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| Image: island*atelier |
Hundreds of years ago, the suburbs of Port of Spain were peppered with homes locally referred to as "gingerbread" houses, so named because their beautiful fretwork referenced the elaborate decorations on German pastries. The houses were usually constructed with a timber frame and roof made of slate or galvanised, corrugated iron and, in addition to their intricate fretwork, had high ceilings, internal transoms, large verandahs and jalousie windows, all of which were designed to minimise the effects of the tropical heat and rain. The style proved extremely popular in the Victorian-era and in 1895 when a massive fire swept through Port of Spain, the Scottish architect George Brown was commissioned by the colonial government to rebuild many of the residences and businesses which had been destroyed in the fire in the gingerbread style.
As with all modernisation however, the trend several years ago was to pull down these beautiful structures and put up massive office blocks in their stead. I am happy to report that times are changing and, as people come to recognise the beauty and cultural significance of these buildings, there is a move to preserve some of these traditional and historic homes in areas like Woodbrook and around the Savannah. One such sympathetic conversion is this building which now houses a restaurant. I'm thrilled that they decided to maintain the look and feel of the building and although they have modernised it somewhat, I am inclined to believe that the conversion worked out quite well.
See more photos showing how modern and traditional were combined after the jump.
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| Images: island*atelier |
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