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Miracle Beach House, 2008Miracle Beach House, 2008Miracle Beach House, 2008
 
Modern West Coast PlacesBo HelliwellMiracle Beach House, 2008
Miracle Beach House, 2008
Miracle Beach House, 2008
Miracle Beach House, 2008

Miracle Beach House, 2008

Category : Blue Sky Architecture, Bo Helliwell, Kim Smith
  • Constructed 2008
  • Location Black Creek, BC
  • Architect Bo Helliwell; Kim Smith
    Helliwell + Smith • Blue Sky Architecture
  • Use Dwelling

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A few weeks ago, the League was honoured to collab A few weeks ago, the League was honoured to collaborate on an evening of art and architecture in celebration of Vancouver artist @acniekamp and the unveiling of her new work inspired by G. Douglas Wylie's 1962 Taylor House. Featuring a pop-up gallery with a collection of Amanda's works, spatial floral installations by @_studioilo_, and beautiful Japanese-inspired food, it was an inspiring evening of reflection on our local design history and to the ever-important collaboration between artists and designers. We are grateful to @thermadorhomecanada for putting this evening together and for the opportunity to speak about the League's work, West Coast Modernism, and Japanese design influences at its roots. [Image 1] Steve Gairns [Images 2-10] @fourthfoto . . . . . #amandaniekamp #westcoastmodernism #artarchitecture #westcoastmodernleague #wcmlvan
If there’s one thing you should do this summer it’ If there’s one thing you should do this summer it’s a tour of Arthur Erickson’s private sanctuary in Vancouver. It is perhaps one of Arthur’s most authentic designs, the place he called home for over 50 years, where he played and experimented with ideas that would later show up in his professional work. Led by our friend, the wonderful Brian Broster of @arthurericksonfoundation, the tour offers detailed insights into the incredible complexity of Arthur’s designs for his garden and its relationship to a modest house rich in materials, culture, and remarkable stories. We’ve been fortunate to have visited the house and garden several times over the years, each time learning something new and inspiring. Funds raised from tours help to support the restoration of the house and garden and to provide an endowment for its ongoing care. Link in bio for tour dates and tickets. [Images] Steve Gairns (2026). . . . . . #arthurerickson #ericksonhomeandgarden #modernlandscape #modernarchitecture #westcoastmodernleague
Robert A.D. Berwick (1909-1974) was born in Shelbu Robert A.D. Berwick (1909-1974) was born in Shelburne, Ontario and studied architecture at the University of Toronto. Graduating in 1936, he relocated to Vancouver later that year to join the firm of Sharp & Thompson. Along with Charles (Ned) Pratt, Robert would become an associate of the firm in 1939 and, following WWII, a full partner in 1945. Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt, and later Thompson, Berwick, Pratt & Partners, was for decades a force in Vancouver’s architecture scene and an incubator from some of Canada’s most prominent architects. Last week, with the Berwick family, we toured a handful of Robert Berwick’s early houses, from the late 1930s to mid-1940s, designs from a time when Robert was experimenting with new modern materials and techniques within more traditional architectural styles. It was an absolute joy to explore each of these homes with the Berwick’s and our friends at North Shore Heritage and Heritage New West. Many thanks to Heritage New West for welcoming us to the tour, and to the homeowners for opening up their houses to us (both on and off tour). . . . . . #modernarchitecture #modernhouses #modernheritage #modernwestcoastplaces #westcoastmodernleague #wcmlvan
Dana Claxton, The Bead (2026). City Centre Library Dana Claxton, The Bead (2026). City Centre Library, Surrey BC "Beading is a cultural thrivance. This video artwork centres beadwork as a vital form of expression in many Indigenous cultures on Turtle Island, integral to aesthetic embellishments generally worn on the body. From beaded moccasins, cradle boards, and dance regalia, to baby bonnets and medallions, the range of representational and abstract designs can indicate one’s cultural and tribal affiliation. The Bead represents Wood Mountain Lakota. The late great moccasins maker Grace Peigan made all of the beadwork seen, which were from a collection of Claxton and her family and friends’ moccasins. Dana Claxton is a critically acclaimed artist who works with film, video, photography, single/multi-channel video installation, and performance art. Her practice investigates indigenous beauty, the body, the socio-political and the spiritual." – Surrey Art Gallery . . . . . #danaclaxton #surreyartgallery #surreycentrallibrary #westcoastmodernleague #wcmlvan
Recent studies in colour. . . . . . #colourstudy # Recent studies in colour. . . . . . #colourstudy #modernarchitecture #midcenturymodern #modernwestcoastplaces #wcmlvan
#WCMLFieldTrip: We took a trip to the suburbs to v #WCMLFieldTrip: We took a trip to the suburbs to visit a small modernist enclave outside of the areas you would normally expect to find it. Here, we witnessed modernism on a spectrum, from its early days where new details were being explored within traditional typologies, to full blown modernist expression. Coming soon to the League’s Modern Places catalogue. . . . . . #modernarchitecture #westcoastmodern #modernwestcoastplaces #westcoastmodernleague #wcmlvan
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of Today marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Museum of Anthropology, a building so architecturally iconic to Vancouver they built it twice. Since its completion in 1976, the Museum of Anthropology has cemented its stature as one of British Columbia’s most iconic cultural buildings, and one of the best modern works of 20th century Canada as recognized by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Situated on the traditional, ancestral, unceded lands of the Musqeum people, the building is sited on a bluff atop a steep, sandy cliff overlooking the Salish Sea and the North Shore mountains. The award-winning building was designed by Canadian architect Arthur Erickson, along with the grounds landscaped in concert with Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, drawing inspiration from traditional Haida building typologies originating from the north-centra coastal regions of BC. The Museum is an expansive cultural facility focused primarily on the education and public display of traditional First Nations history, arts, and culture. Along with its architecture, the museum is programmatically unique in its visible storage of artefacts, allowing the majority of the collection to be on display year-round. The centrepiece of the building is the near 5-storey tall Great Hall, an impressive space composed of post-and-beam concrete structures, infilled with frameless glass. The space was constructed to house totems, set in view against a day-lit backdrop of mature trees, tall grasses, a naturalized reflecting pond, and a pair of Haida Houses modelled on a 19th century Haida village. 2024 saw the completion of a massive rehabilitation effort that involved the seismic reconstruction of the iconic Great Hall. An effort lead by Nick Milkovich Architects in collaboration with Hapa Collaborative, the Arthur Erickson Foundation, the Musqeum and other indigenous communities, the post-and-beam sections of the Great Hall were demolished and sensitively rebuilt to ensure the structure’s seismic resiliency and to safeguard its longevity. [Images] Courtesy of Brian Broster. . . . . . #museumofanthropology #westcoastmodern #modernwestcoastplaces #westcoastmodernleague #wcmlvan
#WCMLFieldTrip: We spent a day exploring art and a #WCMLFieldTrip: We spent a day exploring art and architecture south of the Fraser, some planned and some delightful surprises. Coming soon to the League’s Modern Places catalogue. . . . . . #southofthefraser #modernarchitecture #modernart #publicart
Earlier this month, we spent an inspiring weekend Earlier this month, we spent an inspiring weekend amongst the incredible design community of Victoria and the Islands. The League was thrilled to again partner in this year’s celebrations, presenting On the Boards with Kyla Bidgood + Alexander Suvajac to a full house at @gabrielrossshop. Thank you to everyone who joined us, to everyone who shared their work with us, and to @designyyj for making it all happen! SEE YOU NEXT YEAR! . . . . . #designvictoria2026 #designyyj2026 #wcmlontheboards #westcoastmodernleague #wcmlvan

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The West Coast Modern League is based on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples – Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
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Miracle Beach House, 2008Miracle Beach House, 2008Miracle Beach House, 2008