When we got word that the Vancouver Heritage Foundation was planning a lecture about the impact of Western Living in the 1950s and 1960s (then called Western Homes and Living) on the city’s architecture, what could we do but blush? And then immediately invite ourselves to the event so we could show off our delightfully dusty archival copies? 

The inaugural issue of WHL was published in August 1950 (happy belated 69th birthday!) and was modelled after U.S. publication Sunset, with illustrated stories about homes and “West Coast living.” Architects were featured prominently, often for designing their own homes, with photos from now iconic photographers like Selwyn Pullan and Graham Warrington. 

This Tuesday, Greg Bellerby dives into these critical early years of the magazine, and really, there’s no better person to do it: he’s got a 35-year history as a curator and gallery director with a focus on the intersection between visual art, architecture and design, edited 2014’s The West Coast Modern House and produced 2019’s Eppich House II.  

We’ll be on site with vintage copies of the magazine€”1950-1966€”for attendees to paw through before Bellerby digs in to explain how our humble little magazine made modern design accessible and appealing to the middle class, and shaped the way we live today. No big deal, right? Oh, here comes that blush again. 

The Deets
Tuesday, October 1, 2019, 7:30pm – 9pm
University Women's Club of Vancouver at Hycroft, 1489 McRae Avenue
$16/$10 (with a valid student ID)
Register here 

Stacey McLachlan

Stacey McLachlan

Stacey is a senior editor at Western Living magazine, as well as editor-in-chief of sister publication Vancouver magazine. She loves window shopping on the job: send your home accessories and furniture recommendations over to [email protected]