Eden Smith
Encyclopedia
Eden Smith was born in Birmingham
, England
but achieved fame as a Toronto
, Ontario
architect
belonging to the Arts and Crafts movement
. He was a founding member of The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto
(in 1908) and first president of the Architectural Eighteen Club (in 1900).
His early buildings include St. Simon, near Bloor St. E. and St. John the Evangelist, Portland St., otherwise known as the Garrison Church, which was demolished in November, 1963, Grace Church on the Hill
and St. Thomas's Anglican Church (Toronto), where he was a parishioner. He designed the preparatory school of Upper Canada College
and the Forest Hill residence of Frederick Wilhelm Kischel (later the site of Thornton Hall Private School
).
Smith built St. Hilda's College (1899), on the grounds of Trinity College, now University of Trinity College
; and Devonshire Place (1907) Devonshire House Residences, both on the grounds of the University of Toronto
.
During the First World War, he built three Carnegie libraries for the Toronto Public Library
: the Wychwood branch, the High Park branch, and the Beaches branch. In 1913, he designed the Riverdale Courts, later the Bain Co-op, an early low-income housing project near Withrow Park
in Riverdale
. He is also credited with the Studio Building (Toronto)
, which was the non-profit home/studio of many of the Group of Seven (artists)
.
He designed many of the homes in the Wychwood Park
neighbourhood and is thought to have built approximately 2,500 residences in Toronto over his career. His homes are strongly influenced by the English Arts and Crafts movement and many fall within the English Cottage style with steeply pitched roofs, tall chimneys, bands of small-paneled casement windows, and side-center internal plans.
He retired in 1925, marking the end of the Eden Smith & Son practice which he ran with the assistance of his younger son Ralph Eden Smith (1890 - 1972). He died on October 10, 1949 and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Guelph, ON. His elder son Harry Smith had also been an architect and worked with his father from 1907 until World War I.
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
but achieved fame as a Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
belonging to the Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
. He was a founding member of The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto
The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto
The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto is a private club in Toronto, Ontario which brings together writers, architects, musicians, painters, graphic artists, actors, and others working in or with a love of the arts....
(in 1908) and first president of the Architectural Eighteen Club (in 1900).
Toronto buildings
Smith was a prolific Toronto architect who designed a variety of buildings, although he is best remembered for his domestic architecture. He arrived in Toronto in 1888 with his wife Annie, and began Eden Smith architectural practice in 1892.His early buildings include St. Simon, near Bloor St. E. and St. John the Evangelist, Portland St., otherwise known as the Garrison Church, which was demolished in November, 1963, Grace Church on the Hill
Grace Church on the Hill
Grace Church on-the-Hill is an Anglican Church of Canada parish in Toronto, Ontario. It is featured in the novel A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, and is a member of the Churches on the Hill group...
and St. Thomas's Anglican Church (Toronto), where he was a parishioner. He designed the preparatory school of Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College , located in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is an independent elementary and secondary school for boys between Senior Kindergarten and Grade Twelve, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The secondary school segment is divided into ten houses; eight are...
and the Forest Hill residence of Frederick Wilhelm Kischel (later the site of Thornton Hall Private School
Thornton Hall
Thornton Hall Private School was an incorporated Canadian co-educational private high school that operated for half a century from 1948 to 1997. It was founded by Stuart E...
).
Smith built St. Hilda's College (1899), on the grounds of Trinity College, now University of Trinity College
University of Trinity College
The University of Trinity College, informally referred to as Trin, is a college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1851 by Bishop John Strachan. Trinity was intended by Strachan as a college of strong Anglican alignment, after the University of Toronto severed its ties with the Church of...
; and Devonshire Place (1907) Devonshire House Residences, both on the grounds of the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
During the First World War, he built three Carnegie libraries for the Toronto Public Library
Toronto Public Library
Toronto Public Library is a public library system based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest public library system in Canada and in 2008, had averaged a higher...
: the Wychwood branch, the High Park branch, and the Beaches branch. In 1913, he designed the Riverdale Courts, later the Bain Co-op, an early low-income housing project near Withrow Park
Withrow Park
Withrow Park is a park in the Riverdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Laid out and constructed in the 1910s, at the same time that the surrounding community was built, Withrow Park is among Toronto's large multi-purpose parks...
in Riverdale
Riverdale, Toronto
Riverdale is a large neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded by the Don River Valley to the west, Danforth Avenue and Greektown to the north, Jones Avenue, the CN/GO tracks, and Leslieville to the east, and Lake Shore Boulevard to the south....
. He is also credited with the Studio Building (Toronto)
Studio Building (Toronto)
The Studio Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada was the home and working studio of several of the famous Group of Seven painters, their predecessors, and their artistic descendants, and is of enormous significance in the history of Canadian art...
, which was the non-profit home/studio of many of the Group of Seven (artists)
Group of Seven (artists)
The Group of Seven, sometimes known as the Algonquin school, were a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920-1933, originally consisting of Franklin Carmichael , Lawren Harris , A. Y. Jackson , Franz Johnston , Arthur Lismer , J. E. H. MacDonald , and Frederick Varley...
.
He designed many of the homes in the Wychwood Park
Wychwood Park
Wychwood Park is a neighbourhood enclave and former gated community in Toronto, Canada. The small community is located north of Davenport Road and just west of Bathurst Street. It was founded as an artists colony in the late nineteenth century as a private project by painter Marmaduke Matthews...
neighbourhood and is thought to have built approximately 2,500 residences in Toronto over his career. His homes are strongly influenced by the English Arts and Crafts movement and many fall within the English Cottage style with steeply pitched roofs, tall chimneys, bands of small-paneled casement windows, and side-center internal plans.
He retired in 1925, marking the end of the Eden Smith & Son practice which he ran with the assistance of his younger son Ralph Eden Smith (1890 - 1972). He died on October 10, 1949 and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Guelph, ON. His elder son Harry Smith had also been an architect and worked with his father from 1907 until World War I.