When speaking to designing and the landscape, the eminent Canadian architect Ron Thom said, “There are three choices: destroy, alter or integrate. The first option is the one invariably chosen by subdivision developers
I freely admit to having a passion for collecting thoughts, ideas and concepts expressed in the written word. I delight in reading and periodically rereading particularly insightful books and articles contained within a
In last week’s column I wrote about the Secord-Paxton house in St. Davids. This historic house, now owned by a developer, is being allowed to slowly deteriorate to a point where it will be
It is a bit of a challenge for me to write about St. Davids in the context of this column since in recent years this village has come to typify what can happen
Having strolled the streets in the village last week, let’s take a look at some of the residences along the Niagara River Parkway and York Road in the vicinity of Queenston. We’ll begin with
Queenston was not always the quiet little village we’re familiar with today. Settled principally by Loyalists in the last quarter of the 1700s, it served as the northern terminus for the overland transportation
My original intent for this week’s column was to continue the “walk-around series” I had begun with Virgil, shifting it over to the village of Queenston. In fact, on the weekend, I drove
Last week’s column suggested that other survivors of Virgil’s built heritage could be found off Niagara Stone Road. Following up on this, let’s visit a few of these historic homes. We begin by
The subject of last week’s column centred around Virgil and highlighted a couple of houses lost from the heritage of that village. I went on to suggest there were historic “survivors” still standing. To
When thinking of Niagara-on-the-Lake many people focus on historic Old Town as the “jewel in the crown” while consigning the majority of the jurisdiction to a distant also-ran status. This is nothing new. In
Towns evolve over time and their architecture (both residential and commercial) tends to reflect, in part, the cycles of changing economic conditions. During boom periods, larger, more impressive buildings were constructed. But when the
In several of my past columns, most recently in my series on infill builds, I referred to the New Traditional school of design. However, I have really not elaborated on the approach this
There is no question that the War of 1812 destroyed much of the town’s original built architecture. Many fine buildings were put to the torch and burned to the ground. Imagine if Robert Kerr’s
Why is it that Canadians must always attempt to put everything into nice, neat little boxes? The need to categorize seems to be part of our national condition. Unfortunately, this predilection limits our
Over the course of history, I suspect fire has destroyed more human-built structures than any other calamity. One would think, with the advances in building technology that our species may have focused more
I'm the first one to admit I’m OCD about realizing the finest expression of a heritage building which, typically, is how it would have appeared when first completed. I think the goal of
In last week’s column we reviewed a number of considerations related to context being fundamental in developing good residential infill design. Height, massing, topography, setback patterning, establishing open space and preserving lines of
So you’d like to build a dream house as an infill within an established neighbourhood. Where do you start? It should not begin with acquiring a lot, unless, of course, you are completely open
During my speaking engagements on Canadian architecture, one of the questions I’m most often asked is, “Do you have a favourite architectural style?” Although I usually attempt to reply that I appreciate virtually
Over the last two weeks, this column has raised the issue of managing Niagara-on-the-Lake’s development and the role of design review guidelines. For those who suggest that guidelines might not be acceptable under
Distinct from zoning bylaws, secondary plans or etc., design guidelines speak specifically to criteria used to ensure any contemplated alteration to the landscape (either built and/or natural) of a particular jurisdiction maintains or
On the morning of Canada Day I visited with some folks in Old Town. They live in what appears to be a modest 1920s bungalow, however, passing the threshold I was gobsmacked by an
This afternoon I parked beside the old Parliament Oak school property and walked the block imagining the development as proposed by the owners, Liberty Sites Ltd., when completed. What would be the impact
The mechanization and consolidation of Canada’s fruit and vegetable industry at the end of the 19th century transformed the farms and canneries of Niagara. Where earlier farms were typically operated by the farm
It’s post-war North America and the housing boom is in full swing. Subdivisions of Victory Houses (minimal traditional) geared to the returning rank-and-file veterans are popping up like mushrooms. For those who are
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