Why do you think the architect (Daniel West) and client (New Zealand Government) wanted a building designed in classic architectural style?

The New Zealand government constructed the Timaru Customs in 1901-2 to manage trade, inspect goods, and collect taxes. The revenue funded public services and infrastructure.
This building was designed by architect Daniel West in Neoclassical style, inspired by ancient Greek and Roman temples, to reflect stability and authority.

Strength, Functionality, and Beauty.

Notice the fluted columns with simple Doric-style capitals. Find the decorative acroteria on the corners and apex of the pediment. Observe the projecting cornice that crowns the building. Examine the rough rustication of the stonework at the base. Spot the fine dentil moulding beneath the cornice.Together, these elements combine strength, functionality, and beauty, living up to the standards set by ancient architects who strove to create buildings that reflected the divine order of the gods.

PORTICO  (Latin "porticus" = "covered entrance") Roofed structure with columns that lead to a formal entry. In Ancient Rome, a porticus referred to any grand covered walkway lined with columns, often found at public spaces, markets, courtyards, or temple approaches.

PEDIMENT (Middle English, link to "pyramid") Triangular gable over a door, window, or roof, inspired by temples. Neoclassic often has only a central motif.

COLUMN (Latin "columna" = "pillar or support") Vertical support with a capital and base; Doric columns have masculine proportions and 20 flutes on the shaft.

ACROTERION (Greek "akrotērion" = "peak" or "extremity") A decorative pedestal or ornament placed at the top or corners of a pediment..

RUSTICATION (Latin "rusticus" = "rural") Uses rough stone faces and deep, cut-back joints to create a rugged, strong look.

DENTIL (Latin for small tooth) Small block that repeats along a cornice.

Compare these three buildings and spot the similarities and differences. Look for columns, arches, symmetry and decoration. See how Classical ideas were reinterpreted in Neoclassical and Victorian Commercial styles to reflect different times and purposes.

1881-8
National Bank of New Zealand
129 Stafford Street, Timaru
Francis J Wilson
Neoclassicism
(The top section was later removed)

1880-81
James Shepherd’s Store
36 Stafford St & 11 North St
Daniel West
Victorian Commercial Classicism

The Greeks were influenced by the religion, art, and science of many earlier peoples through trade, travel, and diplomacy. The early ancestors of the Greeks, including the Mycenaeans, Minoans, and later the Dorians, Ionians, Aeolians, and Achaeans, likely migrated into the Greek peninsula during the Neolithic to Bronze Age, between 3000 BCE - 2000 BCE.

The Dorians were known for their military focus and rigid social structures where individuals had little freedom to change their status. They were one of four major tribes and settled in Greece around 1200 BCE. The Doric style of architecture, emerged around 700 BCE, and is the oldest and simplest of the classical orders. Famous Doric architecture includes the Parthenon, the Temple of Hephaestus and the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion.

The Ionians were more focused more on trade, art, and philosophy. The Ionians had settled earlier, around 1500 BCE, mainly in the eastern parts of Greece and the Aegean Islands. Famous Ionic architecture include Temple of Artemis (Ephesus), Erechtheion (Athens), Temple of Hera (Samos).

The Corinthians became renowned for their wealth and cultural importance. They lived in the city of Corinth, a Dorian city-state located between mainland Greece and the Peloponnese (also home to city-states like Sparta, and Argos). Corinth was destroyed in 146 BCE and rebuilt as a Roman colony in 44 BCE by Julius Caesar. Famous Corinthian architecture Temple of Apollo Epicurius, Tholos of Delphi, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Pantheon (Rome).

About 2,400 years ago, the Romans adopted the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian styles from the Greeks and formalised them into the classical orders, later adding the Tuscan and Composite types. These architectural rules reflected the belief that the universe was governed by divine order and perfect natural balance. The Roman architect Vitruvius recorded the orders in De Architectura, written around 100 BCE under Emperor Augustus. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE, much of this knowledge was lost, and architecture in Europe shifted towards more fortified and functional styles during the Middle Ages.

The classical orders were rediscovered during the Renaissance between about 1400 and 1600, through the study of ancient buildings and the writings of Vitruvius. In 1414, a copy of De Architectura was found in a Swiss monastery. As the only complete surviving text on classical architecture, it had a major impact on Renaissance architects. This revival of classical ideals led to new styles such as Mannerism, the dramatic Baroque style from 1600 to 1750, and the playful Rococo style from 1720 to 1780.

Neoclassicism in the 1700s was a return to the classical order of simplicity, balance and seriousness. It was inspired by a renewed fascination with the ancient world following the rediscovery of Herculaneum in 1738 and Pompeii in 1748, where people could see Roman houses, temples, paintings and everyday objects preserved for over 1600 years. Gothic Revival followed in late 1700s and peaked during the Victorian era, drawing on medieval pointed arches and spires.

Thousands of years of architecture, monarchy and the politics inspired Victorian (1837-1901) and Edwardian architecture (1901-1914). British settlers brought these ideas to New Zealand, reinterpreting them to express tradition, stability, progress, trust and a connection to home.

Greeks developed three of the five Classical Orders: Doric (northern Greece, heavy and plain). Ionic (southern Greece, slender and decorative). Corinthian (very ornate, acanthus leaves). Romans added two more: Tuscan (very simple, based on Doric but unfluted columns). Composite (mixeing Ionic volutes with Corinthian foliage).

The Ideal Temple Design: The Eu-Style Temple According to Vitruvius

Vitruvius’ key principles perfect proportions: Firmitas (strength), Utilitas (functionality), And Venustas (beauty)

In 1414, ten books De Architectura (On Architecture) were rediscovered in a Swiss monastery, written by the Roman architect Vitruvius around 100 BCE. They helped to revive classical Greek and Roman architectural principles with rules on symmetry, proportion and use of classic orders. Vitruvius stated that architecture, particularly temples, should reflect human proportions, linking natural and divine harmony. This connection to divine order influenced design theory, education, and the revival of classical styles, shaping modern architecture.

Vitruvius said architecture was an imitation of nature. His belief that buildings should reflect the proportions of a human body inspired Leonardo da Vinci’s famous 1490 drawing, the Vitruvian Man, and influenced many artists, including Francesco di Giorgio Martini.

The Vitruvian Man (LEFT). and Renaissance architect, engineer, painter, sculptor, and writer Martini, Francesco wrote the Italian Manuscript 1477 di Giorgio, 1439-1502 (CENTRE and RIGHT). Trattati di archittetura ingegneria e arte militare. - Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. MS 491.

Vitruvius wrote that Callimachus invented the Corinthian order around 400 BCE, inspired by acanthus leaves curling around a basket on a young girl’s grave, creating the most ornate of the Greek column styles.

From a 1684 book that translated Vitruvius work into French. Vitruvius, Les Dix Livre d'Architecture de Vitruve, Paris: Coignard, 1684. - MetMuseum 41.100.388. Bequest of W. Gedney Beatty, 1941

How Ancient Leaves Became Features of Timaru’s Architecture?

Let’s begin in the Middle Ages, a 900-year period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance, from around 500 to 1500 AD. During this time, architecture shifted from the grand, classical style of ancient Rome to more practical, fortified, and religious buildings with thick stone walls, rounded arches, small windows and towers, known as Romanesque. Later, French Gothic architecture spread across Europe and became the dominant style for cathedrals by the late 1400s.

In 1414, a set of ten ancient books titled De Architectura (On Architecture) was rediscovered in a Swiss monastery. Written around 100 BCE by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, a Roman military engineer, architect, and theorist under Emperor Augustus, these texts are the earliest known works on architecture.

Vitruvius wrote them as a handbook for Roman architects. His ideas played an important role in reviving Greek and Roman design principles during the Renaissance, and went on to influence both classical and modern architecture.

Vitruvius believed that the human body had divine, balanced proportions, and that buildings should reflect the same harmony. This idea inspired Leonardo da Vinci’s famous drawing, the Vitruvian Man, created around 1490, and influenced many other artists, including Francesco di Giorgio Martini.

Vitruvius also told the story behind the Corinthian style. According to him, a Greek architect and sculptor named Callimachus, who is credited with inventing the Corinthian order, saw acanthus leaves growing around a basket placed on the grave of a young girl. A roof tile had been set on top, and as the plant grew, the leaves curled outward. This inspired the design of the Corinthian column, which is recognised for its curly acanthus leaves and elegant, decorative form. It became the most ornate of all Greek columns.

The name "Corinthian" comes from the city of Corinth in Greece, located on the narrow isthmus between mainland Greece and the Peloponnese. Destroyed in 146 BC and later rebuilt as a Roman colony in 44 BC, Corinth became a thriving centre of trade, culture, and politics. Its association with wealth and beauty helped the Corinthian style spread and influence architecture for centuries.

Much of this classical knowledge was lost or forgotten during the Middle Ages. However, it was revived during the Renaissance, between 1400 and 1600, when artists and architects rediscovered ancient texts and ruins.

In 1762, during the Georgian era of architecture, British architects James Stuart and Nicholas Revett published their book The Antiquities of Athens in London. At the time, King George III was on the throne. Their work, based on studies of ancient ruins in Greece, featured detailed illustrations of classical buildings. It helped spark a wave of Neoclassical architecture across Britain, Europe, and beyond. The acanthus leaf soon appeared in buildings, furniture, and art around the world.

Greek architects created the first three of five classical orders: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian. The Romans later added two more: Tuscan, a simpler version of the Doric order, with unfluted columns and a plain capital. Composite, a more elaborate style that combines the volutes of the Ionic with the acanthus leaves of the Corinthian.

According to Vitruvius, temple design must follow the same principles of symmetry and proportion found in the human body. Since temples were built to last, he insisted that their design reflect nature’s balance and harmony, ensuring both structural integrity and divine beauty. The Greeks considered 10 a perfect number due to finger counting, while mathematicians saw 6 as perfect for its divisibility.

Both Greeks and Romans made use of the Acanthus mollis in the form of garlands, with which they adorned their buildings, their furniture, and even their clothing.

A picture of the leaves of Acanthus Montanus ( Nees).caliban.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/mavica/index.html part of www.biolib.de.  An acanthus (A. mollis) flowering in the ruins of the Palatine Hill, Rome, May 2005

The origin of the Corinthian order, engraving (Paris: J.-B. Coignard, 1684), illustrated in Claude Perrault's Vitruvius, 2nd ed. (1684).

Column capitols that you can find in Timaru's CBD - photography by Geoff Cloake

Custom House and the neighbourhood in 1874

Daniel West was active as an architect in Timaru from the late 1850s until shortly after 1902. His career began in the 1850s when he arrived in New Zealand and worked as a carpenter before establishing himself as an architect. From 1870 onwards, he held the position of architect to the South Canterbury Education Board and was responsible for designing numerous school and commercial buildings in the region.

His major works include the Royal Hotel from 1859, the Old Bank Hotel in 1876, James Shepherd’s Store built between 1880 and 1881, and the Tourist Cycle Works in 1900. In 1907, shortly before his retirement, he partnered briefly with Hall to design the Arcade Chambers.

The Timaru Custom House represents the final phase of Daniel West’s architectural practice. It shows his transition from the Victorian-influenced commercial buildings of the 1860s, 1870s and 1880s to the more restrained and formal classical style used in public architecture after 1900. The building remains a rare surviving example of early 1900s customs infrastructure in Timaru and is significant for its association with one of the town’s most influential architects.

1880-81
James Shepherd’s Store
36 Stafford St & 11 North St
Daniel West
Victorian Commercial Classicism

1892
South Canterbury Times
16 Church St
West & Barber
Commercial Classicism

1876
Old Bank Hotel
232 Stafford St
Daniel West
Commercial Classicism

1872, 1876, 1886 & 1912
Dominion Hotel
334-336 Stafford St
West & Barber (1885/86);
Thomas Lusk (1912)
Edwardian Commercial Baroque

1901-2
Custom House
2 Strathallan St
Daniel West
Neoclassical

1859 + 1862 + 1872 + 1890
Royal Hotel
20 Cains Tce / 1-5 Beswick St
Daniel West
Victorian Commercial Classicism

1902
McKeown Building
Royal Arcade
200 Stafford St
Daniel West
Victorian Commercial Classical

1907
The Arcade Chambers
/Bowker Building
17 Royal Arcade
West & Hall
English Renaissance

1900
Tourist Cycle Works
187 Stafford St
Daniel West
Victorian Commercial Classical