What do you think of when you hear the word ‘bungalow’? A single-storey home that was hastily constructed to accommodate shipyard workers during WWII? A small non-descript home constructed during the 1950’s and 1960’s? As it turns out, the word ‘bungalow’ and its structure have evolved over hundreds of years, with its most handsome and everlasting version in the form of the Craftsman bungalow. And guess what? We do not need to look any further than the City of North Vancouver to see an amazing collection of these spectacular homes! So, stick with me as I give you a brief history, highlight some of the architectural features and then showcase the bungalows of the City of North Vancouver. And afterwards, I’d be willing to bet that you too might be afflicted with a case of Bungalow Love!
The Bent House has a Story to Tell!
Happy Holidays!
As 2022 comes to a close, we would like to thank you for following our blog!
We hope you have enjoyed the topics we covered in 2022 and that you learned something along the way.
We are always looking for new ideas so if you have any blog topic suggestions that relate to North Shore heritage buildings, landscapes or neighbourhoods, please leave us a comment here.
Enjoy these photos of some gorgeous North Shore heritage buildings taken in last year’s winter wonderland!
Spuraway Heritage Gem!
Jenny Morgan, one of our North Shore Heritage bloggers, and myself share more than a name. We also love old buildings, photography, gardening and on June 21, 2022, we both independently “discovered” Spuraway Gardens at 235 Keith Road in West Vancouver. We missed each other by a few hours but were both super excited to have found this Heritage Gem! Spuraway Gardens is a townhouse development in West Vancouver that was part of the 1960’s “Garden Apartment” urban development trend. But when the developers bought the property, it came with an even older piece of history – Spuraway Lodge, a 1911 log cabin with an impressive list of famous owners/local socialites, who contributed to the development of the North Shore and the lodge itself. If only those walls could talk!
Tudor Revival Style of Architecture
Have you ever found yourself wandering the streets of your neighbourhood, admiring the homes, both old and new, only to wonder what style of architecture a certain home might be? Well, we at the North Shore Heritage Society are here to help! In the next part of our architecture series, we will be looking at the Tudor Revival style.
Ice Cream, Strawberries and Piano Music: A Celebration of the Front Porch on Vancouver’s North Shore
Homes all over the North Shore have front porches and verandahs, but what are these vestiges from the past really about and why were they so important in building community on the North Shore? Find out the answers to these questions as well as read about some of the many wonderful things that took place on these structures on the North Shore in the early 1900s, learn where the idea for the verandah comes from, and discover why they are still so iconic today.
There's No Place Like Gnome: The Story Behind the Storybook Housing Style
Once upon a time in a far away land called Los Angeles, in a time called the 1920s, a new style of house was born. It had many names including Storybook, Hansel and Gretel, and Fairytale, and brought magic and whimsy to the architectural landscape of North America. Join us for this segment of our ongoing architectural series and learn the story behind the Storybook housing style and how it came to the North Shore all the way from Hollywood.
Co-Ownership Saves Historic Horseshoe Bay Cottages
Hip to be Square: The American Foursquare Housing Style on the North Shore
Have you ever wondered about the tall, boxy homes with the unusual roofs on the North Shore? Join us in exploring the ‘American Foursquare’ for Part 3 of our architecture series. Learn why this now old-fashioned looking housing style was considered modern in its day, how it came to be a popular housing style across North America and where to find some examples on the North Shore.
Moderne Architecture on the North Shore
Have you ever found yourself wandering the streets of your neighbourhood, admiring the homes, both old and new, only to wonder what style of architecture a certain home might be? Well, we at North Shore Heritage are here to help! In Part 2 of our architecture series, we will be looking at the rare Moderne style.