Buildings of Old Lunenburg

With houses in close proximity to one another and narrow streets running parallel to the harbour, Lunenburg is one of the finest examples of eighteenth-century British colonial town planning. But the architecture itself has a flair and uniqueness that belie its early beginnings. Here, low-profile Cape Cods suggest a New England influence; stately Georgian-style homes share streetscapes with pointed dormers, the hallmark of Gothic revival, as well as with the ubiquitous and functional Lunenburg Bump, which serves as a storm porch and provides an elevated view of the harbour; fanciful turnof-thecentury homes--distinguished by large bay windows, elaborate mouldings, expansive verandahs, and corner turrets--overlook each other on hilly streets, while brightly coloured waterfront buildings speak of a long association with seafaring traditions.

Indeed, it is Lunenburg's proximity to the sea--and the prosperity generated by shipbuilding and the fishery--that have shaped the character of its fine residences, public and commercial buildings, and have allowed the development of a unique regional architectural style that has made the town a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In this collaboration, photographer Terry James and conservation planner Bill Plaskett present a visual and interpretive documentary on this extraordinary town that both records its essential architectural forms and captures the historic sweep of its measured and adaptive development.