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J. K. English Architecture Project

A photography project documenting the mid-century modern architecture of Joseph K. English.

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J. K. English Architecture Project

J. K. English Architecture Project

J. K. English Architecture Project

J. K. English Architecture Project

J. K. English Architecture Project

A photography project documenting the mid-century modern architecture of Joseph K. English.

A photography project documenting the mid-century modern architecture of Joseph K. English.

A photography project documenting the mid-century modern architecture of Joseph K. English.

A photography project documenting the mid-century modern architecture of Joseph K. English.

Kiely Ramos
Kiely Ramos
Kiely Ramos
Kiely Ramos
1 Campaign |
Toronto, Canada
$6,358 USD $6,358 USD 57 backers
60% of $10,568 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Overview
Joseph K. English was a mid-century Canadian architect whose modernist buildings still stand in the urban centres of Edmonton and Calgary and in towns across the prairie provinces. Most of his buildings are now more than fifty years old and are slowly disappearing. With your help I will be able to research English's projects, find his remaining buildings and photograph them before any more are demolished. A website dedicated to his work will be created from the project.

St. Pius X Catholic Church, Edmonton, Alberta, 1954.

Short Summary

Documenting the work of architect Joseph K. English is about recognizing a prolific, though relatively unknown practitioner who designed numerous modern buildings in Canada during the mid-century era.  It is also about capturing a small part of architectural history before it is too late.

After serving as a Lancaster bomber pilot during the Second World War, English attended the University of Manitoba's School of Architecture and went on to establish his architectural practice in the province of Alberta in the mid-1950s.  With a distinct modernist sensibility, he designed elementary schools, churches, community centres, civic buildings and residences that appear across the urban landscapes of Edmonton and Calgary, as well as many rural towns in western Canada.

The idea for the J.K. English Architecture Project was sparked in the summer of 2009 when I invited my "Grandpa Joe" to revisit some of the buildings he had designed and to reminisce about his 25-year career as an architect. Besides learning more about my grandfather’s architectural practice directly from the source, I was able to travel with him to see a number of his buildings and photograph them before he passed away in January 2010.

Although a few of English’s buildings have been listed as historic resources for preservation in the cities of Edmonton and Calgary, others have long since been torn down. Two more have been demolished since the start of this project and there are certainly others that have yet to be identified.

In the past seven years I have been able to photograph more than 30 buildings and track down many archival photos and original blueprints in museums and provincial archives, but there are still many more to be researched and documented and time is running out.  With the success of this campaign, I will be able to finish documenting his remaining buildings before any more disappear.

 

Above:  Holy Name Catholic Church, Calgary, Alberta, 1959. 
Below: St. Pius X Catholic Church, Edmonton, Alberta, 1954.

The Goal

My hope is that the resulting research and documentation from this project will contribute to the records and archives of modern architecture in Canada and be available to historians, archivists, curators, students and anyone interested in Canadian architectural history.  Ideally, it will also increase awareness in the wider community about the history of modern architecture in Western Canada and bring about a greater understanding of the importance of preserving architecture of this era.

The vast majority of the research and documentation will be completed within the next year and the photographs and archival materials will be presented as a website.

 

What You Get

Cool things are in store if you back this project!  We have beautifully printed postcards, posters and canvas bags. We're also offering limited-edition photographs of English’s architecture and the opportunity to join me on a photo shoot.

We will be adding more perks throughout the 30-day campaign, so stay tuned.

Postcards featuring architectural renderings by J.K. English:
 

Set of four postcards:

Poster (22" x 28") featuring the original architectural rendering for the Snowridge Lodge Complex project :

 

 

Limited-Edition Photograph (11"x 14") by Kiely Ramos - Choice of eight different prints:

1. Didsbury County Office, 1960

 

2. Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, Innisfail, Alberta, 1958

 

3. Scandinavian Centre (formerly St. Joseph's Parish Hall), Calgary, Alberta, 1960

 

4. Mount Lion Lutheran Church, Edmonton, Alberta 1955

5-8. From top left, clockwise:  Mount Zion Lutheran Church (Edmonton), Holy Name Church (Calgary), St. Pius X Church (Edmonton) and St. Ambrose Church (Coaldale).


Canvas Tote Bag featuring a detail from the original plans for the Snowridge Lodge Complex project:

 

Limited-Edition Watercolor Print (8"x 10") by J.K. English:

The Budget

The majority of the funding will go towards travel to and within Alberta to get to approximately 40 building locations.  It will also cover the costs of documentation (high-resolution scans and copies of blueprints, building permits and archival photographs), photography equipment rentals, the creation and shipping of campaign perks, the Indiegogo platform fees and the expenses related to the website design.

 

The Basic Plan

  • To conduct research at city and provincial archives, libraries, museums and at building locations to find documentation related to Joseph K. English's architecture projects. 
  • To create a comprehensive list and timeline of English's architecture projects.
  • To find and photograph existing buildings that have not yet been documented and create a record of their location, appearance and overall condition.
  • To create an online resource of English’s work, featuring both historical and contemporary photographs, original architectural drawings, plans and other archival materials.

 

Other Ways You Can Help

All contributions big or small are a great help in moving this project forward.  Please spread the word by sharing, tweeting, emailing or linking to this campaign using the share tools at the top of the page.  Good 'ol word-of-mouth works too.

 

Community Support for the project:

“As a shaper of the built landscape of Alberta, Joseph K. English is an architect who deserves recognition.  His work and its proper documentation is important and the funding of this project will result in valuable information that will be used by future generations of Albertans to study their past.”

–Linda Fraser, Archivist and Chief Curator, Canadian Architectural Archives

“Documenting J. K. English’s work will offer insights into architectural culture, in its social context, at a decisive period in Alberta and in Canada. [It] will offer the opportunity for a deeper appreciation of this period of architecture and will be of immense value to subsequent historians, curators and students and a wider interested public.”

“As current pressures of growth and development continue to threaten modernist buildings, extending appreciation of this legacy becomes urgent.  This makes Ms. Ramos’ current project especially timely.”

– Victoria V. Baster, Professor, University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Fine Art

“The project objectives will be a valuable contribution to the historical record of Mr. English’s work and architectural practices, as well as to the built heritage of the Edmonton region and that of the wider province.  We applaud her initiative in this work.”

– Allison Argy-Burgess, Former Executive Director, Edmonton Heritage Council

“[English’s] work certainly merits the photographic study you propose, and your talent and experience as a professional photographer promise an outstanding visual record.”

– Dr. Michael McMordie, Professor Emeritus, University of Calgary, architectural historian, former president of the Calgary Civic Trust Society and The Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada

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    Choose your Perk

    Thank You

    Currency Conversion $4 USD
    $5 CAD
    A "thank you" on the website created from the project and your name listed as a contributor.
    Estimated Shipping
    March 2018
    1 claimed

    Postcard With Personal Message

    Currency Conversion $7 USD
    $10 CAD
    A single postcard of one of J.K. English's architectural renderings with a personal "thank you" message on the back.
    Estimated Shipping
    May 2017
    1 out of 100 of claimed
    Ships worldwide.

    Set of Four Postcards

    Currency Conversion $18 USD
    $25 CAD
    A set of four, black & white postcards, each of a different architectural rendering by J. K. English.
    Estimated Shipping
    May 2017
    9 out of 75 of claimed
    Ships worldwide.

    Screen-printed Canvas Bag

    Currency Conversion $35 USD
    $50 CAD
    A high-quality, cotton canvas bag featuring an elevation graphic of the Snowridge Lodge Complex, designed by J.K. English in 1967.
    Estimated Shipping
    May 2017
    11 out of 75 of claimed
    Ships worldwide.

    Watercolor Print

    Currency Conversion $35 USD
    $50 CAD
    A limited-edition 8 x 10 art print of a J.K. English watercolor painting completed during his first year at the University of Manitoba in 1947. Edition of 100.
    Estimated Shipping
    May 2017
    2 out of 100 of claimed
    Ships worldwide.

    Limited-Edition Photograph

    Currency Conversion $70 USD
    $100 CAD
    An 11" x 14" photograph of a J.K. English building taken by Kiely Ramos. Choice of four images, edition of 100/image.
    Estimated Shipping
    May 2017
    4 out of 100 of claimed
    Ships worldwide.

    Limited-Edition Poster

    Currency Conversion $106 USD
    $150 CAD
    A 22" x 28" poster featuring the architectural rendering of the Snowridge Lodge Complex. Edition of 100.
    Estimated Shipping
    May 2017
    4 out of 100 of claimed
    Ships worldwide.

    Combo Package 1

    Currency Conversion $176 USD
    $250 CAD
    Receive a combination of the perks above - the postcard set, screen-printed canvas bag, limited-edition 22" x 28" poster and limited-edition 11" x 14" photograph of your choice.
    Estimated Shipping
    May 2017
    2 out of 20 of claimed
    Ships worldwide.

    Combo Package 2

    Currency Conversion $211 USD
    $300 CAD
    Receive the same as Combo Package 1 + the limited-edition watercolor print.
    Estimated Shipping
    May 2017
    1 out of 10 of claimed
    Ships worldwide.

    Combo Package 1 + Photo Shoot

    Currency Conversion $352 USD
    $500 CAD
    Receive a combination of the perks above - the postcard set, screen-printed canvas bag, limited-edition 22 x 28 poster, limited-edition 11 x 14 photograph + a chance to join me and a local architect/historian on a photo shoot (location to be discussed).
    Estimated Shipping
    May 2017
    8 out of 10 of claimed
    Ships worldwide.

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