 The
Hawke's Bay earthquake
of 3 February 1931 remains New Zealand's worst natural disaster.
256 persons (161 in Napier) died and the city was largely destroyed.
Mon Logis, stoutly constructed of wood, suffered minor damage and
survived the devastating fires that followed the quake.
Architects planned
a new city with a new look incorporating Stripped Classical, Spanish
Mission and, most notably, Art Deco styles. Rows of palms and the
Norfolk Island pines – seen immediately outside
Mon Logis – were planted.
Fifty years passed before it was widely appreciated that the Art Deco
style of the early 1930s survived in Napier and Gisborne as nowhere
else
Napier's Art Deco Weekend is held every year in the third week of
February. The program includes wining, dining, jazz,
dancing, film, theatre, house tours, vintage cars and biplane barnstormers. |
Guest Rooms