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Page 8 West Vancouver Historical Society November 2001 West Vancouver ^S2 MUSEUM & ARCHIVES CORNER Happenings at the West Vancouver Museum & Archives There have been many recent changes at WVMA and we have regretfully had to say "au revoir" to old friends, but are very pleased to "welcome" three newcomers. They have kindly given us some personal information to pass on to our members. Read on! Museum&Archives Due to illness, Preben Mortensen, our Community Archivist, has taken a leave of absence. Meantime the District has contracted the services of Alex Richmond. Alex is currently in the second year of the Master of Archival Science programme at UBCs School of Library Archival and Information Studies. He also holds an MA in history and specialises in Canadian political history. The Archives is now open on Thursdays 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Fndays 12 noon - 5:00 pm. Alex is delighted that the Archives continues to benefit from a strong volunteer community. Special thanks to Waring Pentland, Fran Hall, Pam Dewdney, Edith Hawirko and Norah MacLaren for all their time and effort. Alex also wishes to thank all who participated in the 24th October Wednesday evening social held at the West Vancouver Seniors’ Activity Centre for Preben and his family. Preben is doing very well and we fully expect his return to the Archives after Christmas. Darrin Martens, WVMA's energetic Assistant Curator has gone on to a career in Community Relations with Capilano College. Ian Patton has joined the WVMA as the new Assistant Curator. Ian comes to the WVMA from the Museum and Archives at Fort Steele Heritage Town, an open-air museum located in the East Kootenay region of British Columbia. He was an Exhibit Coordinator at Fort Steele and has spent the last few years working on museum exhibits and historical interpretation. 4::|c4::|:4:4;4:4:4: Andrew Hildred is pursuing a Masters of History degree at Simon Fraser University ano has been replaced by Greg Robinson, our newest member of staff. Greg, an educator with six years of teaching experience in the Ontario public school system, now takes over as Education Programmer.Greg has been involved with several museums in the Lower Mainland since coming to BC in 1998 and assisted with WVMA's recent in-house educational programme entitled "Visions of the North Shore". Susan Syroviak, Education Coordinator with WVMA for the past 4 years, has been lured from our midst by the Vancouver Art Gallery, where she is working in collections and archives. Our new staff members all wish Darrin, Andrew and Susan good luck and extend thanks for their wonderful work done at the Museum and Archives over the past few years. Here is the third in the series of West Vancouver Houses of Importance, supplied by Joel Lawson, of the West Vancouver Planning Department. Joel has a fund of knowledge of architecture and specialises in that of West Vancouver in particular. The Porter Residence, J.C.H. Porter, Architect, 1948. The Porter residence is an early example of the modern "post and beam" construction method, adopted to the particular conditions of the West Vancouver hillside terrain. Like many of the important "modem" West Vancouver buildings, this house is on the south side of the street, from which only the "butterfly" roof of the carport and a portion of the monocline roof of the house are visible. The design and siting permit an integration of the house with the terrain, to maximize privacy from the street and access to views and sunlight at the back of the house. Materials for this "L" shaped split level house include 6" X 14" fir beams; rough vertical cedar siding and plate glass walls, and a concrete foundation. The wide roof overhangs and the dramatic, monocline roof form are particularly distinctive characteristics..The open floor plan permits free movement between rooms, while die extensive glazing opens the interior of the house to the naturalistic landscaping which includes a small creek. The originl owner/architect, John Porter, was very influential in the Porter Residence, Ottawa Avenue development of the "West Coast" regional style of architecture, which adapted the International aesthetic to wood post and beam consfruction with flat roofs, open floor plans, wide roof overhangs, expansive use of glass panel to "allow the outside in", and a predominantly natural landscape. The house was named die "best house in Canada" when it received a Massey Medal for Architecture in 1952. It was also recenUy listed by an AIBC panel as one of the "nine best houses in B.C.", and has been included on an international registry of the most important buildings of the modern era. It is listed in the West Vancouver Survey of Significant Architecture. 1945-1975 as a Primary heritage resource. The new owners of the house have restored it and the beautiful garden to their original glory. For further information on this house or other heritage properties in West Vancouver please contact the West Vancouver Planning Department at 604-925-7236 Photo: W. K Planning Dept. (Ottawa 1560-4}