Homes By Design

The Romanesque Revival style had its origins in the old castles of France and Scotland. In this program, we discover a stunning example of the style in Scotland, and visit the magnificent Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria, B.C. A modern-day castle in West Vancouver exemplifies the style on a smaller yet still extraordinary scale.

This revival style of architecture with its characteristic pointed arch first appeared in Canada in the 1820's. It continued well into the 20th century and was one of the longest lived architectural styles in Canada. We discover three very different homes that exemplify Gothic Revival -- a country villa in England, a beautiful residence in Westmount, Quebec, and a B&B in Picton, Ontario.

Whether in art or architecture, nothing inspires like an ocean view. We look at three contemporary designs that take full advantage of their seaside location in Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Brazil.

The spread of suburban housing has given rise to a new approach to architecture called neo- traditionalism. It's an attempt to capture the look and feel of a small town in a suburban environment. We'll visit Prince Charles' project in Poundbury, England, a Seaside, Florida waterfront community, a unique housing subdivision in Markham, Ontario, and a bedroom community of Calgary, Alberta.

As urban land becomes scarcer and more expensive, buildings and spaces previously overlooked are being recycled for housing. We look at how unusual sites in the inner city are being reclaimed and re-used. We find a unique loft in London, England, reclaimed space in Montreal, and a Vancouver industrial site that have been re-designed as unique living spaces.

This program explores the impact of England's architectural styles on our wealthiest residential areas. We look at the elegant homes of Toronto's Rosedale, Vancouver's Shaughnessy Heights and Montreal's Westmount. Visuals from various British homes are used to give context to each architectural style.