The Dorothies
- City: Kerrisdale, Vancouver
- Status: Complete
- Category: Heritage
- Designations: Vancouver Heritage Register
The Challenge
Finding a new home for two historical, fairytale homes to preserve their unique heritage value while adapting them to a modern context.
About this Project
The Dorothies are a set of charming, mirrored twin houses constructed between 1931 and 1932 in the Kerrisdale neighbourhood of Vancouver. Named after Dorothy Smith and Dorothy MacMillian, early longtime residents of the homes, the houses were finished to a high quality and were well-preserved over their lifetime. From a heritage perspective, the Dorothies are most valued for their connection to the interwar development of the Kerrisdale neighbourhood and for their Tudor Revival style.
Following a threat of demolition of the Dorothies in their original location to make way for redevelopment, we identified a receiver site a few blocks away and moved the houses in 2014. Moving two historic houses, each weighing 50 tons, is a colossal undertaking. Entering a Heritage Revitalization Agreement with the City of Vancouver enabled the viability of this project and allowed us to restore the houses to their original character. With no detail spared, all historical elements were refurbished, including windows, front doors, guards, stucco and timber trims.
The Dorothies were adapted to a modern context by adding garden level suites and two duplex units behind the houses. We carefully crafted a quietly modern aesthetic with a modest palette to create a complementary backdrop to the Dorothies. The dedicated restoration of the Dorothies means that these fairytale houses, both listed on Vancouver’s heritage registry, will grace Vancouver’s prestigious Kerrisdale neighbourhood in perpetuity.
