Mansell Overand House

Located on the former rose garden of Mansell Overand’s family home at 314 First Street, this house is an excellent example of mid-century modern design. It is one of the few homes of this style in the neighborhood and one of the last architecturally designed homes built in Queen’s Park until the 1970s. Completed in 1946, it stood out as "avant-garde" amid the traditional architectural style of the neighboring homes. The Overands commissioned a young Vancouver architect, Robert Alexander Berwick, to design their home, which was built by well-known New Westminster contractor W.G. Steele. Berwick later became a partner in the progressive architectural firm Sharp and Thompson, Berwick and Pratt. During WWII, Berwick served with the Construction Engineering Branch of the Royal Canadian Air Force, where he perfected techniques for using plywood in building construction. This innovation was reflected in the house's striated plywood soffits and porch roofs, originally varnished but now painted. Inside, only a small section of the original striated plywood remains in the stairwell. Berwick designed many houses under his own name, and the Overand house is an early example of his modern style. He later designed numerous landmark homes across the Lower Mainland and was the primary architect for the British Properties development in West Vancouver. The house features large windows, stone, and wrought iron elements, characteristic of mid-century modern design. The oversized windows open up the interior spaces, allowing natural light to flow in and bringing the outdoors inside. While the original floor plan remains intact, the current owners have made some internal changes. The living room bar was built into what was originally thought to be a closet, and French doors were added to the master bedroom in the late 1990s. The former master bedroom is now a den. The kitchen and main bathroom have been updated, but the basement bathroom remains a classic example of 1946 trends.