Description of Historic Place

15 Cook Street is a two-storey cross-gabled Arts and Crafts residence located across from Beacon Hill Park and close to Victoria's waterfront in Victoria's Fairfield neighbourhood.

Heritage Value

The historic place, built in 1913, is valued for its architecture and how its construction exemplifies the pre-World War I building boom in Victoria.

15 Cook Street has value as an example of an Arts and Crafts residence. It is sited to take advantage of the views and sea breezes, particularly from the sleeping porch on the second floor, reminding us of Edwardian interests in health and quality of life. The building exhibits the pride in craftsmanship that is the hallmark of the Arts and Crafts movement. Its solid foundation anchors the building to the land.

The house is also representative of the boom years during which most of the south Fairfield neighbourhood was developed. After the building of the Government Street causeway and the draining of the swamp land to the east, Victoria coincidentally entered its most prolific building phase, ending just before the outset of World War I, when the world lumber market crashed.

Source: City of Victoria Planning Department

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage character of 15 Cook Street is defined by the following elements:
-characteristics of the Arts and Crafts style, including deep overhanging eaves with large knee brackets, exposed rafter tails, stone piers, half-timbering in gable ends, front verandah with balustrade and low-curved beam, enclosed upper sleeping porch with flanking diamond-shaped windows, and beam that mirrors that of the verandah
- form and pattern of fenestration
- setback from street