After an earthquake devastated this town in 1931, locals set about rebuilding it at a remarkable pace. In the rush to rebuild, Napier went mad for Art Deco, the bold, geometric style that had burst onto the global design scene a few years prior. Now a walk through the Art Deco district, concentrated between Emerson, Herschell, Dalton, and Browning streets, is a stylistic immersion. Because so much was built at the same time, the city is remarkably unified. The decorative elements are often found above the ground floors, so keep your eyes up.
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