Applewood Acres was selected to host two very special and unique housing projects. One was the Better Houses for Canadian Living and the other, a Home for All America, both sponsored by national magazines.
In February of 1953 the Canadian Home Journal magazine announced a series of annual architectural competitions to find new designs for Better Houses for Canadian Living.
All members of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada were invited to compete, cash awards were offered, and in the contest period, hundreds of designs were received from across Canada.
Home ‘53’, located at the south-east corner of Redan and Ribston, was designed by contest winners, Guy Desbarats and Fred Lebensold of Montreal. Their entry was declared outstanding, incorporating many modern imaginative ideas, while still remaining practical and completely livable.
Canadian Home Journal, feeling that this design should be brought before the Canadian public as soon as possible, decided to have Home ‘53’ built for public inspection and approval. The problem of arranging for a reputable builder to erect ‘Home 53’ was solved in the easiest possible fashion. Mr. Jack Kent Cooke, publisher of Canadian Home Journal, had long recognized the ability and proven success of G.S.Shipp and his development, Applewood Acres, as easily being the most outstanding endeavour in Canadian building of the day.
Mr. Shipp shared the enthusiasm for ‘Home 53’ and plans were quickly put into effect, and the result of this new partnership is now evident.
Modern as tomorrow, yet as comfortable as a pair of old shoes, according to a feature story in the Toronto Telegram on September 15,1954, as how the home located at 849 Duchess was described.
The Home for All America was designed by Robert A Little and Associates, a leading U.S. architectural firm from Cleveland, Ohio. The home is a one-storey, three-bedroom home which represents a blend of ideas collected by Better Homes and Gardens Magazine from a panel of 12 families who explained just what they would like in a new home.
Added to this were some of Mr. Shipp’s own ideas and these were enhanced by the interior decorating touches of the T. Eaton Company Ltd.
Intent on creating a home geared to young Canadians, the Duchess Avenue home came to reality after a visit by G.S. Shipp to the National Home Show in Chicago where a similar model was displayed. Mr. Shipp won the contract to build the first one in Canada.
The G.S. Shipp and Son Limited brochure said at the time that their decision to build the Better Homes and Gardens much-talked-about Home for All America was not one which was taken lightly.
“It was the result of many weeks of careful consideration and close study of plans and specifications.”