Settler Country

This house is a clear indicator of some of the forces at work in settler culture. In a country where urban space is still by no means congested, and where there was no necessity for "townhouse"-style architecture, the building represents the wholesale importation of an idea. This extends to the level of materials, too: buildings such as this would usually incorporate prefabricated elements such as moulded plaster or pressed steel ceilings, stained glass, and other fittings imported from Europe. But the sandstone is local and lends rustic gravity, rooting the building in its surroundings.