Te Awe Library
Wellington
A new public library for Wellington located in the heart of the CBD.
Across one and a half floors of the recently strengthened Harbour City Centre, HMOA has created a welcoming hub and meeting place on Wellington's Golden Mile. Te Awe is a temporary library while Wellington awaits the seismic strengthening of the Central Library in Civic Square, designed by Ian Athfield.
"Te Awe Library is a welcoming public space for the community to make its own, whether as a living room, a study area, or a place to simply pause," NZIA Awards Jury comment, "... the architect deployed a design strategy to craft a public space that is generous in both spatial experience and quality".
An internal street links the two entranceways and a cafe, designed by Alistair Cox, is carefully integrated into the overall design.
The challenge of low ceilings and large K-braces have been mitigated with colour and a language of natural timber joinery.
Photos: Andy Spain
Awards: NZIA Wellington Architecture Awards, Public Architecture, 2021
Services have been left exposed and disguised with dark colours. Further challenges were to integrate modern library technologies, way-finding, acoustics, and flexibility of each space into a coherent design solution.
Artwork from pupils at Clyde Quay School have been integrated into the colour scheme by WCC's design team.