Tuesday, February 20, 2007

The Châtelaine House

The Châtelaine House at Expo 67 was sponsored by the Canadian Lumbermen's Association and the Canadian women's magazine Chatelaine. The 2-storey house was designed by Winnipeg architect Gustavo de Rosa, who won first prize in a nationwide design contest.

The theme of the Châtelaine House was Man and His Home, and everything about it, from building materials to furnishings, was Canadian.

The main floor of the Châtelaine House had a pass-through kitchen which seperated the family room from the living and dining areas. The kitchen was outfitted with the very latest in modern kitchen equipment.

The basement included a garage, a work and a gardening area, and a wine cellar with floor-to-ceiling cubbyholes fashioned from red drainage tiles. There was also a cherrywood-panelled laundry room.

Natural gas played an important role in the functioning of the Châtelaine House. It powered such devices as the furnace, water heater, stove, dryer, fireplace, barbecue, patio lights and pool heater, to name a few.

The house was also equipped with a sophisticated ventilation system: forced air heating and air conditioning emerged from a recessed utility core. This included humidity control and dust, smoke and pollen removal.

images: personal collection

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