What lies Beneath? Dunedin's Public Conveniences and their Subterranean Origins

Abstract

Turn-of-the-century public conveniences in New Zealand are becoming a rare and endangered part of our wider cultural and built heritage. These often overlooked structures are more than just reminders of a common public service, but provide direct evidence for changing social attitudes to the provision of public conveniences and evidence for changing architectural and aesthetic approaches to their design, construction and visibility. This paper provides examples taken from Dunedin's rich history and heritage of public conveniences to examine these social changes.