“= dence in West Bay is an
style. ~

: ARGE COLOURFUL
GERANIUMS .: ”
*(U3em pot)

“‘OSTEOSPERMUM: co

-(V0em pot)

ON TERS NERC ibe ota ne e Hf

WV homes refiect
spirit of West Coast

Part 2 of a two-part series high-
lighting West Vancouver's
architectural heritage.

Layne Christensen

Living Room Editor
lchristensen@nsnews.com

NAME three
Vancouver architects.

Arthur. Erickson | is~ an
obvious choice. But if this
were the million-dollar. ques-
tion,, . the... average

city: under-celebrates its

architectural heroes, . says -

Trevor Boddy, an architectur-
al critic and historian. who
recently led a small group of
heritage buffs on a tour of
West Van‘s architectural
gems,

“In Chicago, any taxi dri-
ver can roll off the name of
seven architects,” says Boddy. .

In Vancouver, Ron Thom, : -

Fred Hollingsworth, Ned
~ Pratt: and i Geoff: Massey are
anything «but :--household

Vancouverite would be: hard :: names. They. should be.
In 1950s Vancouver, these -:: explains, “no one likes sitting
were the men who promoted; around waiting forthe: den-

pressed to. come up with
another.. And, that’s a sad
commentary on. the way this

a new spirit in residential and:
commercial. design . by devel-
oping a West Coast version G

modernism, erecting many of
the finest examples of: this
“style righ here on the-North

First, stop on the tour: is

“ Clyde Avenue, what. Boddy |

calls “a dream little street that.
needs all the help it can get.”
Aging ‘architectural gems:
like the Woyat-Bowie
Building : at .660 © Clyde
Avenue face -an. uncertain

. future, as developers ‘narrow. .

their sights on the communi
. ty’s shrinking real estate.

Easy to miss at first glance,
the small medical-dental
building designed in 1966 by
architects Hollingsworth and
. Barry Downs - (both: North:
Shore residents) is notewor-)
thy for a number of reasons.

. Its design was inspired by

architecture... of . Frai

ideas’ — largely because he
was obsessed. with nature and
the ‘integration of building -
into natural sites: Given our.

While a - young - man,
Wright attended the. 1893
World Exposition in Chicago
and was profoundly . influ-
enced by the sight of a
Japanese garden, the - first
built in North America.

- The Clyde Avenue. dental
building evokes - Japanese
design with light . fixtures
‘reminiscent of Shoji: screens,
a.stepped roof and “temple”

. Walls. Natural light,. natural
materials,and ‘natural colours:
are used to create.a. calming.
effect because, : as: Boddy:

tist. It’ 's not a pleasant experi-

The building was.a labour
of love for the architects; who
oversaw. every. detail: of: its’
design;- right’. down : to. the
custom-made call box’ at-the
front entry, which mimics the. ~..

ageometry, of. the building:ia :

. Miniature. . “The:: difference
, between good “architecture”
and bad is often in the small.
details,” © notes: - Boddy,
explaining | that.
Hollingsworth: and .Downs:: -
. would: give. such a; fixcure: to.

client as a parting: gift

Another admirer. of: Frank
Lloyd Wright: .:.was». Ron
Thom. The late. Vancouver.
architect designed: ‘several:
homes on the. North: Shore;
‘including the. Romer -r
- dence in West. Bay. Designed
by: the architect in. the’ early

*50s for the Morton fami y, it

“Were. integrate
“natural setting.
‘Thou

- Spring season and the pallette ‘of colours & textures seems unlimited
* dab’ ‘of -expert advicve, quality ‘garden supplies: & our ‘Green Thumb
“Guarantee, and you're sure to.create a work of art.

’ BAS KET STU FFERS
(Gen pot)

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