Photo Credit: Kelly Borget
1820 Bayswater St, Vancouver BC
Kitsilano
Residential
A
Symbolizing the essence of English country living, these dwellings were built in 1928, are grouped into three wings, and are settled around a landscaped communal lawn. Inspired by California’s bungalows courts, the twelve cottages are guarded by an Arts and Crafts lynch gate and showcase a collective garden on the lot’s northeast corner.
In 1926, owner H. Rosenblat initially sought the professional services of the architect Frank Mountain for the design. While the first draft proposed a Spanish Revival style, the project was then given to the architect Richard Thomas Perry who kept the original morphology but favored the Tudor Revival style. Hence, the townhouses feature steep rooftops, traditional exterior beams and bay windows.
Achieving surprising density, the complex was renovated in 1977, as the addition of dormers allowed the refurbishment of the attics.
The building has won a Heritage Canada award.
Dictionary of Canadian Architects, Exploring Vancouver: The Architectural Guide (Harold Kalman), Heritage Walks Around Vancouver (Kluckner and Atkin), Building the West: The Early Architects of British Columbia (Luxton), Open Vancouver: Heritage House Tour (VHF)