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Story: Hawke’s Bay region

Prairie style

  • Art Deco Centre Napier
  • Close up of Art Deco Centre Napier

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Prairie style, which is associated with American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, employs design elements like horizontally arranged windows and lines, and restrained ornamentation. The Art Deco Centre (formerly Napier’s central fire station) is an example of this style. It was constructed in 1926 and partially rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake.

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How to cite this page

Kerryn Pollock, Hawke’s Bay region – Arts, culture and built heritage, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/23929/prairie-style (accessed 25 June 2026).

Story by Kerryn Pollock, published 22 January 2010, updated 1 July 2015.