In a city where new often reigns supreme, it is rare to see the patient restoration of classic designs such as this 1930s Tudor-style house in Vancouver’s First Shaughnessy heritage conservation area. But this renovation by Formwerks shows that older houses can be rehabilitated and adapted to meet modern standards with the original character still intact.
The result is a 4,000-square-foot home that looks as fresh as it does historic, thanks to a team of local craftspeople who paid close attention to the design and build process. The renovation includes restoring heritage details such as high-relief plaster details, crown mouldings and curved ceilings. The addition of a split-level created unique challenges for the architects, but the team managed to deliver on time and on budget.
Unlike other elite areas such as Coal Harbour, the West End or Victoria Drive in Grandview, which lost their cachet over the years, Shaughnessy has maintained its exclusive status due to its heritage rules. It is one of only a few neighbourhoods in the city that does not allow multiplexes, laneway suites or basement apartments. And it is protected by a city policy that makes it the first neighbourhood to be given its own heritage conservation area. home renovation Shaughnessy