Hart Massey House National Historic Site of Canada

Designated in 2018, the Hart Massey House National Historic Site of Canada was commemorated for its iconic example of mid-century modern residential architecture in Canada, and a particularly Canadian example of the International style because of its sensitivity to its natural surroundings; the minimalist structure consists of a series of modular boxes enclosed by alternating glass and opaque walls, which open the house to its site creating a completely unique architectural ensemble; the personal tastes and modernist ideals of its architect, Hart Massey, who designed it for himself and his family in 1959; it earned him the Silver Medal of the Massey Awards for Architecture, the highest honour at the time; and elevated on thin steel columns so that it appears to float above its sloped site on McKay Lake, the house was designed to preserve the integrity of its natural environment; its architecture is an extension of the landscape, and its dramatic expanses of glass erase the line between indoor and outdoor space. (HSMBC, 2018)