Cool Thatch —
p. 54 · Read in the full issue
Or Hot Tin?
ON our left above, the cool thatched fale of Western Samoa. On our right, the iron Quonset hut, legacy of World War 11, which has become part of the Islands scene. These three Quon set huts, used variously as theatre, store and hotel are at Santo, New Hebrides but they are in general use in the South- West Pacific. Some have even been con verted to homes.
The thatched houses of the Pacific islanders vary in size and shape but have one thing in common—their suitability for life in the tropics. However, they are not permanent structures nor particularly suitable for large buildings. One must use the material at hand in the South Pacific these days. But one could scarcely imagine anything less suitable for minimising humid heat. They can not even be said to be good water catch ments as no provision seems to have been made for guttering. Most are constructed of black iron—not galvanised.
The old way—cool Samoan fales.