STEP TWO
A further shift toward simplicity, functionality, and innovation. These styles emphasize open floor plans, clean lines, and a connection to the outdoors.
50’s Contempo/Mid-Century Modern
An iconic modern style. Emphasizes simplicity, open spaces, and integration with nature. Known for its sleek lines, innovative materials, and functional design.
Fig. Mid Century Modern Style House
| Era | 1945-1970 |
|---|---|
| Form | Rectilinear, open layouts with a focus on minimalism and functionality. |
| Storeys | 1 or 2-split. |
| Façade | Clean lines with minimal ornamentation. Large expanses of glass, often in the form of early window wall systems or sliding glass doors, emphasizing indoor-outdoor connectivity. Horizontal emphasis, blending the structure into the landscape. |
| Roof | Flat, butterfly, or low-pitched gable roofs with wide, overhanging eaves. Exposed beams or structural elements often visible under the roofline. |
| Windows | Extensive use of glass, including clerestory windows, ribbon windows, and sliding glass windows. Often asymmetrically placed. |
| Details | Use of innovative materials like concrete, steel, and glass alongside traditional elements like wood. Understaded or recessed door placement. Integration of car port or garage using sloping continuation of roofline. |
Ranch
Defined by its single-story, sprawling design. This style blends simplicity, functionality, and a connection to the outdoors.
Fig. Ranch Style House
| Era | 1940-1970 |
|---|---|
| Form | Horizontal, rectangular, or L- and U-shaped plans with an emphasis on open, flowing layouts. |
| Storeys | 1. |
| Façade | Asymmetrical with low-pitched roofs and large windows. Brick, wood, or stucco. |
| Roof | Low-pitched gable or hip roofs with wide, overhanging eaves. Simple, functional rooflines that contribute to the horizontal emphasis. |
| Windows | Large picture windows, often paired with smaller operable windows. Sliding glass doors leading to patios or backyards, reinforcing the indoor-outdoor connection. Clerestory windows. |
| Details | Entry often placed symmetrically or slightly off-center on the front façade. Attached garages, often prominently placed as part of the facade. Minimal decorative detailing, focusing on practicality and clean lines. |
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-This guide provides a brief, highly graphical overview of Canada's architectural heritage, highlighting the defining characteristics of various building styles and types across different historical periods. We love older Parks Canada publications.
Parks Canada. Buildings of Canada: A Guide to Styles and Types. 1980, https://www.historicplaces.ca/media/7173/buildingsofcanada.pdf.
-This guide, commissioned by an East coast municipality, is quite comprehensive. It provides more detailed information on the architectural styles that are common in Canada.
Town of Sackville. Heritage Architecture Style Guide. 10 Mar. 2014, https://sackville.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Heritage_Architecture_Style_Guide_Final_10March2014.pdf.
-This book provides a comprehensive overview of major architectural styles and building terminology in Ontario from the late 18th century to relatively modern times.
Blumenson, John J.-G. Ontario Architecture: A Guide to Styles and Building Terms, 1784 to the Present. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1990.
-A concise introduction to considering the architectural character of your home is provided in the U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Cultural Resources - Preservation Guides. The National Park Service preservation guides are a great resource in general and well worth exploring.
-This book outlines what to look for, what to do and what not to do when working on important building details.
Cusato, Marianne, and Ben Pentreath. Get Your House Right: Architectural Elements to Use & Avoid. Sterling, 2007.
-This book provides an excellent detailed guide to American residential architecture (basically the same as Canadian architecture).
McAlester, Virginia Savage. A Field Guide to American Houses (Revised): The Definitive Guide to Identifying and Understanding America's Domestic Architecture. Knopf, 2015.
-This book provides detailed information on building elements.
Benjamin, Asher. The American Builder's Companion. Illustrated ed., Feb. 26, 2009, Dover Publications.
-This book provides detailed information on building elements indicating scale and proportion.
Radford, William A., Bernard L. Johnson, and Charles P. Rawson. Radford's Portfolio of Details of Building Construction: A Remarkable and Unique Collection of Full-Page Plates, Accurately Drawn and Reproduced to Exact Scale. Complete Details for Every Style of Interior Trim, Including Special Built-In Features. Illustrated ed., Dover Publications, Aug. 31, 2012.
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