Design for Living

“Does Your House Fit You?” In 1949, the Community Arts Council of Vancouver posed this question in their catalogue for the seminal Design for Living exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery, arguably marking the birth of Canada’s West Coast Modernist tradition in art and architecture.

Seventy years later, many of these modernist homes have been demolished for redevelopment, and yet many more have been renovated and preserved, reminders of the spirit of invention, experimentation, and enlightenment that characterized their original design.

This exhibition, which is accompanied by a publication of the same name, presents eight case studies that represent a spectrum of modernist homes. Some are by well-known architects and designers, while others are by lesser-known builders, but all of which have been restored, updated, and adapted to the needs of contemporary family life, while remaining true to the modernist spirit in which they were originally created. This catalogue has been generously supported by a grant from the Canada Council.” – West Vancouver Art Museum