A Feast of Art Deco Architecture

1930s Architecture, Napier
Hawke's Bay
Photographer: Chris McLennan
(www.cmphoto.co.nz)

Napier was rebuilt in the early 1930s following a massive Richter 7.9 earthquake. Subsequent fires destroyed most of its commercial heart. By the end of the decade, Napier was the newest city on the globe.

Nowhere else can you see such a variety of buildings in the styles of the 1930s—Stripped Classical, Spanish Mission and Art Deco—in such a concentrated area. And Napier's Art Deco is unique, with Māori motifs and the buildings of Louis Hay, admirer of the great Frank Lloyd Wright.

For further information about the Hawke's Bay view our Hawke's Bay regional information section.