The architecture of the New Zealand woolshed

Abstract

There is a need for architecture to be meaningful; to communicate something about the place that it sits in and the people that it houses, both its physical and cultural environment. Architecture in New Zealand should say something about New Zealand and New Zealanders. To understand the 'cultural' environment one must understand the vernacular buildings of a locality, since it is these buildings that have inherent cultural and historic meaning. To develop a meaningful national architecture one must reinterpret this vernacular. In the South Pacific region indigenous building exists in the early farm buildings, especially the Woolshed. This report is therefore an in-depth study of the New Zealand Woolshed, written in an attempt to further understand the nature of this indigenous building. The report also gives a brief account of New Zealand's agricultural tradition, its effect on the land and general development of farm buildings in this country, all being necessary background information before looking at the Woolshed specifically. Extensive examples of the early Woolsheds are given, each of which have their own unique and special qualities. The report concludes that there is a need for identity in our architecture and this can originate from indigenous buildings that do exist in this country. The report also concludes that understanding the Woolshed is only a beginning to developing a refreshing type of New Zealand architecture.