Abstract
Appreciation of seismicity is fundamental to New Zealand's architectural development. Reports of the earthquakes of 1848 and 1855, in particular, help determine how this condition shaped the colony's architectural development. Despite initial official reluctance to acknowledge this hazard, reports of the disasters spread. The superior performance of wooden buildings under seismic loading meant that, by the late 1850s, timber was becoming understood internationally as the prudent building material choice in New Zealand. Although early colonists' ideas regarding the design of their settlements shifted, few connected seismic condition with wider contemporary aesthetic argument. Despite the prevalence of earthquakes, and because of the threat of fire, desire for substantial masonry buildings remained. This encouraged the colony's architects and engineers to develop boldly innovative technical solutions. These innovations, which sometimes drew upon work abroad, foreshadowed ground-breaking research and practice by the country's leading seismic designers and specialists in the 20th century.
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