Your Halifax House
Moving into a house is like adopting a really large pet - one that's around you all the time. This website is for Halifax homeowners, especially new ones. It presents different ways of thinking about your house and practical tips on caring for it.
Architecture has a responsibility not only to paying clients, but to the public as a whole. That's you. Your house probably didn't come with an operating manual or a travel guide. If you're a tenant or a student, you may also find some interesting stuff here.
Each topic below poses questions you may have about your house. Each question receives a brief response, with hyperlinks to deeper rabbit holes for those who are curious.
Topics
About
This website is curated by Steve Parcell, a professor at Dalhousie University School of Architecture on the Atlantic coast of Canada. My ordinary house in west-end Halifax was built in 1896 and is still going strong. A few years ago I was a member of the Willow Tree Group, which stood up for homeowners, tenants, and neighbourhoods amidst development pressures.
This site is part of a larger research project on architecture, medicine, health, and Halifax. It also aligns with one of Dalhousie University's core values: community engagement. By supporting local homeowners, it addresses one facet of housing. Other groups in the city are addressing larger issues such as affordable housing, economic inequality, and civic responsibility. The World Health Organization defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being." Your house and your city should help with that.
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Credits: Information for the Services page was assembled with generous assistance from representatives at Halifax Water, Nova Scotia Power, Eastward Energy, Scotia Fuels, Canada Post, and Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency.
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Image credits: In desktop view, hover over an image to view a credit line below. Images without a credit are by the author, are cited in the text, or are obvious.
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Disclaimer: These resources have been assembled with care and checked for accuracy (without using AI), but should not be taken as professional advice.​ This is a non-commercial website.
Contact
Steve Parcell • parcell.halifax@gmail.com
I'm unable to answer questions about your particular house, but comments and suggestions for the website are welcome.