Design
How Wartime Victory Houses Shaped Modern Toronto
Homes built for World War II veterans created a blueprint for the city’s suburbs — but their simple design and small size have put them at risk of being torn down.
A ‘Victory House’ in the North York district of Toronto.
Photographer: Galit Rodan/Bloomberg
(This article is part of our ongoing series exploring the iconic home designs that shaped global cities. Read more from the series and sign up to get the next story sent directly to your inbox.)
When soldiers began returning to Toronto after the Second World War, housing was scarce. The resulting “Victory Houses” — modest, unassuming and practical —embody the sensibility of the time and city in which they were built, and still have legions of fans to this day.