Vancouver special

The architectural style was generally utilized from the 1960s to 1980s due to an ability to maximize floor space with relatively cheap construction costs.

[4][5] In response to public reaction to the proliferation of this design, the City of Vancouver made changes to the single-family zoning regulations[how?]

[citation needed] Vancouver specials are front-gabled, two-storey, boxy houses built on grade (i.e., without a raised foundation), with low-pitched roofs.

The front door is typically set to one side of the house, which allows for main living quarters on the upper floor and secondary suites on the bottom.

The housing architecture also can be found substantially in Victoria, Comox, Duncan and Nanaimo (on Vancouver Island) but is less common due to the different economic conditions and constraints there.