Crowley Property in Ochre Pit Cove

Starting Point

The Crowley Property stood in Ochre Pit Cove for 110 years and was among the 200 structures lost to the wildfires this summer. A provincially registered heritage structure and a landmark on the north shore of Conception Bay, it held a residence, a large stable, a root cellar, a garage, and a paling fence: a complete picture of an era when agricultural land ran down to the sea. There is no longer a building to conserve.

Integrated Strategy

The documentation was taken on pro bono. Drawing rather than photography allows the property to be shown whole, in the condition people carry in their heads rather than the one it was in at the end. As the illustrations developed, a postcard became the obvious form for them. Postcards are of a place. They hold a moment and a feeling rather than a specification, which is close to what people reached for when they described what the property meant to them.

Lasting Impact

The postcard leaves something to hold of a landmark that no longer stands, and a record of a building type disappearing from this coast. It is part of a standing commitment to offer pro bono architecture and design to community and conservation organizations, on the principle that aligning actions with values means giving time as well as charging for it.