Description du lieu patrimonial

Washington Court is a five-storey, plus lower level, masonry apartment located at the northeast corner of Thurlow and Nelson Streets in Vancouver's West End neighbourhood, British Columbia. The building features a rectangular plan with central lightwell and is characterized by its recessed front entryway and regular rhythm of semi-octagonal bays.

Valeur patrimoniale

Constructed in 1910, Washington Court is valued as one of the earliest mid-rise apartment blocks in the West End neighbourhood of Vancouver. The building is also significant for its association with architect, Arthur Julius Bird, for its Edwardian vernacular architecture, and for its mid-century use as a women-only apartment block, illustrating the evolution of apartment living in the West End.

Washington Court is valued as one of the earliest mid-rise apartment blocks in Vancouver's West End. Settlement of the West End began in the late 1880s due to its adjacency to downtown; single family homes and estates originally dominated the area. As prominent new residential areas such as Shaughnessy and Kerrisdale began to develop, the popularity of the West End gradually began to decline. By the 1910s, a new age of development began to take place, as apartment blocks, mixed use developments, and commercial blocks were established, which resulted in a denser urban form. Designed for and constructed by Swedish contractor Peter Agren, Washington Court was built at the height of this second stage of development. One of the tallest buildings in the area upon its completion, Washington Court predates the multi-family residential construction boom of 1910s and 1920s and represents the pinnacle of the Edwardian-era construction boom in the West End.

Washington Court is additionally significant as an example of a masonry apartment building as designed by architect A.J. Bird. Born and educated in England, A.J. Bird became an expert in modern building techniques. Emigrating to Vancouver in 1907, Bird was among the first designers to introduce the masonry apartment building prototype to residential development on the West Coast. Bird's knowledge of current building systems was put to use in designing some of the earliest multi-storey apartment buildings in Vancouver. Bird continued to practice until 1914 when he joined the Canadian Forces to serve overseas during World War I. Upon his return in 1919, he obtained the position of City Architect and Building Inspector and can be credited with the design of many civic buildings erected from 1919 until 1933. During his tenure at the City, Bird also played an important role in the modern science of town planning and zoning and the contouring of hilly sections of Vancouver to make them suitable for residential streets and neighbourhoods. Washington Court remains an excellent example of Bird's multi-family residential design work in Vancouver. Displaying a rich surface articulation and classical design trends and proportions associated with Edwardian-era architecture, Washington Court is an excellent and early example of a mid-rise apartment building. Additionally, the design of Washington Court as a masonry, and thus fireresistant, apartment block helped it to survive three separate fires, in 1924, 1966, and 2018, without any loss of life. The classic Edwardian-era design of Washington Court, which embraced ample space and access to light, exists as a tangible and excellent example of a very early Edwardian vernacular apartment block in Vancouver.

Washington Court is also valued for its history as a housing block for women, which began in 1957 under the management of Louise and John Eades. Hotels and apartment houses that provided temporary refuge for young ladies hoping to start a career in the 'big city' became a popular trend during the mid-twentieth century. Washington Court was home to women from England, New Zealand, Australia, and other parts of Canada, some recommended for tenancy by the YWCA. Provided with amenities including furniture, televisions, telephones, and fresh linens, the apartment house was an attractive option for young women, and their parents, who wanted to ensure a safe, clean, and affordable living space, in most instances far away from their families. Originally designed as a rental apartment building, Washington Court was repaired following its first fire in 1924.

Éléments caractéristiques

The elements that define the heritage character of Washington Court are its:

- location at the corner of Thurlow and Nelson Streets in the West End neighbourhood of Vancouver, set close to the lot lines at the front and side; continuous apartment residential use since 1910;
- mid-rise residential form, scale and massing including: five-storey plus full basement height; flat roof; and symmetrical massing of main facades, including a regular pattern of projecting semi-octagonal bays;
- masonry construction with buff brick cladding, smooth and rusticated granite foundation, and smooth and rusticated stone first floor cladding;
- Edwardian-era features such as: buff brick and stone cladding with quoining at each corner and around basement and first floor windows; central lightwell with recessed front entryway and symmetrical and regular rhythm of semi-octagonal bays supported by rounded stone brackets; and
- original pattern of fenestration.