The Emblematic Nature Of Your Neighbourhood’s Architecture
June 1, 2011
by Scott Daniel | The City is inviting Vancouverites to submit ideas for neighbourhood emblems. Or, to use the intensely urban verbiage the current council is known for, they want you to “Tag Your Hood“. This is all well and good, but when you travel east to west through this “city of neighbourhoods,” it seems there are already some pretty distinct architectural emblems that leave no doubt as to where you are…
Shaughnessy: Rounded Mansard Roof
I’d never noticed these peculiar roof adornments before…if you cycle the Cypress/Angus St. bike route through Shaughnessy, they’re everywhere. An understated, elegant type of opulence. Just like, I imagine, the residents of this neighbourhood perceive themselves. And they let in some light to refract through the chandeliers. Duh.
Kits: Put a Peak On It!
According to Exploring Vancouver, Kitsilano developed as a, “less expensive suburban alternative to the West End…with gabled roofs picturesque and not boring.”
In the 90′s, builders who wanted/needed their developments to conform to the neighbourhood character went overboard. They ran with the Put.A.Peak.On.It! approach. Some of them do fit, but more often than not the peaks add a lot of visual clutter and almost distract from the picturesque bungalow next door.
South Granville: A Cozy Pile of Bricks
South Granville has a bunch of warm brick apartment blocks. You can imagine the unique smell of the corridors even from outside. I always wanted to live in one, but at the same time, what’s with the No Balconies policy that they all seem to have? I know the weather can suck here, but gimme at least a juliet or something!
Fairview: Post-Tarp Pastel
The leaky condo craze that swept the city seemed to impact Fairview more than anywhere else. It’s said people would live and die by the phrase, “tarpé diem.” Now that the tarps are gone, we can re-join the 90′s nostalgia fetish that seems to be taking over at Urban Outfitters.
Yaletown: Shoebox City
People will pay almost any price to live in a shoebox if it’s close to the beautiful, the creative, the professional-hockey playing set. And it used to be the place to be!
The West End: Deco Apartments
Photo by Crankspanker
The West End is teeming with great examples of Art Deco apartment design. The colourful adornments, curved facades, chrome stoops, and focus on all that is horizontal make it a great place to walk and admire on your way to the pitch-n-putt.
Strathcona: Artist in Residence
The annual Culture Crawl invites Vancouverites to walk among the bohemian residents of Strathcona in their expressive habitats. Ancient grains soaking in the kitchen, surrealist sculptures in the workshop. All in a community-oriented, working class neighbourhood close to downtown.
East Van: Special
East Vancouver is experiencing a renaissance, and that’s a good thing. Stuff like This Is East Van and The revitalised Waldorf (and a million things besides) point to a fresh, vibrant art scene. But it can also get kind of annoying, what with all the sanctimonious East-Van-is-so-much-more-”real”-than-wherever-you-live chatter. Still, there are worse things than sanctimony.
What is more iconic than the East Van Special? Modern. Utilitarian. Real. Designers are starting to do some really interesting things with them. It’s such a great emblem…heck, there’s even an East Van Specials hockey team! And I can assure you, most of the players are quite sanctimonious.
The View From Your Window #55: Greetings From The Kiwi Coastal Wilds of Taranaki
January 28, 2011
Reader “J.G.” | Oakura | Taranaki, New Zealand | 3:45pm | SHARE YOUR VIEW
Check out where you live after the jump… Read more
The View From Your Window #49
November 4, 2010
Reader “M.S.” | driving the Cowichan Valley | Vancouver Island, BC | 4:25pm | SHARE YOUR VIEW
Check out where you live after the jump… Read more
The View From Your Window #48
October 30, 2010
Reader “L.D.” | Kitsilano | Vancouver, BC | 4:00pm | SHARE YOUR VIEW
Check out where you live after the jump… Read more
Our “View From Your Window” Project Finally Gets A Gallery
October 28, 2010
Once a week for several months now we’ve been posting the photographs that reveal the views from your windows. Whether a back alley or a sandy beach, we’ve been stoked to see where you’ve been coming from. Rather than continuing to archive them individually (which was stupid), we’re now dropping all into a single gallery so you can – in a pinch – check out what your fellows are seeing at their most contemplative. Take a look below and share yours after the leap…
The View From Your Window is a project inspired by Andrew Sullivan’s compilations over at The Atlantic Monthly, wherein readers from around the world send in photographs of what they can see from their windows. It might seem an obtuse endeavor at first glance, but whenever we browse through the personal “Views” of our readership, we connect in a way that Twitter can’t. And so…we dig it. Share your view by emailing a photo (no less than 585px wide) with a note detailing the time it was taken and the neighbourhood to andrew [at] scoutmagazine [.ca].
The View From Your Window #47
October 26, 2010
Reader “A.G.” | Gastown | Vancouver, BC | 7:50am | SHARE YOUR VIEW
Check out where you live after the jump… Read more
The View From Your Window #46
October 24, 2010
Reader “J.M.” | Chinatown | Victoria, BC | 11:45am | SHARE YOUR VIEW
BROWSE READER VIEWS
The View From Your Window is a project inspired by Andrew Sullivan’s compilations over at The Atlantic Monthly, wherein readers from around the world send in photographs of what they can see from their windows. It might seem an obtuse endeavor at first glance, but whenever we browse through the personal “Views” of our readership, we are often able to connect to them in a way that transcends the worth of email and comment exchanges. And so…we dig it.
The View From Your Window #45
October 18, 2010
Reader “E.E.” | Oak Bay | Victoria, BC | 5:30pm | SHARE YOUR VIEW
BROWSE READER VIEWS
The View From Your Window #44
October 6, 2010
Reader “S.F.” | Whytecliff | West Vancouver, BC | 10:00am | SHARE YOUR VIEW
BROWSE READER VIEWS
The View From Your Window #43
September 24, 2010
Reader “P.H.” | Dundarave | West Vancouver, BC | 6:30pm | SHARE YOUR VIEW
