This episode of Making New Zealand traces New Zealand's housing history, examining the way building construction changed as the population grew. A team of architectural historians including Bill McKay and Ben Schrader comment on New Zealand's changing communities, from Māori settlements to the bustling streets of Edwardian Dunedin and 1980s Auckland. The documentary highlights the ways building materials and a better understanding of essential infrastructure shaped each city. The devastating earthquakes in Napier and Christchurch emphasised the need for New Zealand to build back 'better'.