Earth architecture & building in New Zealand

Abstract

Earth building in New Zealand has been in existence since the first settlers introduced it in the early 1800s as a means of building temporary shelters. With new technologies, earth construction has developed over the last one hundred and fifty years to suit New Zealand's climatic conditions and to meet modern day requirements. This development has however, focused primarily on the practical issues and "build-ability" of earth homes. The title of this report, "Earth Architecture & Building in New Zealand" is a reflection of what is happening in New Zealand today. During the course of this research, it became apparent that there were few examples of earth architecture and many examples of earth buildings in New Zealand. More often than not, this is a direct result of lay designers designing and building their own homes without first seeking professional advice from an architect. These earth buildings contain many of the unique qualities that earth has to offer, yet still don't speak about location or siting, nor do they capture the richness of earth.