Urban Architecture...Colonial Designs restored.

"Our human past is reflected most notably in 
the rich array of buildings, structures, archaeological sites, historic landscapes, and 
traditional cultural properties that are a shared inheritance for all the people of the state" (Louisiana Office Of Cultural Development 2011).

Everyone knows or has some knowledge of the history of Caribbean islands...the conquests of the islands by the Spanish, usurped by the British, stolen by the French, retaken by the British and so on. But regardless of these exchanges of metropolitan powers even hundreds of years after they left, their influence can still be physically witnessed in the older parts of urban areas in Caribbean islands. Port of Spain has in no way escaped from this.

The northerly parts of Port of Spain where less hustle and bustle occurs you are greeted by many buildings  either made of some or entirely made of colonial architectural characteristics. Walking through the streets in these areas you almost feel as if in your imagination you are walking back in time to an era neither you nor the generation before you have even seen in this life.

St. Mary's Girls School

As a preservation attempt not just in Trinidad but also other Caribbean islands these old buildings are being refurbished and used for different purposes. They may be seized by the local government and put to uses such as the library building. (see below). The Museum as well takes on this colonial architectural look as a marketing strategy...and old colonial house perhaps, renovated but made to keep that 'old days' look to mirror the content inside of the building.

One of the Libraries in Port of Spain

Museum of Trinidad and Tobago

It is also noteworthy that residential areas in these northerly parts have also taken a similar built form depicting colonial influences. That just shows how old these houses may be.

Restoring these buildings do not interfere with the architectural growth of the cities. There are still areas further west that depict architectural designs synonymous with modernization. However, everyone understands the need to know where you came from so that you can strategically plan where to next.