Built for Us: The Work of Government and Colonial Architects, 1860s to 1960s

Homes, schools, railway stations, post offices, courthouses, office buildings, police stations, hydro dams — these buildings surround New Zealand residents in their everyday lives. Most were built between 1860 and 1960, as part of the infrastructure of the new nation state. There are hundreds of these buildings and they are part of New Zealand's national character. Who designed them? Just six men held the post of Colonial or Government Architect during the century. Each had his own distinctive style of design and his own particular brilliance. For the first time, this book presents a visual survey of the public work of each architect, accompanied by brief biographical information. It also looks at the work of some other architects in New Zealand government departments after the Second World War.