During the 1960s and early 1970s Minto built semi-detached houses in a few neighbouhoods inside the greenbelt, including Beacon Hill, Borden Farm, Briargreen, Parkwood Hills and Tanglewood.   Some were previously shared on an older post: Mid-Century Modern semi-detached houses in Parkwood Hills .  I am missing a few from this era, but here is everything I have from inside the greenbelt: The facade of this design plays with solids and voids through blank walls and inset balconies. The result is visually interesting, but the small windows limit natural light in the living room. A while ago I posted on the blank walls that Minto often used in their exterior designs during this time period:  The Minto Blank Wall The Maplewood version above has only 1 front-facing window on the second floor per unit. The design is a melange of traditional with the shutters, but the large picture windows and the blank walls on the second floor add a sense of mo...

The following is a posting that I started in 2010, but for some reason I did not publish it. So, I added more content and here it is! The Parkwood Hills neighbourhood has some great examples of Mid-Century modern design - particularly in the form of semi-detached houses built by Minto. These flat-roofed models are perhaps the most altered houses in Parkwood Hills. The house on the far right seems to be fairly intact - although I suspect the shutters are not original. On the left, a peaked roof was added to the garage - a common alteration. Many owners have replaced the large picture windows with smaller versions. It is also common for homeowners to enclose the front porch. They appear to have been originally held up by slender pilotis (posts). A peaked roof was added to this pair. I do not have the plans for the houses above and those below...but I would love to get my hot little hands on them if any ...