Santa Clara Zoning Code § 8.2 Standards (continued)

• F. Expressing Visual Weight and Load-Bearing Structure. To ensure that new development in downtown is compatible with the historic building fabric and visual structural principles of Downtown Santa Clara, the following standards apply to the building structure, architectural elements, and materials and color:

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Bay

Vertical structural elements frame the bay; visual weight within the bay is transferred clearly to the ground.

1. Building Structure. To express the load-bearing structural characteristics of traditional downtown buildings, the following standards shall apply:

• a. Vertical Structure. The vertical structural elements of a building—comprising piers, columns, or portions of solid wall which flank each bay of the facade (see §8 2 A 2)—shall be configured so as to visually carry the apparent weight of upper floors down to the ground in a coherent manner (see precedents below) If any vertical structural element is expressed but does not extend to the ground, it shall be supported by structure beneath it, with a visual system of weight transference from the supported element to the ground

• b. Horizontal Structure. Horizontal structural elements—such as beams and lintels—shall be sized to appropriately support the visual weight of the building mass and elements above them with respect to the distance they span

• c. Structural Honesty. The visual system of bays and structure that is expressed on the facade shall be organized and configured to express or reinforce the actual building structure

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Bays of windows framed by masonry building structure

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Storefront windows framed by structural elements

AVOID: Heavy upper floor building masses are not coherently supported. Vertical structure elements which frame upper floor bays randomly misalign with those in the building's base.

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Publication, Apr 2026

SANTA CLARA CODE

41 | Chapter 8: Facade Design

2. Architectural Elements. To ensure that architectural elements appear to be properly supported, the following standards shall apply:

• a. Projections. Architectural Elements projecting from the building’s facade—i e balconies, bay windows, and deep roof eaves—shall be visually supported with brackets, corbels, cantilevered beams, or structure that transfers their weight to the structural vertical and horizontal elements of the facade as defined in 1a / 1b

  3. Materials and Color. To ensure that materials and color reinforce the visual structural logic of a facade, the following standards shall apply:

  • a. As stated in §8 2 E 4, materials heavier in apparent weight (i e brick) shall be used below materials that are lighter in apparent weight (i e wood siding)

• b. Colors also suggest visual weight Colors should complement, and in no way undermine, the visual structural logic of a facade

• b. Heavy Elements. Heavy elements—i e those made of masonry, projecting bays or rooms, etc —shall appear to be supported rather than floating or affixed onto a weaker-appearing material

• c. Non-Supportive Elements. Elements which are intended to be accents to the facade—i e such as spandrel panels between windows—shall not project from the facade Rather, they shall be inset as architectural relief, with the facade material holding it in place visible around it There shall be no floating elements or details which appear artificially pasted on

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Traditional bay windows had wooden and masonry structural elements, creating a coherently-supported assembly

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This modern bay window has a metal structural frame supported by concrete cantilevers.

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Balcony supported by metal tension rods.

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Spandrel panels are recessed into the wall between vertical structural elements.

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Color reinforces the role of the panels as decorative rather than strong and loadbearing.

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Publication, Apr 2026

ZONING

42 | City of Santa Clara Downtown Form-Base Code

9 Private Frontages