Neighbors, consider this a call to arms. A call to reject uniformity, conformity, and mediocrity. Brothers and sisters, resist the urge of the lowest common denominator.
Are we talking about Stephen Harper’s government? No. Movies that star Adam Sandler? No.
This scourge is much more insidious. And it’s spreading around us as we speak.
It’s a trend I refer to as the “homogenization of the ‘hood.”
My part of Halifax is made up largely of quaint little pre-fab houses - mostly bungalows - that were built around the time of WWII. Folks who have lived around here longer than I have say the houses were built for the workers contributing to the war effort.
There’s nothing particularly significant about these homes, but each is unique in its own small way. They have a kind of “retro” aesthetic and they’re still relatively cheap compared to a lot of homes, so when they go up for sale, they tend to get snapped up pretty quickly.
But with the sale of every cottage-y little home, I grow more and more disheartened. Because inevitably, here is what’s going to happen:
First, the new owners will tear off the old asbestos shingles (…I know!). Then they’ll gut the place and add a storey or two. (…Okay, that makes sense.) But then – and this happens on a far too regular basis – they’ll wrap the whole darn thing in the ugliest substance known to humankind: beige vinyl siding.
These revamped studies in brown often have nothing that makes them unique. No welcoming porch. No creative focal points. Teeny little windows. In short, they are watertight boxes with no character whatsoever. Sure, these weren’t gorgeous Victorian homes to start with, but does everybody have to go with the most insipid, utilitarian exterior possible?
The more of these unimaginative homes that pop up around me, the more depressed I get. Who wants to live in a neighborhood full of beige – sorry, “Sandalwood” - blandness?
I guess I shouldn’t be so judgmental. Maybe some people choose beige vinyl because it’s, like, their favourite.
But it does seem kind of ironic that just as this city is becoming more conscious of design issues and aesthetics – particularly in the downtown core - those of us in the residential neighborhoods are left to watch helplessly as our whimsical little homes are slowly becoming… well, boring.
Are we talking about Stephen Harper’s government? No. Movies that star Adam Sandler? No.
This scourge is much more insidious. And it’s spreading around us as we speak.
It’s a trend I refer to as the “homogenization of the ‘hood.”
My part of Halifax is made up largely of quaint little pre-fab houses - mostly bungalows - that were built around the time of WWII. Folks who have lived around here longer than I have say the houses were built for the workers contributing to the war effort.
There’s nothing particularly significant about these homes, but each is unique in its own small way. They have a kind of “retro” aesthetic and they’re still relatively cheap compared to a lot of homes, so when they go up for sale, they tend to get snapped up pretty quickly.
But with the sale of every cottage-y little home, I grow more and more disheartened. Because inevitably, here is what’s going to happen:First, the new owners will tear off the old asbestos shingles (…I know!). Then they’ll gut the place and add a storey or two. (…Okay, that makes sense.) But then – and this happens on a far too regular basis – they’ll wrap the whole darn thing in the ugliest substance known to humankind: beige vinyl siding.
These revamped studies in brown often have nothing that makes them unique. No welcoming porch. No creative focal points. Teeny little windows. In short, they are watertight boxes with no character whatsoever. Sure, these weren’t gorgeous Victorian homes to start with, but does everybody have to go with the most insipid, utilitarian exterior possible?The more of these unimaginative homes that pop up around me, the more depressed I get. Who wants to live in a neighborhood full of beige – sorry, “Sandalwood” - blandness?
I guess I shouldn’t be so judgmental. Maybe some people choose beige vinyl because it’s, like, their favourite.
But it does seem kind of ironic that just as this city is becoming more conscious of design issues and aesthetics – particularly in the downtown core - those of us in the residential neighborhoods are left to watch helplessly as our whimsical little homes are slowly becoming… well, boring.
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