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I find road signs in NZ to be a mix of European and North American. Perhaps with a slight tilt to North American. Maybe more than "slight". It's really only the speed limit signs that scream ''Europe'' to me.
Australia is basically the same, and the signs there are very similar to NZ.
I haven't been to Europe, so am not really in the position to judge - I was really just agreeing with the poster I responded to, who I thought had been to NZ.
While I haven't been to Europe, Europeans here don't talk about the similarities between Auckland and Oslo, or Christchurch and Antwerp.
I did say earlier that NZ cities don't have an American look to them, but must admit hat Europeans can often say they do, if the subject of urban design comes up.
I have been to the US, and can remember that the similarities between my own small town and small towns on the northern California coast, was actually quite freaky.
Australia and NZ also miss out on serious cold, while it's only really a small part of America that is spared from cold snaps that require heating of some sort - Brisbane may resemble Florida, but that doesn't mean that Auckland resembles Toronto.
A house in Toronto will be more likely to have air-conditioning than a house in Melbourne, while a house in Georgia has more need of heating than a house in Tauranga. A house in Wellington will be more like a house in Sydney, than a house in New York.
The one thing the countries share, is large average house size, and similar styles, but considering where the people live on average, I would say NZ and Australia are closer to each other, than to Canada or the US
Lots of places in Australia and NZ would require heating in winter and I'd be surprised if houses and buildings didnt reflect that in these places. I would not want to spend a winter in places like Canberra or Queenstown without heating of some sort. That would be very uncomfortable
I haven't been to Europe, so am not really in the position to judge - I was really just agreeing with the poster I responded to, who I thought had been to NZ.
While I haven't been to Europe, Europeans here don't talk about the similarities between Auckland and Oslo, or Christchurch and Antwerp.
I did say earlier that NZ cities don't have an American look to them, but must admit hat Europeans can often say they do, if the subject of urban design comes up.
I have been to the US, and can remember that the similarities between my own small town and small towns on the northern California coast, was actually quite freaky.
New Zealand has a large amount of single family detached housing on suburban-style streets, even fairly close to the city centres. To a lot of people, this is "American". Except for the innermost core of cities, your commercial areas are also more "airy" with more surfaces devoted to parking. They're not exactly like what the U.S. has (though the U.S. is big and diverse too) but to some people that form of urban development is "American".
(Even though it's a stretch, some of the comparisons between NZ and Scandinavia we've heard here might come from this too, as Scandinavian cities tend to be a bit more "airy" in their development patterns than even northern European cities south of them across the water.)
I would also guess that some people who aren't familiar with the UK might think that NZ is like Britain. Based on various cues they pick up. I know that as a Canadian, Australia and NZ feel British to me in some ways because there are certain things there that I identify with Britain and that we don't have here at home. This doesn't mean that I think it's exactly like the UK, though.
I would also guess that some people who aren't familiar with the UK might think that NZ is like Britain. Based on various cues they pick up. I know that as a Canadian, Australia and NZ feel British to me in some ways because there are certain things there that I identify with Britain and that we don't have here at home. This doesn't mean that I think it's exactly like the UK, though.
To Aussies and Kiwis row houses in a lot of older North American cities have a very "British" look to them though, similarly the lack of awnings on commercial buildings - awnings being something that really is typical of Aus and NZ. So, yes, it is very much about what we perceive as "North American" or "European".
Last edited by Bakery Hill; 10-30-2018 at 01:59 PM..
Lots of places in Australia and NZ would require heating in winter and I'd be surprised if houses and buildings didnt reflect that in these places. I would not want to spend a winter in places like Canberra or Queenstown without heating of some sort. That would be very uncomfortable
Quite right.
What I was really trying to convey, was that most of the US that has mild or even warm winters, still requires heating for cold snaps, even if brief -this is quite different to Australian warm winter regions, which don't get the same severity of cold, during cold snaps.
What I was really trying to convey, was that most of the US that has mild or even warm winters, still requires heating for cold snaps, even if brief -this is quite different to Australian warm winter regions, which don't get the same severity of cold, during cold snaps.
Yes. It's interesting for example that Dallas and Atlanta have similar winter averages to Canberra, but the record lows for Dallas and Atlanta are around -20C, whereas for Canberra it's only -10C.
Similarly, Sydney and New Orleans have similar winter averages, and both are coastal. But New Orleans' record low is around -10C whereas Sydney's is barely below 0C.
Climate plays a role too. Canada and NZ miss out on tropical (or semi tropical) and desert influences and environments so that complicates the issue a bit.
Canada does have some very dry areas that look like California and even parts of Arizona. These exist in BC and Alberta.
However, the only influence on architecture that I can think of off the top of my head, is the odd smattering of pseudo Spanish a la SoCal motels and shops in the town of Osoyoos. When driving into Osoyoos on a hot summer day, you feel you could be in California.
Yes. It's interesting for example that Dallas and Atlanta have similar winter averages to Canberra, but the record lows for Dallas and Atlanta are around -20C, whereas for Canberra it's only -10C.
That "record" low for Canberra is pretty much an annual experience in that part of the country.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Acajack
Similarly, Sydney and New Orleans have similar winter averages, and both are coastal. But New Orleans' record low is around -10C whereas Sydney's is barely below 0C.
Sydney has a pretty steep temperature gradient between the CBD which is right on the waterfront, and outer inland suburbs for both minimums and maximums though. Richmond is pretty much an outer suburb, their record low is -5, and its noticeably hotter in summer as well. Just a little further inland at Katoomba, the record low drop another few degrees to -8.
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