Dalgety's Building, Napier

Dalgety’s Building is one of the rare structures that withstood the devastating 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake, earning its place as a survivor in Napier’s near-total post-quake reconstruction. Originally built in 1926, the building predates the city’s Art Deco rebuild and reflects a different yet complementary architectural chapter.

Designed by Napier architect E. A. Williams, this structure veers from the ornate Art Deco style that now defines much of downtown Napier. Instead, it presents a refined Stripped Classical aesthetic-with stately pilasters, restrained ornamentation, and an air of dignified restraint. Its balanced proportions contribute to a sense of formality and and permanence.

As an early commercial building that survived the natural disaster that reshaped the city, Dalgety’s Building offers a rare glimpse into Napier’s architectural lineage. It stands as a bridge between pre-quake design and the later Art Deco explosion, preserving both the craftsmanship of the 1920s and the story of endurance through catastrophe.