Ads by Google Ads by Google

Student bringing technology to traditional Samoan houses

Using modern technology in the construction of traditional Samoan homes is the aim of research by Victoria University architecture student, Carinnya Feaunati.Carinnya, who graduates with a Bachelor of Architectural Studies next week, is one of only a handful of Pacific women to earn this degree from Victoria. Although born in Wellington, she is a frequent visitor to Samoa where flooding regularly threatens homes.\Our family fale (house) is on the beach and every year we have to sandbag it against floodwaters. It’s a result of temporary thinking-people want fales that are cheap to build but aren’t necessarily functional.\I come from a perspective of finding ways to honour culture and traditional, while also providing a more practical housing solution. Things like raising the fale, building retaining walls, using steel and better use of concrete in construction are some of the issues I’m interested in.\Carinnya