A site visit to Perisher to get construction underway brings with it the pleasure of visiting that part of the world. The car, a mountain bike, and the open road give access to a fantastic part of the world.
Since I can remember, I have admired this little rural “Nissen” shed just outside Jindabyne. It resonates on many levels with the surrounding landscape, its history and our art and architecture practices during the 20th century. I recently looked more closely at the Nissen hut and found out some simple facts about these structures which seem indigenous, but are in fact an imported technology.
The story goes something like this. In 1916 Major Peter Norman Nissen of the Royal Engineers began an experiment with hut designs. He was a mining engineer and inventor. After much development and prototyping the design was formalized in August 1916. Nissen patented his invention in the UK and patents were later taken out in the United States, Canada, South Africa ans Australia. Two factors influenced the hut design. Building had to be economical in its use of materials especially considering war time shortages in building materials. Secondly the building had to be portable and particularly economical in its use of shipping space. This led to a simple form that was prefabricated for ease of erection and removal.
So while I might admire this structure as an artwork its beginning in wartime England were somewhat more prosaic.
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