A great dictum of modern architecture - Form Follows Function - will be illustrated when long-time resident and retired architect Trelle Morrow presents his perspective at the Prince George Library on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.
At his talk, Morrow will show about 30 slides of homes and buildings from this unique era in history that spanned the 1950s to the 70s.
"Now, doesn't that sound exciting?" laughed Morrow, an architect in Prince George whose career spanned about 40 years.
The event takes place during Heritage Week, celebrated in communities throughout B.C. from Feb. 18 to 24. The theme of the week is Good Neighbours: Heritage Homes and Neighbourhoods.
"I'm zeroing in on that era for a couple of reasons," said Morrow. "First of all I was a graduate of the University of British Columbia's school of architecture and in that era, I was the only one practicing that had been to UBC. There were a couple of other architects around but the reason I'm zeroing in on that, and using my own work as illustrations, is because I'm talking about the West Coast style that came to a zenith from 1950 to 1970 and that was called the Modern Era."
"We do have some buildings in Prince George that reflect the Modern Era and so that's what I'll be talking about," said Morrow. "I don't think this era has been discussed much in Prince George."
The event came about after Morrow had a talk with Jeff Elder, chair of the Prince George Heritage Commission. The commission is interested in the different time periods and will have an exhibit at the library featuring homes of the 1920s on display as well, Morrow added, who started his architectural practice in 1956.
Morrow made a significant contribution to Prince George by designing several prominent buildings, including Sacred Heart Cathedral, Quinson elementary school, where pentagonal-shaped classrooms were designed to help facilitate changes in teaching methods, and the Prince George Citizen newspaper building, which was noted for its innovative use of laminated spruce timbers during the 1960s.
Just last year, Morrow received the Alice Box Memorial Award in recognition of his lifetime contributions in support of arts and culture in Northern B.C.
"I am suggesting that in the 1950 to 1970 Modern period, there would likely be some buildings that the Heritage Commission would like to recognize, keep track of or document just for historical purposes. I don't really care if it's my building or somebody else's, the point is, is that this modern era existed at that time and it came to a turning point by 1970. So I'm just trying to establish the period in Prince George history and the Heritage Commission can take it from there."
Take in Form Follows Function at the main branch of the library, 887 Dominion St., Thursday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.
