Doors to Vancouver Specials set to open
The Vancouver Heritage Foundation is once again offering the public a chance to tour a handful of Vancouver Specials that have been transformed — some modestly, some enormously.
This year’s self-guided Vancouver Special House Tour takes place on April 22 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
“While some are modestly updated and keep the well-known basic floor plan of the original Special, others have been completely redesigned so as to be almost unrecognizable,” says a prepared foundation release detailing the event.
Among the five properties on the tour is one that’s been redesigned as a nod to the owners’ cultural heritage.
“Drawing inspiration from the Okinawan and Metis heritage of the owners, this renovated Special features a traditional Japanese room with tatami flooring and shoji screens, while outside, the home exterior utilizes colour and design principals based on the indigenous medicine wheel,” says the release.
The tour also demonstrates the adaptability of the Special to suit multi-generational living. “With parents and grown children living under one roof, these homes offer creative design solutions for how two separate suites in the same house can feel independent while keeping families close.”
All the homes on the tour are in relative close proximity on Vancouver’s east side, making the tour bike friendly. The foundation has partnered with a bike shop to provide cyclists with air, oil and mechanical support.
Tickets are $30, and $23 for students with valid ID. For tickets or more information, visit
vancouverheritagefoundation or call 604-264-9642.