ASB Art Deco Frieze. Napier. New Zealand.
S 39° 29.408 E 176° 55.115
60H E 492998 N 5628827
Situated in the Napier City Business area, the art deco ASB Bank Napier Branch is a local landmark.
The ASB Bank on the corner of Hastings and Emerson Streets features koru and zigzags similar to those used in Maori weaving designs.
Waymark Code: WM5Z7F
Location: North Island, New Zealand
Date Posted: 03/05/2009
Views: 12
The city of Napier was destroyed in 1931 by a devastating earthquake that killed many people and flattened the city centre. Over the next few years, Napier was carefully rebuilt for safety and style.
The Art Deco Style had much to recommend it in terms of cost, safety and style. Essentially decorated concrete boxes, the buildings are detailed with low relief patterns that are integral to the surface upon which they are applied. These are picked out in bold colors, providing maximum aesthetic impact for minimum cost.
While Art Deco in Europe and America borrowed motifs from Ancient Egypt, Napier looked no further than its own indigenous people, the Maori, for design inspiration.
The ASB Bank Building is particularly interesting because it features friezes in both three color and tone on tone renditions of stylized Maori motifs. The frieze theme is also continued around the interior ceiling with a stunning red, black and white Maori design.
Bill Couch, a draughtsman working on the 1932 plans, was probably responsible for much of the ornamentation including the friezework.
Date of completion: 1932
Style: Stripped Classical with Maori motifs
Construction: Single storey, reinforced concrete
Kowhaiwhai pattern in red, black & white forms a frieze around the
top of the wall & ceiling bays
Flanking the entrance are 2 corbels representing "the wealth of the
tribe"
Triangular deco patterns mark the top of the windows outside
combining Maori decoration with deco patterns.
Address:
ASB Building
Cnr Hastings & Emmerson Sts, Napier.
Web URL to relevant information: [Web Link]
Artist: Not listed
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