A man behind the restoration of federally owned heritage properties in Ottawa was at home in the woods of North Vancouver.
The former family home of the late Arthur James Capling sold for just under $2.1 million on Friday, the same day it listed on the market.
Built in 1955, Capling designed the home for his family on a quarter-acre lot at 4249 Capilano Rd.
Laid out over two floors, the 1,869-square-foot house has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The build features post-and-beam construction, with cedar plank ceilings and millwork throughout.
The home is perched atop a slope, with many large windows looking out into the forest of Capilano River Regional Park.
When contacted to sell the home, real estate agent Trent Rodney said the owners had a strong desire to preserve the property, but no budget to stage it.
Rodney said he quickly got a team together to curate an attractive interior design. After photos were taken and posted to social media, Rodney said a family that lives on the same street as the Capling home made an offer almost immediately after an early access tour.
Lesser known than some of his West Coast peers, Arthur James – often called Art – Capling grew up in Smithers, B.C. and went on to study architecture at UBC. He later relocated to Montreal to complete a masters of architecture in 1967 at McGill University.
His masters thesis was called Ornamental Elements of Cities, recalls Steve Gairns, chair of the West Coast Modern League.
Capling is most recognized for his work as chief architect for the National Capital Commission of Ottawa, a Crown corporation that owns and manages more than one-tenth of all lands in the Capital Region.
In the 1970s, Capling was behind an effort to restore heritage properties on Sussex Drive and ByWard Market.
