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The New World has taken over, but we in the

Caribbean like to preserve our history. Like our

festivals and our food, our homes reflect who we are

as a country and how we’ve grown throughout the

years. The architecture found on our islands indirectly

mirrors our culture, and our history of indigenous

people, slavery, indentured workers and immigration.

Trinidad and Tobago’s history of colonization saw

the rule of many different European powers, and the

introduction of their architectural styles. It’s from this

history, this blend of external influences on our society

and culture that modern-day Caribbean architecture

was born.

The Spanish, French, British and Dutch all played a

role in creating what is now considered a traditional

Caribbean home. Classic fretwork, Demerara

shutters and wrap-around verandahhhs at the time

represented class and money on every plantation in

the Caribbean, this concept has now grown into a

design aesthetic that represents a Caribbean home

in its entirety.

With that said, the structure of these houses offer

more than just design appeal; they were built to

withstand the unpredictability of Caribbean weather.

“During colonization, builders learned from trial and

error how best to adapt the Creole house to the

moods of the Caribbean climate: how to deal with

its breezes, sunshine, rain and hurricanes,” recounted

Dominican architect, Dr. Lennox Honychurch, in

his paper for UNESCO’s symposium on Caribbean

Wooden Treasures. “Whether they are built from

wood or stone, these handsome houses have stood

the test of hurricane winds and earthquakes for over

300 years to prove their worth.”

Traditional colonial architecture utilised materials

like wood and stone, and these houses were adapted

to the needs of our tropical climate—our social,

cultural and climatic requirements. The availability of

materials and methods of construction also played

a major role. “Thin plywood sheets directly under

galvanized roofing do not absorb the heat that inch-

thick boards did,” according to Elise Johnston-Agar,

a Dominican architect, in her paper for the UNESCO

symposium. “Reduced verandahs allow more direct

sun to hit more wall surface and enter windows.

Glass windows provide no shade at all and limit

the amount of openings for air circulation. Lower

roof slopes trap hot air, especially when no dormers

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provide convection, not to mention the reduced

stability under strong wind forces. These factors create

spaces that require cooling systems greater than a fan,

tremendously increasing energy needs.”

To keep up with changing styles and modernisation

the architecture of Caribbean houses has shifted, yet

many traditional features remain. Victorian elements

such as wooden fretwork and cast iron columns were

introduced by Scottish architect George Brown in the

late 1800s, and have become staple design features

in Caribbean architecture. Instead of replacing these

traditional designs, the Caribbean strived to upgrade

and replicate designs of the past – paying homage to

our history and our diverse cultural influences.

After a fire in 1895 in Port of Spain, architect

George Brown applied Victorian elements to the

buildings he designed in Marine Square and Frederick

Street, including verandahhs, large atriums and high

clerestory windows—features necessary for good

ventilation and light, and to reflect the weather and

climate patterns in the region. The early Caribbean

houses dating back to plantation great houses were

architecturally simple – as seen today in the structure

of the Trinidad Country Club in Maraval, which was

once the Boissiere estate house, and it was Brown’s

introduction of more complex features and decorative

elements that shaped Caribbean architecture.

But the architectural influence did not stop at

Caribbean homes. Each colonizer left their mark on the

Caribbean in one form or the other, and these combined

styles can still be found today. The French penchant

for ironwork is still represented today on many islands,

and can especially be seen in Martinique’s Saint Louis

Cathedral, a national monument of France. The Dutch

left their touch among Curacao’s downtown area, with

the colourful gable-styled buildings and roofs along the

waterfront. The different British design eras can still be

seen in Trinidad as you take in the cottage-style house

seen along the Savannah and the gingerbread house,

one of Trinidad’s “Magnificent Seven.” The Spanish

spread their Catholic faith through the many cathedrals

they built in the islands, like the Cathedral Primada de

America in the Dominican Republic, thought to be the

oldest cathedral in the New World. Each influence has

remained in the Caribbean and has grown to become

part of the Caribbean’s architectural style.

Today, when picturing a Caribbean home, images of

grooved ceilings, louvered doors and shutters, steeple

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roofs, cast iron and wrought iron and verandahhs

all come to mind. Though we’ve upgraded in many

ways, and adapted our style, the Caribbean culture

and history is still apparent through our architecture.

Though air conditioning and other cooling devices

were introduced, our homes still contain open-air

balconies or verandahhs to allow for air ventilation,

our roofs made in thicker materials to absorb heat,

and our curved roofing to prevent damage from the

unpredictable weather of the Caribbean. Stain-glass

windows still adorn many homes throughout the

islands, and intricate fretwork is still found on almost

every street you enter.

Although the Caribbean has become modernised

and westernised in many ways, we’ve held onto our

history. Like our food, our music and our festivals, our

historical influences play a large role in architecture

throughout the Caribbean today. As a people we

are unwilling to let go of what defines us. Caribbean

architecture, like many other aspects of our culture,

represents where we’ve come from and where we’re

yet to go.