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BELOW: A LOOK AT THE OLD HOUSE VERSUS THE NEW ONE

Historian Michael Kluckner described the house as “unneighbourly” but par for the course — the ultimate expression of our society’s evolution from a front-porch culture to a courtyard culture.

A century ago, Vancouver houses looked outward, their windows as eyes on the street with front porches that allowed for interaction with neighbours, said Kluckner. But throughout the decades, “there was a turning inward that has accelerated.”

Modern homes now usually present “an almost blank face on the street,” with drawn windows and an expansion of the backyard as a private recreational space. “You realize how much the design of a house … has the ability to connect with people and how much of that has disappeared,” he said.

Former city councillor and urban planner Gordon Price, who posted an emailed discussion on the eye-catching house on his blog, said the house is polarizing. “It’s one of those things where no one has a middle opinion. You love it or you hate it.”

Architect Tony Robins said he wanted to create something iconic on that high-profile corner. He’s heard the criticism but said they’re outnumbered by praise from people who like the design.