Art Deco in Napier

Leaving Tongariro National Park, we drove about 3 hours to the east coast (on the Pacific Ocean), through rolling sheep and cattle farmland, and across small mountain passes.

Our destination was Napier, in Hawke's Bay -- a port town notable for its art deco architecture. An earthquake in 1931 leveled the town, and so rebuilding was done in the predominant art deco style of the time.

We joined a guided tour of the town, which was really helpful in identifying some of the primary characteristics of art deco -- ziggurats, sunbursts, speed lines, and so on. What was unique about some of the art deco buildings in Napier is that they incorporated some Maori motifs in their decorative flourishes.Read more