Flying Arrow House
Presenting Flying Arrow House, designed by pioneering Canadian architect Fred Hollingsworth.
Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian vision, this ‘Neoteric’ North Vancouver home combines West Coast modern’s practical and romantic impulses with a repeating post-and-beam design that is firmly grounded in its surrounding landscape. Unaltered since 1952, this single-level home feels expansive yet intimate, with a scissor truss timber ceiling, a 5 ft. tall fireplace, seemingly large enough to explore, and generous light- admitting clerestory windows. Beneath it all, the original, red-tinted concrete floor awaits discovery. And to the west, a wood patio connects the home to a ground floor garden.
A testament to Hollingsworth’s organic design ideals, Flying Arrow House awaits its next custodian.
805 Forest Hills Dr
North Vancouver, BC
Neighbourhood
Edgemont Village
Designer
Fred Hollingsworth
Designed and Built
1950
Price
$2,295,000
Specification
Mid-century Modern
Program
West Coast Modern
Floors
1 Level
Rooms
2 Bed 1 Bath
Building
1,363 sqft
Lot
9,660 sqft
“It’s a house that grows on you.”
– Western Homes and Living, March 1952
Fred Hollingsworth
Canada’s Answer to Frank Lloyd Wright
Born in England and raised in Vancouver, Fred Thornton Hollingsworth designed his first house in 1946 and for over fifty years he has continued to make a significant contribution to the architectural culture on the West Coast of Canada.
During WWII, he worked at the Boeing plant in Vancouver, converting technical aircraft plans into those more easily read by inexperienced fabricators.
Immediately following WWII, in 1946, Hollingsworth set about to build a simple and inexpensive house for his family in Edgemont Village. He took this home design to Thompson, Berwick and Pratt, one of the leading design firms in the city, and soon thereafter they hired him as an articling draftsman and architect. After which he partnered with Barry Downs in the early 1960s. Within his circle of peers was B.C. Binning, Ron Thom, Arthur Erickson, and further afield, Frank Lloyd Wright, who had famously
offered Hollingsworth a job in his early career.
In 1966, Hollingsworth established his own firm. He dubbed his most basic residential properties “Neoteric" houses. These designs were for affordable fir and cedar bungalows, which began with the formulaic post-and-beam design that would be customized for each family. He also typically oversaw the interiors of his properties, designing and fabricating furniture, lighting and even water features.
He is considered one of a handful of innovative architects who were responsible for generating the "West Coast Style" during the middle of the twentieth century. His buildings reflect his sensitive use of space, site and materials, as well as his commitment to a humanistic approach to the built environment.
In 2015, Hollingsworth died at the age of 98.
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