Modern Architecture: Residential Homes in Calgary

Blum Residence, 1963, Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources. Heritage Calgary.

Modernism’s Emergence in North America

Modern architectural styles emerged during a time of rapidly transforming attitudes across Europe and North America in the early 20th century. Modern architecture was generally guided by a "form follows function" philosophy and incorporated clean, minimal lines, generous use of glass and light, and modern building materials.

By the mid-1930s, new modernist styles adopted in Europe (such as Bauhaus) were being introduced to North America by a handful of influential European intellectuals and architects who were fleeing Nazi Germany, such as Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Marcel Breuer. The Great Depression had ended North America’s enthusiasm for the traditional architecture of the past; technology and mass production were influencing construction and the booming economy opened new opportunities to build. This drew a new generation of architects into an exciting and liberating atmosphere that embraced the modern spirit (The Modern Frontier: Calgary in the Post-War Era, City of Calgary).

Modern architecture is an umbrella term which encompasses many sub-styles over a span of several decades, including International Style, Brutalism, Expressionism, Structuralism, and Formalism. To some, the style includes transitional architecture like the Art Deco and Arts & Crafts movements, while for some those earlier styles serve as inspiration to modern architects. Modern styles generally include the following characteristics:

clean, minimal lines,
generous use of glass and natural light,
open and spacious floorplans,
modern building materials,
lack of ornamentation and paired down decoration,
and a relationship to the outside environment.

Popular pioneers of modern architectural styles include Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Le Corbusier.

Illustration of the rear of the Calgary Trend House from Brochure. Source: The Trend House Chronicles.

Modernism in Calgary

In 1947, just after the end of the Second World War, the discovery of huge reserves of oil in Leduc fueled an enormous economic boom in Alberta. Over the next three decades, the city of Calgary was radically transformed. During this period Calgary positioned itself as the administrative capital for oil and gas production. This strategic positioning meant that international head offices were moved to or opened in Calgary. Many international firms wanted new office towers with modern amenities and modern houses, thus ushering Calgary into the modern architectural age (The Modern Frontier: Calgary in the Post-War Era, City of Calgary).

Calgary lost little time in reinventing itself. New residents to the city were fueled by entrepreneurial attitudes, and there was a natural acceptance of the new spirit of modernism. Modern architecture began to appear in the city, often in a hybrid style called “Moderne.” These first buildings were either houses such as the Skaken Residence in 1947, or office projects such the Barron Building in 1951 (A Short History of Modern Architecture in Calgary, Graham Livesey. Heritage Calgary).

This embrace of modernism was realized by young architects trained in modern architecture who were either graduates of University of Alberta or moved to Calgary for its opportunities. Some of the city’s most inspired and original architectural works arose during the modern boom in the city. Significant architects include Gordon Atkins, Jack Cawston, Maxwell Bates, Bill Boucock, Jack Long, and the firm of Rule, Wynn & Rule.

The Anderson Residence on the cover of Alberta’s Western Living in October 1977.

Local climatic and regional imperatives influenced Calgary’s architectural response to modern architecture. Driven by functionalism, the rugged climate and harsh Prairie light, Calgary’s Post-war buildings were unapologetic in their bold conception and execution. There were climatic and regional reasons that differentiated the architectural response for elsewhere in the province and the nation, which manifested in what may be termed a Foothills style of architecture.(The Modern Frontier: Calgary in the Post-War Era, City of Calgary).

New homes in Foothills Estates, Calgary, Alberta.", 1964-07, (CU1111052) by Calgary Herald. Courtesy of Glenbow Library and Archives Collection, Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary.

One of the most distinctive characteristics of the post-war development in Calgary was the opening of land for suburban housing. Many new families from widely varied backgrounds moved here seeking new opportunities. This involved the construction of hundreds of individual houses, often in repetitive plans with minor variations. These suburban developments were enormously popular as they provided affordable housing for a rapidly expanding population, and this resulted in an unusually wide acceptance of modern styles of architecture. This was fertile ground for experimentation in design, and the quality of this new housing stock was surprisingly high. Although many of Calgary’s modern residential houses have since been altered or demolished, it is still possible to discern the character of these neighborhoods that were built in concentric rings around the original core of the city (The Modern Frontier: Calgary in the Post-War Era. City of Calgary).

This post explores several residential houses from Calgary’s Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources built in modern styles from 1950-1975.

Allan Residence, Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources. Heritage Calgary.

Allan Residence (1951), 930 Crescent RD NW

The Allan Residence has symbolic value in recalling the oil-fueled prosperous conditions in Calgary following the Second World War, which prompted the final phase of development in Rosedale. In 1945 the last subdivision in the community was created between 8th and 10th Streets, and 13th Avenue south to the bluff. Following the contours of the bluff, this section of Rosedale is distinct from earlier subdivisions that were based on a more typical grid pattern. During the mid-twentieth century, Crescent Road continued its historic role as a particularly desirable location for members of the upper middle-class, including G.H. and Ethel Allan, who built this home. As the owner of Crescent Lumber Ltd, a successful building company based in Calgary, G.H. Allan was typical of other homeowners on the block, who included company presidents, managers, and proprietors.

Allan Residence, Mclean’s Magazine. 1954.

The Allan Residence has further heritage value for its unique design by Rosedale resident Mildred Bocking. Born in Calgary in 1914, Bocking had little formal training in architecture, but had a keen interest in drawing house plans; after designing her own home in Rosedale, she was asked to create plans for both the Allans and another family on Crescent Road. Shortly after the Allan Residence was completed, it was photographed by influential Armenian-Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh for the January 1, 1954 issue of Maclean's magazine, which profiled Calgary as "a town that looks and acts wealthy". Karsh showcased the Allan Residence as an example of the city's impeccable taste and originality in home architecture, which he called the "best in Canada". Originally equipped with an elevator, nine bedrooms, and about a dozen electric fireplaces, it was the height of modern convenience and luxury.

In addition to its unique local design, the Allan Residence also has style value as a vernacular expression of both the Prairie and International styles of architecture. Its dramatic horizontal lines, created by wide projecting eaves and long bands of windows along all three tiers, are reminiscent of the Prairie style. It has been known in the community as “The Wedding Cake House”.

Larson Residence, Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources. Heritage Calgary.

Larson Residence (1952), 918 Crescent Rd NW

This home has heritage value as a rare example in Rosedale of the International style of architecture. Situated on a long pie-shaped lot, the split-level residence includes a single-story rectangular module on the west side, and a two-story module on the east that integrates a lower-level double parking garage. There is a prominent roof overhang covering a second story balcony, which is distinguished by an ornamental wrought iron railing with paneled balusters.

The home further symbolizes the continued significance of Crescent Road during the mid-20th century as a desirable residential street for members of the upper middle-class. During the 1940s and 1950s, Crescent Road was considered a showpiece of Calgary and marketed as one of the finest residential sites in the city owing to its panoramic views of the river valley, city centre, and Rocky Mountains. This property belonged to three successive owners before being purchased in 1950 by Edward and Anne Larson. Located at the most southerly point of Crescent Road, the Larson Residence commands its site. With its distinctive and unusual appearance, it is a well-known landmark in the community of Rosedale.

The Trend House. Source: The Trend House Chronicles.

Calgary Trend House (1953), 730 47 AV SW

The Calgary Trend House is one of only 11 innovative and modern houses built across Canada as part of the Trend House Program from 1953 to 1954. The Calgary Trend House is highly significant as a symbol of new expression in modern living in Calgary after the Second World War, and served as a prototype for Prairie Modernism and innovative technologies in Canadian-based materials and design.

Spurred by nation-wide prosperity and optimism in the post-Second World War boom, the Trend House Program built on the success of the Case Study House program in the United States. This pan-Canadian program was sponsored by the BC Softwood Lumber Association, the Plywood Manufacturers Association and the Consolidated Red Cedar Shingle Association of BC, and was conceived as a platform to display the viability of BC softwood for the production of modern homes for the middle class. Trend Houses were built in various cities across Canada including Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Regina, Winnipeg, Montréal, London, Toronto (2), and Halifax.

Calgary's 'Home of Tomorrow' was completed in 1954 as an innovative design by Rule Wynn & Rule. The firm was a little unusual both in the fact that it was based in Alberta when most of the leading firms were based in the East, and that all the principles had all received their degrees in Architecture in Alberta. The house was opened to the public from April 19 to August 8, 1954 and featured local products and mass-produced materials, with furniture and textiles by Canadian designers selected in partnership with the National Industrial Design Council of Canada. The architecture and design of the Calgary Trend House was considered highly progressive at the time, and the house was acclaimed for its functional innovation that maximized its open spatial qualities and allowed natural light to penetrate throughout the interior spaces.

Mire Katchen Residence, Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources. Heritage Calgary.

Mire Katchen Residence (1954), 800 Prospect Ave SW

The Mire Katchen Residence is one of the pre-eminent examples of the International style in Calgary, and was designed by Clayton, Bond & Mogridge Architects. It is a rare example of Modern architecture in the community, and the best of the type and style in the community. Its design is expressed by a horizontal massing, rectangular plan, and flat roof with large overhang.

Mire Katchen (1906-1990), a successful Calgary cattleman, and his wife Kay, acquired this parcel and commissioned Clayton, Bond and Mogridge to design this International-style house. Architect Al Mogridge conceived the design after consulting the Katchens and their children. In 1936, Mire and his brother Samuel (1910 - 2000) founded Katchen Bros., a meatpacking firm that they later renamed Calgary Packers. Calgary Packers became a major business during the Second World War, second only to Burns in the local industry. When the Katchens sold their business to Canada Packers in 1954, it was the tenth-largest packing firm in Canada. At that time, both Mire and Sam built new homes within a block of each other in Mount Royal. Mire and Kay Katchen lived in this house until 1974.

Blum Residence, Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources. Heritage Calgary.

Blum Residence (1963), 128 Shannon RD SW

The Blum Residence, built in 1963, has high style value as an exceptionally rare example of Expressionist style in the residential context in Calgary. Designed by owner Gerhard Blum, a German-born architect trained at the University of Manitoba, the Blum Residence features dynamic curvilinear sculptural massing, with four circular pods arranged in a shamrock-like composition. Originally built on a large acreage with unencumbered views of the Rocky Mountains, the organic form integrates with the rolling hills of the Foothills, in stark contrast to the angularity of the mountains.

The Blum Residence is further valued for its design value, for its masterful use of thin shell concrete technology. Blum moved from Germany with his wife Irma to Canada in 1952; he was an accomplished mason and opened a private practice as G.A. Blum & Associates. He was responsible for designing the Kingsland Community Hall (1961) and the Summit Complex on Sulphur Mountain in Banff (1980).

Image of the Blum Residence circa 1970s. Source: Report to SPC on Planning and Urban Development, 2018.

The rambling massing of the house echoes Suburban Ranch design in its low horizontality, with thoughtfully placed full-height and clerestory windows to diffuse the piercing prairie light to the interior spaces. When it was built in 1963, the home sat on an acreage with clear views of the Rocky Mountains. The totality of the design was well integrated into the former Foothills landscape, providing protection from the elements and framing views to the mountains through its fully glazed western elevation.

The home was designated as a Municipal Historic Resource in 2018.

Kalbfleisch Residence, Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources. Heritage Calgary.

Kalbfleisch Residence (1967), 2604 Toronto CR NW

The Kalbfleisch Residence, built in 1967, is highly valued as a bold expression of Modern-style architecture in Calgary and reflects the height of the Modern design movement on the Canadian prairies. The residence expresses this style through a high contrast of planes, volumes and materiality; all hallmarks of Modern-style architecture.

Prominent local architect, John Hondema, in collaboration with the property's owner, Ray Kalbfleisch, designed the residence in 1965. Kalbfleisch, who purchased the property with his wife Eileen in 1963, was an administrator with the Calgary School Board (CSB) and was responsible for hiring architects to design the large number of schools being constructed during Calgary's postwar boom. Hondema was one of the preferred architects who had designed several school buildings for the CSB. He also designed the Our Lady Queen of Peace Polish Church in 1967-68.

The Kalbfleisch Residence is also valued as a rare example of design adapted to the local geography and climate of the area. The Kalbfleisch Residence is situated on a bluff overlooking the Bow River Valley and is fully exposed to the elements. Hondema designed the residence to protect, repel and diffuse the impact of the natural environment to the house.

Leavitt Residence, Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources. Heritage Calgary.

Leavitt Residence (1970), 920 Prospect Ave SW

The Leavitt Residence, built in 1970, is valued for its exceptional design and as a rare intact residence by celebrated Modern architect Gordon Atkins. Atkins was part of a new generation of architects in Alberta that redefined Modern style on the prairies, adapting building form and materials to the area's harsh climate and open landscape. His understanding of the comingling of building form, space, and rugged conditions, combined with his keen interest in detail-oriented design contributed to his nationally recognized success; he was the first Alberta architect to win a Massey Medal in 1967. The Leavitt Residence was designed from the outside in, blending natural aspects of the lot to create a private oasis, achieved through its angled orientation and deep setbacks amidst a screen of existing mature trees.

The Leavitt Residence is further valued as an excellent example of the Modern Shed style. This style, a late Modern expressive style, was rapidly adopted by architects in the late 1960s and was inspired by the iconic Sea Ranch Lodge condominium complex in Sonoma County, California by architect Charles Moore. The Modern Shed style emerged as a response to preserving the environment and incorporated bold diagonals, natural materials such as wood and brick, and organic geometry that blended, as opposed to contrasted the surrounding landscape. The Leavitt Residence expresses this style through its shed roof forms grouped in an abstract manner to take advantage of its natural surroundings, single material narrow lapped cedar siding, and obscured entryway tucked under the east façade of building.

Anderson Residence, Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources. Heritage Calgary.

Anderson Residence (1975), 1013 Royal AV SW

The Anderson Residence, completed in 1975, is a dramatic late west coast Modern house significant for its innovative design that showcases the interrelationship between building and nature. Calgary-based architect, Bill Boucock was the architect and structural engineer for the project.

The concept was conceived by first owners, Gail Anderson and Andrew Yeoman, who envisioned a space that incorporated a tropical atrium and maximized stunning vistas to downtown Calgary. Boucock focused the design around a central interior tropical garden. Rustic, unfinished trusses, exposed in the interior and exterior, add texture to the otherwise neutral interior and parallel the central atrium, running through to the outside.

The Anderson Residence is valued as a rare example of late west coast Modern architectural-style in Calgary. Hallmarks of the style include its reliance on wood and seamless integration of the building with the natural environment.

The Anderson Residence also has person value for its association with first owner, Gail Anderson. Anderson is an important figure in Alberta’s arts and cultural scene. She served on Calgary's Public Art Board and spearheaded several important public art initiatives including Calgary's Public Art Policy.