Windows in Napier

A while ago I got a request to post some pictures of Art Deco windows. So when I while I was looking at my photos from Napier for Wednesday post about Harston's Building I put aside a selection of windows to show you today.

You should remember this windows from Harston's Building (1930) but around the fabulous ground floor entrance they are lovely leadlight windows.

This monogramed window comes from above the door of Tennyson Chambers.

Nearby Gladstone Chambers has this window above its door.

At 58 Tennyson St, the window looks like this.

A different style of monogramed window but I can't identify the building it comes from.

Nor this one.

I think this one is from Westerman's Building (1932).

This is from the Louis Hay designed AMP Building (1933).

The front of the Masonic Hotel (1932) and the glass canopy over the side entrance are often photographed but you don't often see this simple window on the side of the hotel.

Likewise the decorative work above the entrance to the Hawke's Bay Museum and Art Gallery (1935) but perhaps not the pairs of small windows in the annexes on either side of the entrance.

The ASB Bank (1932) is renowned for the maori style decoaration on the ceiling but here is a similar motif in the windows.

And this pattern on a small exterior window of the ASB Bank building.

Rothman's Building (1933) still has wooden slash windows but with wonderful floral leadlights in the upper portions.

The former Gaiety de Luxe Cinema (1932) provides a touch of Spain or Morroco or both.

And I don't know what Doyle's were thinking with this colour scheme.

The Hawke's Bay Chambers falls back to an old Art Deco favourite with chevrons worked into the pattern of the window panes.

And how about this Enerson St building.

Similar windows at the former Smith & Chambers Building (1932).

Masson House (1931) has plain rectangular windows but the decoration around the feature window above the main entrance makes up for it.

The Countrywide Bank Building (1931) seems to combine everything ... rectangles, triangles and wonderful decoration.

I love this weatherboard house in Marewa and isn't that a stunning window.

The Fifth World Congress on Art Deco in 1999 gave us access to several houses in Napier with wonderful leadlight windows. This is just a taster and quite plain compared to some I will show you tomorrow.

References:
Art Deco Napier: Styles of the thirties by Peter Shaw and Peter Hallett

Harston's Building, Napier

Harston's Building was designed by EA Williams constructed in 1930. The year is important because on the 3rd February 1931 an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richte scale struck the Hawke's Bay area destroying many buildings in Napier and nearby Hastings. Many buildings in Napier that survived the initial shocks were subsequently destroyed by fires that swept through the town. With most of the water pipes destroyed by the quake the fire brigade could do little to save the structures. The extent of the damage can be seen in this report published in the Auckland Eveing Post on 5th February from Trevor Geddes the Managing Director of the Napier Daily Telegraph.

The printed list of buildings destroyed by fire includes Harston's Music Warehouse yet it appears to have survived. Peter Shaw in Art Deco Napier: Styles of the thirties, writes that the building was strengthened after the earthquake so perhaps the Harston had a warehouse as well as this shop.

The second storey of the building is somewhat Spanish in style with barley twist columns between the semi-octagonal arched windows accentuated with curly cue decoration.

The single windows on the sides are surrounded by a series of shaped insets with a pure Art Deco motif below the sill.

However, the best part of the building, whether is survived the earthquake and fires or was (re)built shortly afterwards, is the shop's street-level entrance. Two sets of setback double doors with a display case in between. Glorious.

References:
Art Deco Napier: Styles of the thirties by Peter Shaw and Peter Hallett

Destroyed Buildngs - A Napier List, Auckland Evening Post, 5th February 1931

former Roxy Theatre, Everard Park

The former Roxy Theatre in Adelaide is a stunning building. Although it is now a Blockbuster video store, you can imagine the glamorous people who attended 'Piccadilly Jim' on openning night, Wednesday, 7 October 1937.

And how many of those same people attended on closing night, a mere 24 years later on Saturday 25 November 1961.

Disaster struck in 1985 when the theatre was gutted by fire but two year later the facade was restored. I think they did a good job.

Reference:
cinemantreasures.org

Burnham Flats, Geelong

Burnham Flats, a handsome block of flats in Geelong, in my opinion, is somewhat spoilt by the current paintwork. I think cream would work much better with the colour of the bricks. As you can see in the following photos, the black and aqua colours work very well on the doors but I really dislike it on the main body of the building.

The way the upstairs walkway comes around the corner of the building to form a small balcony area is delightful and introduces curved elements into an otherwise rectangular block.

The entrances to the flats are off a side street and no doubt the colours work better on the doors themselves.

A Building in Tulsa

I sorry to say that while I know this building is in Tulsa, although not Downtown Tulsa, but exactly what it is I don't recall.

Can anyone help?

Bellair Mansions, Vredehoek

Bellair Mansions, Vredehoek

Essex House, Miami

Essex House Hotel in Miami South Beach was designed by Henry Hohauser and built in 1938.

This hotel has all the deco elements. Porthole windows along the top storey. Eyebrows proving shade for the windows on the lower storeys. A rounded corner with the hotel name in neon. Another neon sign along the side of the building and of course on the tower.

A little Miami beauty.

Reference:
Essex House Hotel website

Villa, Asmara

I call this the 'Venetian' villa because of the venetian lion on the front of the building.