Art Deco Trust

When the Art Deco Trust needed seating for their newly restored headquarters, they chose Alloyfold to deliver 120 Hagen Conference Chairs for the Art Deco Centre in Napier. The Trust operates from the historic (former) Women's Rest in Memorial Square, a Category 1 heritage building designed in 1924 by architect Louis Hay in the Prairie Style, influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright. After being closed since 2013 due to seismic concerns, this significant building has just reopened this August, as both the Trust's headquarters and a community facility.

The project required conference seating that would respect the building's 1930s heritage character while supporting diverse modern operations. The Trust runs daily guided tours with film presentations, hosts two annual Art Deco festivals that attract thousands of visitors, and operates venue hire for community events. Our Hagen Conference Chairs met these requirements with beechwood shells and dark khaki upholstery that complement the Art Deco aesthetic, chrome steel frames that reflect the period's embrace of modern materials, and practical features including linking mechanisms for organised seating and stackability up to 12 high for flexible space management.

This partnership enabled the Trust to fully utilise their restored Louis Hay-designed building, supporting heritage tours for international visitors, festival events, and sustainable venue hire operations. As a social enterprise, profits from this project support Pathway's community services while helping the Art Deco Trust continue their work preserving Napier's architectural heritage. The collaboration demonstrates how thoughtful furniture solutions can honour historic buildings while meeting contemporary operational needs, ensuring visitor comfort while experiencing one of New Zealand's unique heritage destinations.