As I toured the ho
mes featured in this years’ VHF Heritage House Tour, three words were in the back of my mind: preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and how the decision to focus on one – or more – of these is such a contentious one, with so many ramifications. The other word that kept coming up is kitchen: so often it’s where choices made are most evident, and personal taste so prominent (pun intended). Ironically many people who believe in heritage conservation today are also great cooks, something that would likely shock their homes’ original owners.
Category: Ideas
Does Quality = Heritage?
An architect acquaintance, Brian Palmquist, has recently been posting about quality in design and construction, and whether it really matters today. He asks, “Is there a place for quality in your life’s built environment?” I think it’s an important question, and one that is related to the spirited discussions about heritage buildings we have in the lower mainland – there is a perception that heritage buildings are better built, and those of us who support the preservation of heritage buildings also would answer yes to Brian’s question.
A Bit of – Blog Writer – History
I’ve always loved old homes and buildings. I grew up in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, where there were still quiet, rarely traveled, side roads with occasional abandoned old homes that I loved, and imagined what it would be like to stop and investigate. Some of the fascination was the stories hidden behind those closed doors, but the structural supports, construction materials, and style were intriguing too, much different than the 1960’s bungalow I grew up in. Lucky enough to be given Lego for birthday and Christmas gifts, I often spent hours trying to replicate these homes, or create variations of them.
Later on I became interested in the insides of homes – what made a place feel more welcoming, creative, relaxed, and friendly? Wall colours, furniture style and placement, carpets or flooring, room size and shape, the way people move from one area to another, using angles of the sun in each room to maximum benefit – all these were exciting tools!
So even though my initial career plan of being an architect slipped away, my passion for well-built homes with character never did. When traveling in my 20’s, I went out of my way to walk by unusual houses and structures. Being intrigued by many things mechanical, I later studied HVAC, Passive Haus, and how the various systems interconnect, learning the importance of building well from the start, plus ways that modern technology can help make good homes better.
Which brings us to today, living in lower mainland and seeing many older homes and commercial buildings regularly demolished. Our housing challenges are complex, and I certainly have don’t answers to many of the issues we face, but I do know we are losing something very valuable and irreplaceable, a quality about the area and communities we all love. I hope this blog will be part of the discussions and actions that leads to a new direction, that recaptures the soul of our home.
Heritage Conservation Areas (HCA’s)
There are definitely pros and cons to HCA’s, as the impassioned discussions in the lower mainland last year regarding Vancouver’s first HCA in Shaughnessy demonstrated. However, the idea isn’t new, as I learned with a bit of research: a few years ago Ottawa created a Heritage Conservation District in Briarcliffe, a community of 23 mid-century modern homes, the latest of several in that city. 
Other cities across Canada (including our neighbour Victoria) have done the same. There are certainly challenges to creating and keeping these areas as intended, even more so today as pressures to rezone and rebuild increase, but in my mind definitely worth the effort.
Sidenote:
Vancouver Heritage Foundation has a great resource page about the HCA: http://www.vancouverheritagefoundation.org/learn-with-us/understanding-the-heritage-action-plan/