Tucked in at the south end of Deer Lake is an unexpected architectural treasure – Baldwin House, designed by Arthur Erickson in the mid-‘60s.
This past year, architectural science students at BCIT were able to use the home to learn some of Erickson’s techniques, gaining inspiration from the mid-century master.
Peter Lavar, head of the architectural science degree program, was extremely excited when he was initially told about the city-owned heritage home.
“It’s in our backyard here,” he said. “It’s like all of a sudden you come across this treasure that you didn’t know existed.”
The home gives the students a chance to study design techniques on site, and to use the knowledge they gain to contemplate how they’d create modern designs of their own, according to Lavar.
The students study the floor plans, the elevations, the structure of the building, and sketch what makes it unique – floor-to-ceiling windows, wooden support beams, skylights and more.
“We want to get our students to come in and sketch. Basically, use their powers of observation and say, ‘How does this column meet the floor, what is the detail?’” he said. “They start sketching, and they start using their hands, understanding the quality of light.”
The home is built into the hill leading down to the lake, with only one floor facing the road, and boasts a panoramic view of the water. With the wraparound windows, it feels as if the home has grown out of the greenery, right on the very edge of the lake.
The location is something the students focus on, as well, Lavar said.
“It helps them understand the spatial quality and how the architect wanted to engage with the site,” he said. “It’s very well sited on a beautiful lake in quite an urban area, but it doesn’t feel like it at all.”
Other factors the students consider are the climate, and what would work in different climates, as well as how to use Erickson’s design principles while considering energy efficiency.
“This is the kind of thing that inspires them on a residential scale,” Lavar said. “They look for iconic architecture, they look for something that resonates with them, that says, ‘Wow, this is why I’m in your program.’”
The home is kept in the mid-century style, with beige carpets similar to the original flooring, and furniture from the period. Those furnishings and others of the period will soon be part of the curriculum of interior design students at BCIT, according to Lavar.
“We want to get them to start looking at the ’60s furnishings – re-upholstery, sourcing materials,” he said.
The home has become a hub for the program, where student presentations are made, with prominent local architects in attendance.
“It’s a great opportunity for the city and for BCIT to come together, to be able to provide something for the community and for education,” Lavar said.
