The Infamous Vancouver Special - An Ugly Urban History Lesson.
(August 31, 2017
)
Our BC HOME HUNTER GROUP team members have been around a very long time in Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and the lower mainland. If you by chance grew up in Vancouver your well aware of the infamous "Vancouver Special." By all definitions, the ugly duckling of homes.That infamous “Vancouver Special” house has had a profound impact across the city, especially on the east side. It is important to put some context to where it came from and lessons applicable to today.
Builders developed them on spec for immigrant families in the 1960s and ’70s mostly to accommodate the surge in immigrants via the Trudeau era socialist multicultural policies. But Specials were broadly detested because they were large, sprawled across the lot, ugly and resulted in the demolition of character houses that destroyed the streetscape.
The Special was credited for being easily converted to two units. However, the original character houses had future potential to be converted into multiple suites and infill that Specials couldn’t achieve since they sprawled over the rear yard. So the original character house wasn’t just more attractive and made of superior materials and craftsmanship, but also could accommodate more future growth.
Construction costs of the Special were reduced by stripping out everything that was unnecessary beyond basic building-code requirements. It maximized the floor-plate size to build the largest house possible within the allowed setbacks without having to build either a below-grade basement or a second storey.
Builders developed them on spec for immigrant families in the 1960s and ’70s mostly to accommodate the surge in immigrants via the Trudeau era socialist multicultural policies. But Specials were broadly detested because they were large, sprawled across the lot, ugly and resulted in the demolition of character houses that destroyed the streetscape.
The Special was credited for being easily converted to two units. However, the original character houses had future potential to be converted into multiple suites and infill that Specials couldn’t achieve since they sprawled over the rear yard. So the original character house wasn’t just more attractive and made of superior materials and craftsmanship, but also could accommodate more future growth.
Construction costs of the Special were reduced by stripping out everything that was unnecessary beyond basic building-code requirements. It maximized the floor-plate size to build the largest house possible within the allowed setbacks without having to build either a below-grade basement or a second storey.
Up to 1974, the area of the lower floor wasn’t counted if it was one foot below grade. So the earlier versions of the Special took advantage of this option with another storey above. Later, versions were the same except slightly smaller with a slab-on-grade entrance.
This meant that most of the lot was covered by the house, which eliminates the option for a laneway house. Even more so when the garage or carport was attached at the back and the rest of the lot was a paved driveway.
However, we also have been encouraged to see that many of the Vancouver Specials are now being updated for current use. Although they are still reviled by many, many young hipster families are now buying them (no doubt with assistance from the bank of mom and dad!) and renovating. So they’re now becoming quite a popular option, even trendy in East Van, contrary to the Special’s original intent.
The original designer, Cudney, said he wouldn’t design “a big stupid house as a monument to someone’s big stupid life.” Ironically, he designed the biggest houses allowed under the rules that sprawled as much as possible over the lot. Indeed “a big stupid house.” But he actually took pride in the fact that Specials were ugly and disliked.
The Vancouver Special ended in about 1976 But with each passing decade the builders’ ‘specials’ have become increasingly larger.
In the 1980s there were the pink-stucco “monster” houses. This was stopped through conditional zoning changes and design guidelines. But in 2009 those provisions were reversed and now we have even bigger, “luxury” monster houses with faux stone and tile facades.
Design guidelines and conditional zoning are essential to prevent this. As the city moves to revise zoning to incentivize character-house retention, it’s important to remember the lessons of the Vancouver Special.
For almost every Vancouver Special built there was a character house taken down. Ask any custom home builder and they will echo our sentiments. That character house had higher-quality craftsmanship with potential for conversion to more units or infill, even more so than the Special. Demolishing these character houses was pointless and wasteful.
We can have more affordable-housing choices and still meet design and livability objectives. Continuing poor-quality, new, builders’ ‘specials’ should be avoided.
This meant that most of the lot was covered by the house, which eliminates the option for a laneway house. Even more so when the garage or carport was attached at the back and the rest of the lot was a paved driveway.
Finishes were the least expensive possible, such as stucco, aluminum windows, no trims, no porch, with a little brick in the front facade. The roof was at the minimum slope to shed water.
Why would anyone create housing so lacking in design taste that it was considered hideous and reviled by most people? To understand the origins of the Special, it helps that we have lifetimes of construction, development and real estate experience.
Spec-builders came up with the house concept that were drafted into what became the Vancouver Special stock plans. Permit-ready drawings were available without big city waits and at an extremely low price of about $50. That's right folks - less than you probably spend on your Starbucks latte this week.
Creating a completely tasteless form of housing was someone's revenge on the architect and design profession.
Back in the day being "cheap" and taxing home owners to death used to be a badge of honour for Vancouver politicians - oh wait it still is. The entire Vancouver special and "densification" ideology went hand in hand.
Why would anyone create housing so lacking in design taste that it was considered hideous and reviled by most people? To understand the origins of the Special, it helps that we have lifetimes of construction, development and real estate experience.
Spec-builders came up with the house concept that were drafted into what became the Vancouver Special stock plans. Permit-ready drawings were available without big city waits and at an extremely low price of about $50. That's right folks - less than you probably spend on your Starbucks latte this week.
Creating a completely tasteless form of housing was someone's revenge on the architect and design profession.
Back in the day being "cheap" and taxing home owners to death used to be a badge of honour for Vancouver politicians - oh wait it still is. The entire Vancouver special and "densification" ideology went hand in hand.
Don't forget folks this was also back when mortgage interest rates were in the high double digits and home value increases didn't exist - forever!
Here is another ugly aspect to our history lesson. Countless numbers of these detested, neighbourhood destroying Vancouver Specials replaced our beloved, beautiful heritage houses. We were and to this day are still horrified. How wasteful to be demolishing these beautiful, livable, superior houses that just needed some updating.
Here is another ugly aspect to our history lesson. Countless numbers of these detested, neighbourhood destroying Vancouver Specials replaced our beloved, beautiful heritage houses. We were and to this day are still horrified. How wasteful to be demolishing these beautiful, livable, superior houses that just needed some updating.
However, we also have been encouraged to see that many of the Vancouver Specials are now being updated for current use. Although they are still reviled by many, many young hipster families are now buying them (no doubt with assistance from the bank of mom and dad!) and renovating. So they’re now becoming quite a popular option, even trendy in East Van, contrary to the Special’s original intent.
The original designer, Cudney, said he wouldn’t design “a big stupid house as a monument to someone’s big stupid life.” Ironically, he designed the biggest houses allowed under the rules that sprawled as much as possible over the lot. Indeed “a big stupid house.” But he actually took pride in the fact that Specials were ugly and disliked.
The Vancouver Special ended in about 1976 But with each passing decade the builders’ ‘specials’ have become increasingly larger.
In the 1980s there were the pink-stucco “monster” houses. This was stopped through conditional zoning changes and design guidelines. But in 2009 those provisions were reversed and now we have even bigger, “luxury” monster houses with faux stone and tile facades.
Design guidelines and conditional zoning are essential to prevent this. As the city moves to revise zoning to incentivize character-house retention, it’s important to remember the lessons of the Vancouver Special.
For almost every Vancouver Special built there was a character house taken down. Ask any custom home builder and they will echo our sentiments. That character house had higher-quality craftsmanship with potential for conversion to more units or infill, even more so than the Special. Demolishing these character houses was pointless and wasteful.
We can have more affordable-housing choices and still meet design and livability objectives. Continuing poor-quality, new, builders’ ‘specials’ should be avoided.
Densification is our current Vancouver Special. The decision to destroy our beloved communities by building monster towers full of concrete coffins is not something our real estate groups are fans of. Decades from now we wil again look back on the land rush to slam endless bodies into smaller and smaller confined spaces, creating every manner of social and mental health issue.
If you or anyone you know are considering selling your beloved home or purchasing one, don't hesitate to contact our passionate urban and suburban real estate experts anytime, 604-767-6736.
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