured concrete masonry units, and traditional glass products. Other materials should only be used as accents and be architecturally appropriate to a specific design. Building colors should be subtle, neutral or earth tone colors that reflect their natural setting; and
■ exterior lighting should be shielded, directed down onto the site and confined to the site. Light poles, light fixtures, flag poles and similar structures should be limited in height.