Revived Heritage and Creative Hearths: Reimagining Vancouver’s Soul
Vancouver’s architectural soul hums in homes where history’s patina meets the spark of creative defiance, their cedar walls and vibrant facades weaving past into present. Amidst $2.2 million home prices, architects resurrect century-old structures and craft residences that pulse with artistic fire, reimagining the city’s grey streets with bold strokes. These homes, from West Vancouver’s wooded hills to Dunbar’s urban grid, honor heritage while daring to stand apart, yet their bespoke designs and costly renovations can clash with a market craving simplicity. At Simon Green Works, we revel in their stories, building spaces that bridge yesterday and tomorrow. Here, we explore four such hearths—the Helmut and Hildegard Eppich House, Third House, Fluevog Residence, and Courtyard House—where Vancouver’s past is reborn with creative fervor.
In West Vancouver’s wooded embrace, Arthur Erickson’s 1972 Helmut and Hildegard Eppich House is a concrete symphony, its 5,446 square feet terracing down a hillside like a river of stone. Renovated by Battersby Howat in 2014, it blends Erickson’s post-and-beam vision with modern flourishes—stainless steel detailing, updated waterproofing—that keep the sea at bay. Floor-to-ceiling glass opens to patios, framing lush greenery, but its $8 million price and sprawling scale position it as a collector’s masterpiece, not a family home. The concrete frame and fir ceilings create a warm yet monumental space, though its grandeur risks isolating it from Vancouver’s practical market.
Photo courtesy of Patrick Campbell, Department of Interest. Read the full article.
In Vancouver’s heart, Aleksandra Popovska’s 2017 Third House reimagines a 1912 Edwardian as a vibrant family haven, its salmon-pink addition a bold splash against the city’s grey. Stripped of asbestos at a steep $50,000 cost, the home’s cedar cladding and triple-glazed windows marry heritage with modern efficiency, creating a light-filled retreat. The pink extension, a creative triumph, risks jarring the streetscape, challenging neighbors bound by tradition. Priced at $1 million, it’s a testament to reimagining the past, but its renovation complexities highlight the steep price of breathing new life into old bones.
Photo courtesy of Janis Nicolay. Read the full article.
In Dunbar’s sea of boxy specials, MA+HG Architects’ Fluevog Residence is a mint-colored, jagged marvel, its 2,000-square-foot form echoing the quirky soles of John Fluevog Shoes. Cutout windows and vibrant angles defy the neighborhood’s conformity, creating a home that’s as much art as shelter. The concrete foundation and cedar cladding anchor its exuberance, but its $2 million price and eccentric design may deter buyers seeking conventional comfort. Its playful spirit is a beacon of individuality, yet its niche aesthetic tests Vancouver’s conservative market.
Photo courtesy of Janis Nicolay. Read the full article.
At 5260 Keith Road in West Vancouver, Hamish McIntyre’s 1961 Courtyard House, reimagined by Russell Hollingsworth in 1978, is a 3,505-square-foot sanctuary of post-and-beam elegance. Its cedar finishes and Japanese-inspired courtyard embrace ocean views, with a 2024 renovation updating waterproofing and finishes to preserve its legacy. Three patios and two decks make the landscape a guest, but the multilevel design may hinder accessibility for aging residents. Priced at $3.5 million, it’s a rare survivor, its scale and cost testing a market that leans toward practicality over poetry.
Photo courtesy of West Coast Modern. Read the full article.
These homes, from Erickson’s concrete poetry to Popovska’s pink defiance, are Vancouver’s creative pulse, reimagining history with bold strokes. Their bespoke designs, while luminous, must navigate a city craving function, their survival a testament to those who see art in their walls.
Simon Green Works crafts homes that honor this legacy, weaving history with creative fire. Ready to reimagine your hearth? Contact us to shape your story.