A History of Canadian Architecture, Volumes 1 and 2

Denise C. Jakal is an architectural writer in Edmonton.

Harold Kalman’s well-conceived two-volume set, which builds on Alan
Gowan’s 1966 study, Building Canada, features much of the excellent
research that has been done on Canadian architecture since then.

Kalman explicitly rejects the traditional architecture/building
dichotomy found in most architectural histories. As a result, he opens
up a vast area of building not usually considered by architectural
historians. The book covers a variety of topics, including those not
normally found in architectural surveys—the first European summer
fishing stations in Newfoundland; the canals and bridges that expanded
newcomers’ hold on the land; settlements in the Yukon and Northwest
Territories.

The text is organized chronologically and geographically, and then
(loosely) by building type. Attention is paid to the various systems of
land distribution, the early formation of hamlets and villages, and the
increasing regulation of building communities. Unlike Gowan’s earlier
work, Kalman’s intermingles illustrations with the text. The style of
writing is clear and readable. All of this adds up to an excellent
introduction to the buildings of Canada that offers the reader a firm
understanding of how and why our country has evolved as it has.