Te Matapihi
Mayor Whanau and Councillors visited Te Matapihi to see the construction and design progress on Wellington’s Central Library.
Construction on-site continues at full steam and in preparation for the base isolators arriving in August this year, continuing the essential work for future resiliency. Inside, the building already feels much lighter and brighter with the removal of parts of the original façade, and the opening of the new entrance on the corner of Victoria and Harris streets.
The major investment in this essential work on the physical structure of the building will provide an earthquake-resilient building that offers flexible spaces where people can choose from multiple options for engaging.
Athfield Architects, with a visual fly-through, talked about where the architectural design is now. Then, cultural co-design lead Rangi Kipa of Tihei brought the cultural aspects of the design to life, highlighting our inter-relationship with nature and this land, and a sense of place where curiosity is nurtured and can flourish.
Over three of the four floors, Te Matapihi project leads presented how people will experience these spaces when the library opens in 2026, visualising an exciting 21st-century centre of knowledge, diverse culture and creativity, that welcomes everyone.