One man's world: John Scott, architect

Abstract

Whenever the name John Scott is mentioned in architectural debate, it is invariably linked synonymously and singularly with Futuna Chapel in Karori. That this is such a bad thing is not immediately apparent: Futuna is undoubtedly Scott's finest work, and the Chapel must rate as one of – if not the - most significant pieces of religious architecture in New Zealand. The purpose of this study is to look into the world of John Scott, and to put both the man and his work into the context of the New Zealand architectural scene, by first looking at his formative years and the development of his unique character and personality, and then exploring the three fields in which he has worked: his on-going passion for domestic design, his brief but highly successful adventure into religious architecture, and his occasional flirtations with public buildings - the Urewera National Park Headquarters, for example. Each of these fields provides insight into the character of John Scott, architect - each provides a further clue to the true significance in the New Zealand architectural scene of this most complex of figures.