Celebrating local architectural heritage is the key driver behind a unique North Shore City Council and University of Auckland Architecture Archive partnership.
A set of postcards depicting New Zealand’s own response to modernism has been created through this partnership and is available for purchase. This low profile heritage period took place between 1942 and 1961, after the Victorian villa (circa 1890 – 1900s), transitional bungalow and Art Deco (circa 1920-30s) periods.
The eight featured houses were built on “the north shore” of Auckland (now North Shore City) during and after the Second World War. The attraction of the area’s beaches and rapid population growth provided fertile ground for architects to gain commissions and explore the merits of designing for a South Pacific lifestyle. Seven of the eight houses still stand in North Shore City today.
Through the use of plans, sketches and photographs, the postcards give an insight into how the houses were built. Most of the images came from the Architecture Archive, launched in October 2003, as a partnership between the University Library and the School of Architecture. The Archive focuses on the New Zealand “modern period” with particular emphasis on the Auckland region.
The postcards portray important works by Vernon Brown and Group Architects such as Bruce Rotheram, Bill Wilson and Ivan Juriss. They not only reflect post-war lifestyles but also show how design and architectural photography has developed.
People can buy the postcard set, which could be the first of a heritage series, from North Shore City libraries, council area offices and selected bookshops. The pack includes a quality card frame designed to hold all eight cards at once and allows people to display their favourite image from the set.
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release: heritage postcards celebrate local architecture
