Building history

By Nigel Isaacs – 1 August 2007, Build 101

When Captain James Cook arrived in the Pacific, he found buildings that were woven, lashed or pegged together as there was no iron. He brought with him nails and the opportunity for new construction techniques.

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By Nigel Isaacs – 1 April 2007, Build 99

Most hot water is now heated with electricity or natural gas. But in the past it was commonly heated with solid fuels or with town gas made at local gasworks.

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By Nigel Isaacs – 1 June 2009, Build 112

Stable foundations are important for all buildings to keep them from sinking, or tilting like the leaning tower of Pisa!

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By Nigel Isaacs – 1 February 2011, Build 122

Building legislation was first introduced into New Zealand’s provincial councils in the 1840s, and its progression provides an insight into the building problems and aspirations of early European settlers.

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By Nigel Isaacs – 1 June 2012, Build 130

The apprenticeship system has been part of New Zealand’s building industry since the middle of the 19th century, boosting the labour supply in boom times and training our future tradespeople.

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By Nigel Isaacs – 1 April 2008, Build 105

A building’s exterior offers a passing view to the world, but it is the interior that provides the backdrop to everyday life. Wall linings have changed over time, but the ever faithful plaster has had a long run and is still going strong.

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By Nigel Isaacs – 1 December 2008, Build 109

House moving has a long history in New Zealand, largely due to our extensive use of timber construction. The biggest change has been the motive power from bullocks, traction engines and conventional heavy haulage to today’s specialised trucks.

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By Nigel Isaacs – 1 February 2010, Build 116

The conventions of accurate measurement could easily be taken for granted, but the highly standardised system we know today was conceived, refined and enforced over several decades.

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By Nigel Isaacs – 1 April 2010, Build 117

What started out as the desire for a cold drink on a hot day lead to the development of the thermal insulation for buildings that we know today.

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By Professors Robert Vale and Brenda Vale – 1 June 2011, Build 124

The recent building of a full-sized house made of Lego by James May, a presenter of the television programme Top Gear and, more recently, his own series Toy Stories, showed that the world of toy bricks and real bricks might not be too far apart.

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