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| May 2004 |
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Library wins national architecture award The South Christchurch Library in Beckenham has won a national award for architecture. The library, which opened in August 2003, has been awarded the National Award for Architecture in the 2004 New Zealand Institute of Architects Resene New Zealand Awards for Architecture. The library was also the winner of a Resene Colour Award, and is shortlisted for the Supreme New Zealand Award to be announced later this month. Judges described the Christchurch South Library, Service Centre and Learning Centre, designed by Architecture Warren and Mahoney, as “an outstanding example of what a public building should be. There are no excessive architectural statements, with everything pared down to functional necessity and efficiency.” Warren and Mahoney director Andrew Barclay attributed the firm’s success to a revolution in the way architecture is being used to keep New Zealanders reading and learning. “This means libraries are no longer designed as just repositories for books. Today’s libraries are an extension of our living rooms and the way we’re interpreting this in our designs is proving a powerful means for attracting people through the doors,” he says. Visitors to the South Christchurch Library, for example, can grab a coffee from red café, located in the building, and take it out onto the “islands” in the surrounding moat while children play PlayStations. As well as a library, the building boasts a Council service centre and a learning centre that includes the latest information technology for use by school and community groups. Christchurch Libraries manager Sue Sutherland says South Christchurch Library has proved immensely popular with users. “The library had 241,675 visitors in its first seven months and is our second equal largest community library in terms of visitors,” she says. “We love the bright colours. It makes the library light and contemporary. With the café, TVs and PlayStations, it’s not like the libraries that we grew up with,” says a local visitor. Warren and Mahoney designed the library with an emphasis on environmental sustainability. South Christchurch Library incorporates specialist design features, such as natural ventilation rather than air conditioning, to provide substantial long-term benefits for the environment and users. “We are very proud of the building,” says partner Graeme Finlay. “It was an enjoyable building to work on, and this is reflected in the results and awards.”
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