Memorial Square Community Rooms

Memorial Square Community Rooms

Restoration Project

Rendering of the restored (former) Women’s Rest, Gavin Cooper Architect

The Art Deco Trust and Napier City Council are collaborating on a significant restoration initiative that aims to rejuvenate and appropriately repurpose the Category 1 heritage building known as the Memorial Square Community Rooms, Napier, (formerly known as the “Women’s Rest”), into a vibrant community facility.

A brief history …

Collection of Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust, Ruawharo Tā-ū-rangi, [7866]

Designed in 1924 by esteemed Napier architect James Augustus ‘Louis’ Hay in the Prairie Style and heavily influenced by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the building served as a sanctuary for Napier’s women, mothers, and children at a time when there were no public toilets or facilities for women in the town.

The facility was conceived as a utilitarian war memorial and companion to the city’s Cenotaph and was formally opened to the public on Anzac Day, 25 April 1926, at which time the reserve was renamed ‘Memorial Square’.

This Category 1 historic place holds special historical significance as a highly unusual utilitarian First World War memorial, alongside the purely monumental Cenotaph.

Collection of Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust, Ruawharo Tā-ū-rangi, [7256m]

In the wake of the devastating 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake, speedy repairs allowed the Women’s Rest to serve as the heart of Tin Town, effectively New Zealand’s first shopping mall.

Collection of Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust, Ruawharo Tā-ū-rangi, [3278] 

Over the years the building has hosted various groups, including the Merchant Navy Club, a ballet studio, and the Citizens’ Advice Bureau, before its closure in 2013 due to seismic concerns.

The Art Deco Trust is leading the restoration of this building with the generous support from donors and supporters.

The goal is to restore the integrity of Louis Hay’s original Art Deco-era design and allow the building to once again serve as Memorial Square Community Rooms, a community facility, and the home of the Art Deco Trust.

Rendering of the restored (former) Women’s Rest, Gavin Cooper Architect

Decorative horizontal pattern in art deco style

Napier City Council

Lottery Grants Board Environment and Heritage Fund

Earnshaw Holdings Ltd

Gavin Cooper Architect

Ann Galloway Heritage Architect

Halcyon Project Management

Alexander Construction

Almak

MCC Cost Consulting

Media Mint

Mitchell Daysh

Moth Light

Panton Consulting

Resene Paint NZ

Smart Fire

Structural Concepts

Wallace Development Company

Thank you to our seat naming donors

Barbara and David Arnott

In memory of Clifton Lee Black

Charles Chaplin

In memory of late Roy Clement

Simon and Bridget Dunn

Gannet Safaris Overland

Hamstur Trust

Gifted by Alan and Margaret Husheer

David and Jane Mackersey

Janine McCutcheon gifted in memory of Betty Gray

Bob and Alison Morrison

In memory of Geoff Myles

Leigh and Trish Patterson

Elizabeth Pishief

Gifted by Kevin and Bev Thomsen

Consider donating and naming one (or more) of the new chairs at the restored Memorial Square Community Rooms, and be there all when you’re not.

We are looking for support from the community – individuals, families, community groups and companies – to help us create a community space for everyone to enjoy.

Only 120 chairs available, one or more could be yours.

For a donation of $500 each; name a chair or multiple chairs and help us bring the project life.

Each chair can be named as gifted by you, your family, a family friend, your company or organisation.

Your donation is 100% tax deductible.

If you wish to pay via credit card, please complete the form below, submit, then complete payment page.

If you wish to pay via bank transfer, please complete the form and press ‘submit’.
Please ignore the following payment page – press the back button or ‘cancel transaction’ to return to the Trust website. The form will be sent. Ignore any error message.
Please don’t forget to make your payment via bank transfer.

Our account details are:
Account name: ART DECO TRUST
Account number: 12-3144-0079110-00
International swift code: ASBBNZ2A
We will match your donation to the details you submit on the form and send you a receipt for your donation.

Thank you for your support.


Name a chair and be there when you’re not!

Name(Required)
Address
I/we wish to pay via credit card or electronic transfer(Required)
Please select one option. Once the form is completed and submitted: For credit card payments, please complete this form, submit and complete the payment form. For bank transfers, submit the form, but ignore credit card payment form.
Price: $ 500.00
Choose how many chairs you would like – each chair $500
Words to appear on the chair: In memory of … In honour of … Gifted by …

If paying via credit card, please complete the form, press ‘submit’, then complete payment page.

If paying via bank transfer, please complete the form and press ‘submit’. At the payment page – press the back button or ‘cancel transaction’ to return to the Trust website. The form will be sent. Please ignore any error message.
Please don’t forget to make your payment via bank transfer.

Our account details are:
Account name: ART DECO TRUST
Account number: 12-3144-0079110-00
International swift code: ASBBNZ2A
We will match your donation to the details you submit on the form and send you a receipt for donation.

Thank you for your support.

Jeremy Smith
Heritage Manager / GM
Art Deco Trust
06 835 0022 x5
hm@artdeconapier.com

Please click here to make a donation in support of the restoration project

For more detail about the significance of the Napier (former) Women’s Rest, visit:

Women’s Rest (former) Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, Historic Place Category 1, List number: 1180

Decorative horizontal pattern in art deco style