Vancouver Special – Home Architectural Style

Vancouver Special

Vancouver Special is an architectural design of home that was widely popular in the Lower Mainland from the 1960s to the 1980s

Vancouver Special

• Typical Design: 2 stories, a balcony across the front of the house & shallow roof pitches
• Typical Materials used: stucco and brick.
• Main living quarters were on top, with secondary bedrooms on the ground floor that could be converted into secondary suites.
• Why Popular then? A large amount of immigrants coming into Canada were looking for economical housing at the time.

The usual features of the Vancouver Special are as followed:

1. Balcony

A balustraded or raised and railed platform projecting from a wall of a building.

2. Clerestory

A row of windows located near the top of the wall or touching the ceiling. A distinguishing feature of mid-century architecture.

3. Façade

The front or principal elevation of a building, which depending on the house style, may vary in degree of stylistic detail. Sometimes other elevations may be considered façades, but the term usually refers to the front.

4. Masonry Cladding

A type of siding, the material of which consists of stone, brick, or construction block.

5. Panel

A decorative element that is usually formed on the surface of a door with the use of channeling and moulding. A door may contain a number of panels, lined horizontally or vertically in accordance with the design and feel of the house.

6. Picture Window

A large horizontal single light window placed on the front wall of the living room.

7. Sidelights

One or more vertically framed windows that flank a door, often divided into several lights.

8. Sliders

Vernacular term for sliding metal framed doors.

9. Stucco

A material – sometimes called RENDER, made of an aggregate (sand) and a binder (Portland cement, and water). It is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. Sometimes used on interior walls, and ceilings (called California plaster), it is mainly used on exteriors and can cover less visually appealing construction materials such as concrete, cinder block, or clay brick.

Citation: “Vancouver Special1965 – 1985.” Vancouver Heritage Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2014.

“Architectural Style of Vancouver Homes | Paramax Homes.” Paramax Homes. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2014.

Tags: Architecutral design, Architecutral style, Architecutre, Balcony, Clerestory, Façade, Masonry Cladding, Panel, Picture Window, Sidelights, Sliders, Stucco, Vancouver Homes, Vancouver Special