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EventsWCML EventRestomodern – 2023.07.05

Restomodern – 2023.07.05

Category : Lecture, WCML Event

July 5, 2023 from 7:00pm–9:00pm

Reception + Panel Discussion
Presented by the West Coast Modern League
In Partnership with the West Vancouver Art Museum and The Polygon Gallery

The West Coast Modern League, in partnership with the West Vancouver Art Museum and The Polygon Gallery, presented a conversation critically exploring the architectural interpretation of the RESTOMOD with renowned local designers Sophie Burke (Sophie Burke Design), Fook Weng Chan (FWC Architecture), and Mark Ritchie (Architecture Building Culture), and moderated by Chelsea Louise Grant (WCML + euoi studio). Pulling from their experiences taking on sensitive and innovative renovations to significant modern houses in the region, this discussion probed the varied and divergent approaches used in the act of restoring our modern architectural history while modifying to contemporary technologies and standards of living.

RESTOMOD – Originating from the classic car world, the term refers to the restoration of a classic car that seeks to maintain the original aesthetic character and design qualities of the vehicle, while improving performance by utilizing contemporary technology and systems that may not have originally been available.

Renovation is a part of the natural life cycle of any building, and as times change, so too do the materials, building technologies, and standards of living. But how do you approach a renovation when the building is an important part of our modern architectural history? What, if anything, is precious to the original “classic?” What modifications should we make to usher this architecture into the 21st century? How, among other things, do we uphold our regional expression of modernism while improving for healthier, more environmentally conscious spaces?

 

This event was presented as part of West Coast Modern Week 2023, organized by the West Vancouver Art Museum. 

 

 

  • Restomodern – 2023.07.05
  • Restomodern – 2023.07.05
  • Restomodern – 2023.07.05
  • Restomodern – 2023.07.05
  • Restomodern – 2023.07.05
  • Restomodern – 2023.07.05
  • Restomodern – 2023.07.05
  • Restomodern – 2023.07.05
  • Restomodern – 2023.07.05

Photos by Martin Knowles.

 


Meet the Panelists

Sophie Burke launched Sophie Burke Design in 2004 after moving home from London, England where she studied design, and had been living and working for five years. She blended the classic aesthetic she honed while abroad with the singular beauty of the Pacific Northwest.  Since then, SBD has created a bespoke portfolio of work that seeks to define a new Pacific Northwest design ethos: interiors that take cues from nature — such as deep colours, rugged textures and natural materials — but dovetail with a global perspective.  Sophie believes that design should always be functional and liveable, with an inherent warmth and sense of ease. Her philosophy is to create timeless living spaces that are in balance with the lifestyles of the people who live in them.

 

Fook Weng Chan feels blessed to have been hired by Thompson Berwick Pratt upon graduation from the University of Manitoba in 1982. He initially worked for Dick Mann, then assisted Brian Hemingway, discovering the joy of architecture with amazing colleagues and builders. He has fond memories of retired Partners making forays to his corner of the office to check out, in Ned Pratt’s words, “what mischief the young man was up to.” He was an Associate at TBP and its successor firm, Hemingway Nelson Architects for over a decade, working on ceremonial, justice, residential, transportation, education, recreational, exposition, and other project types.

FWC Architecture & Urban Design Inc. was established in 1996. It quickly evolved to a predominantly one-man boutique practice focusing on crafted, bespoke homes, often blended into challenging mountainous sites. Fook Weng’s intuitive design approach fosters the creation of buildings infused with a strong spirit of place. His design process and consistent body of expressive contemporary Pacific Northwest coast work led to an unsolicited invitation from curators at the European Cultural Centre to exhibit at the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale alongside 100 architects from over 50 nations.

 

Mark Ritchie, together with Brian Cavanaugh (USA), founded the office of Architecture Building Culture (ABC) in 2010. Mark was educated in New Zealand at the Victoria University of Wellington School of Architecture, where he later worked as a Senior Lecturer in the Interior Architecture degree program. Mark has worked in architecture in a number of countries including New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and now Canada, and is a registered professional Architect in New Zealand and the province of British Columbia. The team at ABC utilises their international background by blending imported ideas and principles with the Pacific Northwest architectural traditions and environment.

 

Meet the Moderator

Chelsea Louise Grant is an architect, founding principal of euoi studio | architecture + design, and a board member of the West Coast Modern League. Launched in 2019, euoi studio is a collaboration of Chelsea Grant and Steve Gairns, a design-oriented practice that uses an inclusive and playful methodology to enhance the private and public realms, inspire the unexpected, and create meaningful spatial experiences. The studio has a special focus on custom residential spaces, festival and event design, and site-specific public installations. Chelsea is an extroverted, collaborative, and people-oriented designer with a deep appreciation for west coast culture and living. Her research has focused on the intersections of architecture, festival, and the role that public gatherings play in fostering social inclusivity.

 


Featured Projects

 

Shelter. Designed by Sophie Burke Design with Space Building. Photos by Ema Peter.

Hemingway Treehouse. Designed by Brian Hemingway (1977); Renovated by Fook Weng Chan (2016). Photo by Peter Powles.

McGee House. Designed by Donald Manning (1955); Interior/Exterior renovations by Georg Koslowski (1978); Interior Renovations by Architecture Building Culture (2022). Photo by Andrew Latreille.

 

  • Restomodern – 2023.07.05
  • Restomodern – 2023.07.05
  • Restomodern – 2023.07.05

 


 

Inquiries:

Please email [email protected]

Follow us:

Instagram / Facebook / Twitter

In the News:

  • Celebrate and Explore the History of West Coast Modernism. June 30, 2023. The Tyee.
  • Home and walking tours to celebrate West Coast Modern design. Jane Seyd. June 30, 2023. North Shore News.
  • West Coast Modern Week announces 2023 program, from architectural walking tours to live music. Gail Johnson. May 15, 2023. Stir Magazine.

 

The West Coast Modern League gratefully acknowledges the partnership of the West Vancouver Art Museum and The Polygon Gallery, and the generous support of event sponsor Acuitas Therapeutics.

 


About West Coast Modern Week

West Coast Modern Week

From July 4 to 9, 2023, West Coast Modern Week celebrated West Coast Modernism, a distinct architectural style with deep roots in West Vancouver. Surrounded by forested mountains, an expansive ocean, and a lush rainforest, this natural setting presents unique challenges and opportunities that are reflected in the local architecture. Presented by the West Vancouver Art Museum, West Coast Modern Week’s events included talks, exhibitions, parties, and a unique Home Tour offering access to local, architecturally-significant homes.

WEST COAST MODERN WEEK

 

 

 
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Canada’s west coast holds an inspired and enduri Canada’s west coast holds an inspired and enduring legacy of exceptional modern architecture and design. What started as largely a domiciliary exploration has since proliferated across architectural typologies and design disciplines, the tenets of which continue to inform city building efforts to this day, and we are here for all of it!

MODERN WEST COAST PLACES is the League’s ongoing effort to capture the modernist body of work across the south coast and into the interior regions of British Columbia, focused on architecture, landscape architecture, public spaces, and the allied arts. The League’s aim is to create a space to learn about the full breadth of works that have and continue to put our region on the global design map. Our inventory takes the mid-century period as its point of departure, a time when the west coast was fertile ground for experimentation and innovation in the pioneering design principles that would become West Coast Modernism. This expression of modernism, more appropriately responsive to the domestic lifestyles, culture, rugged natural terrain, resources, and rainforest climate, was first recognized in the 1941 B.C. Binning House and continues to play a prominent role in contemporary practice while adapting to modern lifestyles and the increasing pressures of development and climate change. 

Updated often, what is published on our website is but a fraction of our broader inventory. If you have any questions about the works published, would like to nominate a place for the catalogue, and/or have any information that you think would be of benefit, please get in touch. 

Link in bio for MODERN WEST COAST PLACES
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#modernwestcoastplaces #westcoastmodern #westcoastmodernarchitecture #westcoastmodernism #vancouverarchitecture #vanarch #pnwarchitecture #midcentury #midcenturymodern #midcenturymodernhouses #midcenturyhouses #mcmhome #contemporarydesign #iconichouses #architecturalheritage #modern #modernarchitecture #architecture #landscapearchitecture #interiordesign #modernlandscape #moderninteriors #canadianarchitecture #canadamodern #modernheritage #design #postandbeam #architecturelovers #westcoastmodernleague #wcmlvan
September 30th is the deadline to participate in t September 30th is the deadline to participate in the @architecturefoundationbc's Architectural Industry Diversity Survey. Please take a few moments to submit your answers to these important questions.

LINK IN BIO TO TAKE THE SURVEY

Designed to help drive meaningful change and advocacy, the IDEA Committee (Inclusion, Diversity and Equity in Architecture) of the Architecture Foundation of British Columbia has launched a voluntary industry demographics survey extending to all people working in the architectural field, administered by Stratcom, an independent, third party consultant. The survey is a confidential tool designed to guide the future advocacy work of the AFBC, and is one step in the evolution of the architecture industry in BC. The survey intends to highlight aspects of the industry relative to demographics across three broad categories: financial compensation, barriers and opportunities, as well as, satisfaction and effectiveness. The anonymous results will be publicly available upon completion in late 2023.

Survey participants have the opportunity to enter a random draw to win 5 $100 VISA gift cards..
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#architecture #britishcolumbia #pnwarchitecture #vancouverarchitecture #vanarch #architectureindustry #industrysurvey #architecturefoundationbc #westcoastmodernleague #wcmlvan
The League congratulates this year’s recipients The League congratulates this year’s recipients of @westernliving's Designers of the Year awards.[1] We salute this group of designers carrying the torch for a long tradition of design excellence in Western Canada. In its 16th year, the annual awards honour the body of work of designers in Western Canada, selected by a jury of experts from around the world.

2023 Designers of the Year:

Architects of the Year: @simonmontgomerystudio 
Interior Designer of the Year: @falkenreynolds 
Arthur Erickson Memorial Award for an Emerging Architect: @bioi_studio 
Robert Ledingham Memorial Award for an Emerging Interior Designer: @knightvarga 
Fashion Designer: @norenstudio 
Landscape Designer: @donohoelivinglandscapes 
Industrial Designer: @propellorstudio 
Furniture Designer: alanhungstudio
Maker: @tavceramics 

[1] Introducing Western Living’s 2023 Designers of the Year Award Winners, August 30, 2023. Western Living Magazine.

#westernliving #2023WLDOTY #westerncanada #design #westcoastmodernleague #wcmlvan
Join our growing community! The renewed and growi Join our growing community!

The renewed and growing appreciation of our region’s modern west coast design identity, its distinctive culture, and its future outlook is exciting! It has taken a considerable effort by a great number of people over the decades to get us to this point, from designers to artists, writers to curators, and academics to heritage advocates. 

The League is a leading voice among many in our community with a commitment to explore our modernist roots while looking towards our modern future, and to celebrating the contributions of the many across our region, and further afield, who are committed to the cause.

If you haven’t already subscribed to our newsletter, do not wait any longer! Follow us and subscribe to be the first to hear about the League's exciting schedule of upcoming events and projects, advocacy initiatives, local design news and events, giveaways, and much more.
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#westcoastmodern #westcoastmodernism #westcoastmodernarchitecture #westcoastmodernliving #modernarchitecture #architecture #landscapearchitecture #alliedarts #vancouverarchitecture #vanarch #vancouverism #vancouverurbanism #canadianarchitecture #design #modernlandscape #postandbeam #midcenturymodern #midcenturymodernhouses #midcentury #iconichouses #iconicbuildings #artarchitecture #architectureevents #designsalon #architecturesociety #nonprofit #designadvocacy #britishcolumbia #westcoastmodernleague #wcmlvan
In its current state, the Challier House admittedl In its current state, the Challier House admittedly presents many challenges. With a considerable investment, it has potential. Back in its day, the design exuded modern elegance and a gentle insertion into its cliffside setting. It has a natural sophistication in its bones.

Of the design, “the steep and rocky site presented a challenge to architect Jim Tettamanti. The easiest part was the front thirty feet. Behind this was a dome of rock. Tettamanti came up with an open-V floor plan that angled to the view, and placed the entrance and bedroom wing parallel to the road on a shallow stone foundation. The other arm of the V extended over the hill and provided a recreation room on the lower level opening to the extensive concrete deck and swimming pool. From the road the low-level, flat-roof house presents a modest profile with few windows. On the view side, however, the V-shaped plan exposes the spacious indoor and outdoor living areas to one of the finest setting in the Lower Mainland.”[1]
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Challier House, 1961
West Vancouver, BC
Designed by James R. Tettamanti
Landscape by Raoul Robillard

MLS #R2813421

[1/Images] Western Homes & Living. May 1964.

Link in bio for MODERN WEST COAST PLACES, the League's ongoing survey of modern west coast buildings + projects
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#westcoastmodern #modernhouse #midcenturymodern #midcenturymoderndesign #cliffhouse #poolwithaview #modern #architecture #modernarchitecture #vancouverarchitecture #vanarch #canadianarchitecture #iconichouses #heritagehouse #modernheritage #fixerupper #architecturelovers #archilovers #artarchitecture #westvancouver #britishcolumbia #herbertchallier #jamestettamanti #raoulrobillard #modernwestcoastplaces #westcoastmodernleague #wcmlvan
Behind every modern house is a story more interest Behind every modern house is a story more interesting than any fiction could tell, and while this house has certainly seen better days, its history is storied. Known as the Challier House, it was originally built in 1961 and, while Challier was himself an architect, the home was designed by James R. Tettamanti with landscape by Raoul Robillard. 

Herbert Challier was a graduate of UBC architecture and would go on to work for McCarter Nairne before establishing his own private practice based first in Yaletown and eventually out of this home. Over his career, Challier had a history of working on theatre designs and is credited for designing Grouse Mountain's "Theatre in the Sky." He was also a varsity rower and a skier on the Whistler Ski Patrol. 

This was not Herb Challier's first home on the North Shore. The Challier family originally lived in a forested subdivision, leaving for this oceanview home when suburbia engulfed the surrounding forest. Their 1951 home was one of the original Neoteric houses, designed by none other than Fred Hollingsworth.

Challier House is currently on the market and, with an enthusiastic owner and a healthy budget, it could go on to be a stunning home for future generations. 
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Challier House, 1961
West Vancouver, BC
Designed by James R. Tettamanti
Landscape by Raoul Robillard

MLS #R2813421

[Images 2-4] Courtesy of Sam McColl

Link in bio for MODERN WEST COAST PLACES, the League's ongoing survey of modern west coast buildings + projects
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#westcoastmodern #modernhouse #midcenturymodern #midcenturymoderndesign #cliffhouse #poolwithaview #modern #architecture #modernarchitecture #vancouverarchitecture #vanarch #canadianarchitecture #iconichouses #heritagehouse #modernheritage #fixerupper #architecturelovers #archilovers #artarchitecture #westvancouver #britishcolumbia #herbertchallier #jamestettamanti #raoulrobillard #modernwestcoastplaces #westcoastmodernleague #wcmlvan

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