10 replies to this topic

[urban360]

Has anyone else noticed the increasing interest in 1950s homes in Victoria (holding/increasing their value as they appear to be very well built, have original hardwood floors, lots of good renovations going on).

This might be linked to the general north american trend/interest in mid-century modern architecture and design?

Design trends seem to come in waves (as we have seen with the Arts & Crafts style in the last 10 years, heavier lines, darker outlines, use of wood, dark cabinets, metal.cast iron detail , etc) , so now is a classic 50s suburban style the emerging "new traditional"?

Any ideas?

Where are the 1950s development clusters of these home in Victoria, as this city seems to blessed with an abundance of these classic homes in the core....

[G-Man]

I would agree that there is definitely a new popularity in this style of home. There are some clusters in Fairfielf, Oak Bay and of course Saanich.

The first post-war subdivision in Victoria is near Mayfair. It has even had some uni studies done on it.

[Number Six]

but could it also be that it's mainly cost-driven, ie. new builds and character homes are too expensive? I'm sure the fact that they are well-built and contain some currently popular features, ie. hardwood floors, plays an important part too.

[urban360]

.....it might also be the interior living space, open plan (dining room and living room connected for easy, fluid interaction and entertaining, much like current condo design!) - and easy care (stucco) exterior that suits younger families looking for a more affordable and low maintenance home...

[gumgum]

I bought a '49 home in Fairfield in May and I have to say I'm glad I bought this era.
The solid construction is and, yes, attention to detail is what builders of today would consider overkill. They are, for the most part, built like tanks from the foundations to the roof.
But this era is young enough that the layout and design is still relevant to the modern family. New enough that you won't have to worry about major problems arising
The simple design also allows for a great amount of flexibilty when it comes to modifying the layouts, additions - anything.
They also are very forgiving when it comes to exterior cosmetic alterations. There's a large choice exterior "looks" you can choose from without the changes appearing too "faux".

[Galvanized]

1940's and 50's homes are in almost every neighbourhood in the core municipalities.

I sold my 1913 character house for a much smaller bungalow built in 1948. The lay-out, funcionality and use of floor space makes this little house feel bigger than my previous character house which had over 100 more square feet on the main floor. This place is built like a "tank" unlike my old house and it has more attention to detail than most new houses these days. I've re-done the hardwood floors and the bathroom in keeping with the time the house was built. I am now planning an addition to the back with a 2nd floor as well as return the kitchen back to it's former glory as it had an ugly 80's reno. I plan to keep with the late 40's early 50's style and colours as it is easy to do and the style seems timeless. Some people find the style too generic but I find some specific styles such as 60's/70's split level boxes nauseating. I think with these style homes you definately get more bang for your buck.

[FunkyMunky]

The first post-war subdivision in Victoria is near Mayfair. It has even had some uni studies done on it.

You're referring to what's now known as [url=http://unknownvictoria.blogspot.com/2006_05_21_unknownvictoria_archive.html:7bd33]Topaz Heights[/url:7bd33] which is bound by Finlayson, Quadra, Topaz and Blanshard. It's not so obvious when you drive by the block on the main roads (I passed it for years and never noticed anything unusual about it) but if you venture into the nieghbourhood on the local roads, it becomes quite apparent that something unusual is here.



The university research is discussed [url=http://www.maltwood.uvic.ca/mjo/searching.html:7bd33]here[/url:7bd33].

[Holden West]

I love that little neighbourhood. Definitely worth visiting.

It is not without controversy, however. Some claim the name "Topaz Heights" is an artificial concept--named by the researchers themselves and that by claiming it is unique, future development becomes problematic if not impossible.

[urban360]

created new thread for topic

[Holden West]

Is our local Denny's a candidate for heritage?

[Nparker]

Is our local Denny's a candidate for heritage?

Although it sports a fairly recent interior renovation, I think our Denny's is a pretty decent example of the mid-century modern style as executed in restaurants across North America from the mid-50's to the late 60's. When done well, I think these sorts of establishments are superior to a lot of the "over-styled" designs of newer buildings serving a similar function.