William Sutherland Maxwell House(8/1909-10/1911)
1548-1550 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, QC, Canada
Residential, Urban house [semi-detached, basement, 2 floors, attic]; brick and stone; steel frame

Client: William Sutherland Maxwell
Architect: E. & W.S. Maxwell

Description: William Maxwell built a residence for himself in the Square Mile with the help of his elder brother Edward. The urban house on Pine Avenue is one-half of unassuming semi-detached brick houses. His neighbour was Lieutenant-Colonel Edward M. Renouf, who ran a publishing business. The two houses are unified together under a steep-pitched, slate-hipped roof. One is the mirror image of the other and is separated by a masonry wall. The distinct feature of the two houses is the yellow brick walls, which vary in colour from a light beige to a dark scorched orange laid out in a distinctive checkerboard pattern that contrasts with the smooth sandstone dressings. This decorative feature seems to have been a unique and personal experiment by William. The front façade of the two houses is the same except in certain details, such as the entrance doors, and the Maxwell side has fewer windows giving full effect to the chequered wall pattern. The plans and the rear elevations of the two houses have likewise followed the different requirements and tastes of the occupants. Although the house is compact in nature with four bedrooms, the rooms on the main floor are spacious. The living room and connecting dining room occupied the back of the house and had a splendid view of the City of Montreal when the house was constructed. To the right of the entrance hall, a large library was designed behind the projecting bays. This is a room with a cozy atmosphere and is the most appealing area in the house, which retains some of the original furniture, ornaments and fittings. According to William’s daughter, Mary Maxwell Rabbani, the library was William’s favourite room and he spent lot of time there reading books, working on his designs and clipping articles from magazines. The high-wood paneling of the library walls and the leaded windowpanes inset with antique European stained glass contribute to its warmth and charm. A prominent mantelpiece of hand-carved animal and plant forms in dark wood, contrast the smooth grey of the English marble fireplace surround. The mural that was planned above the mantelpiece was not executed. In the living room, an Impressionist-inspired mural painting by French artist Henri Martin was incorporated into a panel over the mantelpiece. The third floor features a skylight in the studio facing east and has ample built-in-furniture. William moved his family from Westmount to Pine Avenue around 1911. They were the members of the Bahá’í Faith, and Abdul-Bahá, a son of the Bahá’í Faith’s Founder stayed in their house for several days during 1912. Ever since the house has become a National Bahá’í Shrine.

Holdings: Urban house (semi-detached, basement, 2 floors, attic); brick and stone; steel frame
38 Drawings: 31 ink on linen; 4 pencil on paper; 3 blueprints
3 Working drawings: floor plan, attic floor plan, elevations, section
35 Detail drawings: floor plans, attic floor plan, library, cold room, entries, structure, stairs, windows, bay, doors, fireplaces, mantelpieces, chimneys, flue, coal chute, furniture, radiator screens, fittings, finishes, ironwork, woodwork, fence
2 Photographs: 2 finished exteriors
Comment: The working drawings do not clearly indicate the size of the house. According to enlarged details, this house has a basement and 2 floors.

Comments: The working drawings do not clearly indicate the size of the house. According to enlarged details, this house has a basement and 2 floors.