Eden Smith - An Introduction
Eden Smith was
undoubtedly the most consistent Arts and Crafts architect in
Toronto during the late nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries. There were other Toronto firms, such as
Chadwick and Becket, who were influenced by Arts and Crafts
mannerisms for a time, but Eden Smith was the only one who not only
adhered to the principles throughout his career but defended them
vigorously in public debate.
Smith's uniqueness lies in the way he adapted English Arts and Crafts principles to Toronto's climatic and social conditions. Cold winters demanded deep footings and provision for central heating; and hot summers open verandas, sleeping porches and open plans for cross ventilation.
Confined city sites demanded much ingenuity when designing according to the fundamental Arts and Crafts principle "plan from the inside out"; while the absence of a large servant class called for layouts that allowed efficient management.
Thus necessity forced Eden Smith to develop an original Arts and Crafts house appropriate for Toronto and southern Ontario - a process that influenced domestic architecture in Ontario over the next quarter century and helped provide the groundwork for twentieth century housing design.