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Showing posts from November, 2010

Copeland Park - Before and After

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, builder A.B. Taylor Construction asked architects to re-design the houses they were building in Copeland Park. Below is an article from National Builder Magazine (December 1961), showing the houses before and after. The modern architect-designed houses must have been a success, as Copeland Park has many stunning MCM houses - perhaps the best examples built en masse by a tract builder in Ottawa. Thanks to Google Street View, here are some images of these beauties!  This is one of the plans that was 'modernised' as explained in the article above. Few of these were actually built.  While most of the MCM houses by A.B.Taylor were built on the north side of Maitland, a few examples can be found on the south side, like this one. Most of the houses on the south side were built by A.B. Taylor in the 1950s and are more traditional (like the house next door in this photo). 

Minto MCM Houses

Many of Minto's designs won awards during the 1960s and 1970s. Here are some great modern examples of what they built during that period. The "Alpine"(above) and the "Cavalier" (below), won Canadian Housing Design Council awards in 1962. The Alpine is one of my favourite plans. It has a great modern design featuring a vaulted ceiling with exposed beams in the Living and Dining Rooms. These plans were predominantly built in Crystal Beach, but are also found in a few other Minto communities of the time.  Also called the "Viking" (Crystal Beach, 1963) and the "Belmont" (Parkwood Hills). This plan c.1971 Ryan Farm and Beaconwood, as well as other Minto communities. c.1971 Beacon Hill North. c. 1969 Backsplit design found in Briargreen, Tanglewood, Stewart Farm, Beacon Hill. Not a 'classic' modern design, but certainly a modern take on tradition. I especially like the blank front wall with decorative brick work. Also a Canadian Housing

"Trend Homes" by Assaly and Johannsen

Assaly (sometimes teamed up with Johannsen) aptly named their home designs in the 1960s and 1970s "Trend Homes". Below are some examples of the 'trend-setting homes' that they built.   Cover page for the Trend Village brochure in the 1960s. Does anyone know why they took down the arch and sign shown in the top right photo? It looks like it was at Canfield and Greenbank. Trend Village plan. The following 3 images are plans from 1963, built in Woodroffe on the Green (better known as Crestview/Meadowlands), and in Glenwood Park (Aylmer, Quebec).