Re-purposed

Here at Meandering In Lotus Land we don't like to do actual research. 
It makes our brain hurt. 
A quick reconnoitre seems to indicate that this is an ex-church converted to apartments.

Prior St. @ Jackson St.

Light

Getting inside Holy Name Catholic Church to take some photos of the glass was not as easy as one might expect. Without going into a great palaver, suffice it to say I finally made it. 

I'm very fond of the simple geometric pattern and the pink and blue colour used in these windows.

I had actually spent a few hours looking for information on this church and these windows and it wasn't until after the post was published that I discovered that the windows are listed in the Public Art Registry. 

I'm gaining a lot of respect for folks who conduct any sort of research, it's not as easy as it might seem.

More Questions Than Answers

Holy Name Catholic Church has been on the corner of Cambie St. and W. 33rd Ave. for 45 years. When I was a dumb kid I didn't like the design at all. 

Now I think it is one of the most appealing examples of church architecture in the city. I thought it would be a cinch to get the pertinent information on the architect and the year it was built but it wasn't. The parish didn't have any information and after considerable assistance from the reference staff at the Vancouver Public Library I still wasn't much further ahead.

What I know is this, the church was built in 1963. Most significantly, the design on the exterior is the work of George A. Norris. There will be more of George's work featured on VDP in the future. In the absence of information to the contrary, and based on what I have read, I have to assume that George Norris was responsible for the design of the stained glass too.

Tomorrow, the stained glass. 

For the next week I'm going to post pics I took on a trip to downtown this morning. It's going to be as dull as it sounds, maybe duller.

Spires

Holy Rosary Cathedral was completed in 1900. I have never been inside but I guess I'd better venture in soon. 

I've documentary items on TV so I know the bells are rung by hand. 

The church underwent a major refurbishment in the last decade or so. At least some of the craftsmen who did the work came over from Scotland for the duration of the job. Imagine that. They'd have felt right at home weather-wise. 

I'm on a train trip to Toronto but I'll be checking in whenever I have internet access. Back 12/16/08

One of the Best

I've passed St. James Anglican Church hundreds of times. Even as a kid there was something about it that appealed to me. Later it became one of my favourite churches for it's style. It is wedged between two earlier church buildings, a rectory and a residence. 

My first impulse was to think of the style as Art Deco but after a bit of reading I realize it is Art Deco influenced by earlier styles, including Byzantine.

Architect:  Adrian Gibert Scott

Completed: 1937