On the heels of ideals

*had an image that could have been used to help out the argument but apparently can't show it. That's fine and I understand ownership of imagery and everything. It is just a shame that others cannot view the work quickly without going to through the other websites. Notice how the argument loses a lot of its import. Quite the shame. (Before you all yell at me too, I did give credit and link to the archivist's site where the image orginated from (which was being used on the architect's website instead of just copying and pasting the image haphazardly).

The current owner of the 1963 Graham House designed by Arthur Erickson in West Vancouver is currently awaiting a demolition permit to raze the structure.

Rumors on the street-erweb are stating that the current owners purchased the house in 1988 and have not maintained in as strategy to remove opposition to the demolition.

The Graham house is an amazing structure in that it was built on an 'unbuildable' site (the sort of site every design student equally dreads and dreams about) of a rock cliff with the main body of the house 40 feet below the arrival level. The building then descends in a series of staggered rooms and platforms to create a multidimensional environment offering amazing views to the Sea. Due to the steepness of the adjacent cliff exterior space had to be created and controlled and therefore was integrated into the design of the building.

Client: Mr. and Mrs. Graham - 1965

The site for the house was a rock cliff dropping forty feet from the arrival level down a sheer cliff to a rock bench over the sea. The solution to this difficult site was the
creation of a multi-storey house descending the slope in levels.

The formal idea of the piling up of hovering beams was the basis of the composition. These enclose the major living areas, which step down the embankment for four storeys from the carport to the bluff over the sea below. Each area opens onto a roof
terrace over the living quarters below, so that there is maximum access to
sunlight and view. Because of the ruggedness of the site, the outside living
areas are confined almost entirely to the roof areas of the house itself.

A texture difference is achieved between the walls and box beams by using flat
siding on the beams and a deep board and batten on the walls. The house is
treated with a simple oil finish and the only other materials used in
conjunction with the wood are used brick and a Welsh quarry tile.

From the web site

There is supposition that the demolition is being planned in order to create the property for a more speculative (see generic) development. On the heels of the Ameritrust Tower debacle I found the following articles rather interesting. Most importantly how preservation and environmentalism work in conjunction with saving our infamous architectural heritage.

I am curious with how this will play out. Will the local design community come to the aid of the structure? Will a new buyer step up? With Canada's preservation laws save this building? Will the threatening of this particular structure have a more disastrous ending than the Brueur Tower?

With the arguments circling around personal property rights versus preservationists right this one could set the standard for future of Canada's architectural heritage.

Resources (Imagine you and your laptop in front of a warm fire this cold evening reading over all these fun sources):

Globeandmail - Landmark Erickson House to Be Demolished
Treehugger.com - Another One Bites the Dust (gotta love those comments!)
North Shore News - WV rejects pleas to spare Erickson home
Arthur Erickson Website