The T&G Building sits proudly on the corner of Marine Parade and Emerson Street, seaside and directly opposite the Sound Shell and Sunken Gardens. Completed in 1935, the building was originally the home of Temperance General Insurance, a company that emerged during the prohibition era in the early 1900s.
The T&G Building was built as part of Napier’s reconstruction effort after the devastating 1931 earthquake destroyed most of Napier City. The design and build of The Dome were based on the prevailing architectural influences of the day – namely Art Deco and Spanish Mission. Napier is now Internationally recognised as the Art Deco Capital of the World.
Due to its central location and striking architectural features, characterised by a distinctive copper domed roof (or cupola) complete with clock tower, The Dome has become a Napier icon and one of the most photographed buildings in the country.