Napier Art Deco historic precinct

The lifting of restrictions following months of lockdown allowed me to visit Napier in July 2020. According to its UNESCO WHS webpage, Napier's cityscape is the local government's response to the catastrophic 1931 earthquake that leveled most of the city. Art deco was adopted as the city's architectural style (given the time period), with most buildings constructed using reinforced concrete and possessing only one or two storeys. This is not surprising, however, as they want to prevent the same level of damages they experienced in the 1931 earthquake. The Napier City Council bills the city as the world's art deco capital. In addition, Napier holds the annual Art Deco festival every February to commemorate the historical and cultural significance of the city.

My friend and I drove down to Napier during a relatively busy Saturday afternoon, but it only took us 5 hours to get there from Auckland. Napier's art deco historic center is compact and could easily be visited in a day. Unfortunately, I wouldn't say that I got the most out of my visit since my friend had a different itinerary in mind. I was able, however, to visit the main buildings that arguably best represent the city's architecture, such as the Masonic Hotel, the Daily Telegraph Building, the Criterion Hotel, the Public Trust Office and the Central Hotel. Likewise, strolling along Tennyson, Emerson and Dickens streets would give any fan of art deco a healthy dose of this beautiful architectural style. It is notable that many …