Annual Laneway Home Tours

The most recent laneway home tour was held in October 2014, and was sponsored by the Vancouver Heritage Foundation. Each year, a self-guided tour of laneway homes reveals the ins and outs of this way to preserve heritage and still encourage greater density.

Below are the homes featured in this last tour:

Of course we know that the concept of laneway houses isn’t new. From the early days in Vancouver temporary small homes were lived in while larger houses were being built on the same property. In addition, coach houses, carriage houses and other temporary houses for staff or relatives were also common in the beginning of the life of our city.

Since December 2010, Vancouver Heritage Foundation has hosted an annual Laneway House Tour. They encourage Laneway housing that offers opportunities for sustainable retention of existing heritage houses, and can enhance the character of a neighborhood. Called “densification without demolition”, these little houses in the lane are a very positive tool in preserving heritage, even when they come in the form of modern infills.

Laneway homes that are built behind existing structures and are complementary to the character of the existing home as well as the surrounding neighborhood can be a tremendous asset to the city, which is why the Vancouver Heritage Foundation gives them this support.

Their annual self-guided tour for 2015 will be announced early next year, and we look forward to seeing more examples of innovative design and sustainability in a neighborhood setting.

Link HERE for more details, photos and descriptions of Laneway Homes on the Vancouver Heritage Foundation website.